The Chicago Bears have decided to keep defensive-minded coach Matt Eberflus but have fired offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and a few others on that side of the ball. How might those decisions affect what the Bears do with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft? Will they keep incumbent quarterback Justin Fields or draft Caleb Williams? SportsLine offers odds on what GM Ryan Poles will do with the pick.
The Bears were one of the most improved teams in the NFL the second half of this past season after trading for Commanders defensive end Montez Sweat on Halloween, which cost Poles a 2024 second-round pick. That looks like a steal so far as Sweat completely transformed the defense and became the first player in league history to lead two teams in sacks in one season. He had 6.5 with Washington and 6 with Chicago. Sweat has already been signed to a long-term extension.
That the defense played so well under Eberflus, who called plays after defensive coordinator Alan Williams resigned in September, was the main reason for Poles to keep Eberflus.
While Fields did take some steps forward under center, the offense remained wildly inconsistent with at times puzzling play-calling under Getsy. Fields' QBR, passer rating, adjusted net yards per attempt, yards per game and completion percentage all finished in the bottom third of the league. There was never a chance that Getsy, a former Packers quarterbacks coach who never called plays with Green Bay, would be back. Also fired were QBs coach Andrew Janocko, WRs coach Tyke Tolbert and RBs coach Omar Young.
The Chicago offense ranked 23rd in the league in 2022 at 19.4 points per game and 18th this past season at 21.4 PPG. Getsy never clicked philosophically with Fields, according to beat writers, as Getsy often kept the mobile Fields in the pocket. The 2021 first-round pick has one year left on his rookie contract, and the Bears must decide by May whether to exercise his fifth-year option for 2025. That deadline falls after the draft.
Would a prospective offensive coordinator candidate rather work with Fields or Williams? That answer is obvious and could be a huge lure for some big-name offensive coordinators like Greg Roman, who worked with Lamar Jackson in Baltimore, former Colts and Panthers head coach Frank Reich, or current Commanders OC Eric Bieniemy if he doesn't get a head coaching job.
The former USC star Williams is considered a generational talent – scouts rate him much higher than 2023 No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young (chosen by Carolina after Chicago traded the Panthers the top pick) – and has been compared to a young Patrick Mahomes, a player the Bears could have had in the 2017 draft. Williams is the -800 favorite at DraftKings to be the top pick in April, regardless of which team ends up holding the pick.
It would not be ideal for Fields to play under a third different offensive coordinator already in Chicago – Bill Lazor was the OC in Fields' 2021 rookie season under former head coach Matt Nagy. Taking Williams would mean a completely fresh start on that side of the ball, which seems necessary. The Bears also hold the No. 9 overall pick and could look at someone like Washington receiver Rome Odunze there to pair with DJ Moore.
Via SportsLine oddsmakers: What will the Bears do with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft?
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