Mark Potash

If Ryan Poles is right about USC quarterback Caleb Williams in Shane Waldron’s offense, drafting the Marvin Harrisons of the world won’t be as critical as it usually is for the Bears. More often than not, elite quarterbacks make elite receivers than the other way around.

Though Bears general manager Ryan Poles played it a little coy, the selection of the USC quarterback has gone from presumed to inevitable. "I feel really good about our process and where we're headed," Poles said. "We know what we're going to do."

Williams' has extraordinary skills. But it’s Poles’ job to know what it is that makes Caleb Williams’ tick. Does he have the “it” factor that makes everyone around him better and tilts the field in his favor in crunch time? There's no doubt Poles sees something special in Williams.

The Bears have been here before in their search for a quarterback — Jay Cutler, Mitch Trubisky, Justin Fields — and have found only disappointment. But Williams not only is a cut above as a prospect, the Bears are set up for him to succeed where others failed.

The Bears tried an ill-fated apprenticeship plan with Mitch Trubisky in 2017 (behind Mike Glennon) and Justin Fields in 2021 (behind Andy Dalton). But the 2024 Bears are set up for Williams to come in as the Week 1 starter.

Even Caleb Williams was asking Poles why the Bears have had such a hard time developing a quality quarterback. But the Bears' GM has responded by not only getting Williams, but a solid supporting cast that should put him in a position to succeed.

The Bears have been known for their defense — The Monsters of the Midway. But with Caleb Williams, DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet & Co., the offense has the chance to become the identity of a franchise for the first time since the Sid Luckman era.

Just when it appeared the Bears had used their final pick on Iowa punter Tory Taylor, they traded a 2025 fourth-round pick to the Bills to take the 6-4, 253-pound edge rusher from Kansas who had eight sacks and 12 tackles for loss in 2023.

The Bears ended up taking five players after giving up a 2025 fourth-rounder to pick Kansas defensive end Austin Booker in the fifth round.