The future of the Bears’ organization firmly rests in their hand. When a team has the No. 1 pick in the draft, they control how everyone else drafts. They have a hold on the future of several organizations, including their own.
There’s no question that USC quarterback Caleb Williams is the consolation prize every losing team wants to receive. He’s a generational talent with incredible off-script playmaking abilities and off-platform throwing abilities similar to that of Patrick Mahomes.
And the Bears are the only team with the outright ability to make him their next signal caller. Unless, of course, they’re pulled in a different direction.
The Washington Commanders need a quarterback. When they benched Sam Howell at the end of the season, they made their feelings about him clear. They’re not comfortable with him being their mainstay quarterback.
They also hired former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to be the team’s new head coach, opening the door for Quinn and his staff to find a new signal caller for the team. To help with that, the Commanders made a very curious hire, bringing on USC quarterbacks coach Kliff Kingsbury to be their offensive coordinator.
Kingsbury pulled his name out of the running to be the Raiders’ offensive coordinator, which was head-turning on its own, seeing as Antonio Pierce and Kingsbury have a strong relationship. Most thought Kingsbury would be the Raiders’ next offensive mind.
But, alas, with the second-closest draft pick to Williams, Kingsbury flipped the switch to the USC quarterback’s hometown in D.C. Does that mean the Commanders want to draft Williams? Maybe it’s not the main reason, but yes, the Commanders would prefer to have Williams.
Kingsbury, in the past, has gushed over Williams, too. But that could mean one of two things. Either a) Williams is the best player he’s ever coached since Patrick Mahomes at Texas Tech. Do what it takes to get him. Or b) He’s good at his job and can coach up any quarterback no matter who it is.
Either way, with new owner Josh Harris behind the future of the Commanders’ franchise, they — along with a handful of teams — will likely send general manager Ryan Poles offers too difficult to refuse.
How much would the Commanders be willing to cough up? Remember, they would be trying to move just one spot in the draft.
NFL draft and financial savant Bill Barnwell of ESPN recently did a deep dive into the potential offers the Bears could receive for the No. 1 pick. Because the Commanders would only be moving up one spot, here’s what he chalked up the offer: Pick Nos. 2, 40 and 163. Realistically, that’s not a ton, unless the Bears continue to move down from No. 2.
But on Tuesday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter told ESPN 1000 that the starting points for the Commanders in a trade-up for the No. 1 pick are two first-round picks. Wowza. Now, that might be difficult to refuse, considering the Bears could trade down for more first-round picks and other assets.
