The Chicago Bears operated on a narrow edge through most of the off-season. They didn’t have endless money to spend in free agency since they had to extend Jaylon Johnson. As for the draft, GM Ryan Poles only had four picks. His margin for error was small, so he’d have to be exceedingly careful with how he used his assets. Surprisingly, he was passive most of the weekend. He didn’t trade down to accumulate more picks. He stayed put and took the best players he could. The only moment of true excitement was giving up a 4th round pick in 2025 to jump back into the draft for Kansas edge rusher Austin Booker in the 5th round.
It was one of the smallest classes of any team in the league this year. Poles didn’t seem bothered by that. He felt the Bears still got great value and addressed every need they had to. They still have eight picks next year, including three in the first two rounds. The future is secure and the Bears look like a considerably better team on paper. By most accounts, the wider draft media agree. Chicago’s grades for the 2024 draft are in, and they’d make almost any parent proud.
The Ringer: A+
“This could be the class that turns the Bears back into an NFL powerhouse team.”
USA Today: A+
“Duh. They got this draft’s best player, USC QB Caleb Williams, off the top and – perhaps – its next best in Washington WR Rome Odunze at No. 9.”
Touchdown Wire: B+
“You’d like more picks here, but the value of this haul is obvious.”
NFL.com: A-
“Williams and Odunze, combined with DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, could give the Bears their best passing attack since the merger.”
Washington Post: A-
“The Bears’ draft class was small but could be transformational, and the supporting cast around Williams on offense gives him a reasonable chance to thrive.”
CBS Sports: A-
“Small but impactful class from Ryan Poles, and he added a pick late by trading a fourth-round pick in 2025 to get a high-upside outside rusher, which was a clear need.”
ESPN: B
“Williams, the No. 1 player on my Big Board, is an elite talent who will be surrounded by a great group of playmakers, which now includes wideout Rome Odunze (9), who finished No. 4 on my Big Board.”
Most of the praise went to the two men at the top. Quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze are top 10 picks. One is widely considered among the best QB prospects to come out of college in over a decade. The other is a well-rounded playmaker who probably would’ve been the first receiver off the board in almost any other draft. Those two can form the core of something this organization hasn’t seen on offense in many years. Yet even the later picks earned praise. Kiran Amegadjie and Austin Booker are considered excellent developmental prospects, while Tory Taylor is one of the best punters to come out of college in some time.
What’s the saying? It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog. The Chicago Bears don’t need the 2024 class to be big. They need it to be good. Williams and Odunze alone give them great odds of that happening. If any of the other three prove to be long-term keepers, that makes this draft a success. The good vibes are everywhere. This feels like a team on the cusp of a breakthrough. Now they need to put everything together on the field.
