The Chicago Bears currently hold the first and fourth overall picks in the upcoming NFL draft. General Manager Ryan Poles faces significant decisions in the coming months, with the choice of quarterback playing a pivotal role in shaping his legacy with the Bears. Poles must decide whether to continue building around current quarterback Justin Fields or opt for a new quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft.
The top prospects in this draft class include USC QB Caleb Williams and North Carolina QB Drake Maye. While Williams is widely expected to be the number one pick, recent comments made to Ryan Kartje of the L.A. Times suggest some uncertainty. According to Kartje’s report, Williams mentioned that declaring for the draft is still “a game-time decision”.
The deadline for declaring for the 2024 NFL draft is January 15th. However, if Caleb Williams decides to return to USC, it would be a highly surprising turn of events.
The introduction of NIL deals, enabling college athletes to earn income through their names, could serve as an incentive for certain college stars to extend their time in school. In 2023, Williams ranks among the top 5 in NIL earnings, accumulating an estimated $2.7 million.
How influential is USC head coach Lincoln Riley in this decision? It seems likely that Riley would prefer Williams to return, but there are doubts. Williams would be passing up a lucrative $38 million deal with a $24.8 million signing bonus if he were to be selected first overall in the upcoming April draft.
While the reasons behind Williams comments are unclear, skepticism should remain until there is concrete evidence of him not declaring for the draft. However, if he were to stay at USC, it might be in the best interest of the Chicago Bears to focus on building around Justin Fields and explore trading back if they were to secure the number 1 overall pick.
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