Chicago Bears Notes: It's a Celebration for the No. 1 Pick (2024)

There have been several moments this morning where I’ve pinched myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.

It turns out last night wasn’t a dream. The Chicago Bears are so, so, sooooo back.

Here it is. The moment Caleb Williams joined the Chicago Bears:

The first pick is in! Caleb Williams, YOU are a Chicago Bear. 🐻@CALEBcsw | @ChicagoBears
📺: #NFLDraft on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/O7D6ZIZspL— NFL (@NFL) April 26, 2024

“The Chicago Bears select Caleb Williams. Quarterback, Southern California.”

Those boos you heard were most likely from Detroit Lions fans in attendance who are seeing their window of prosperity start to close now that there is a new sheriff in town calling the shots in Chicago.

A message from your new QB1:

https://twitter.com/CALEBcsw/status/1783863213378928813

I’d have a nice, fat Italian beef sandwich (sweet and hot, dipped —duh!) if I had a dollar for every time I answered a question about how I felt about last night’s Bears draft. Perhaps I’d have enough for two. Maybe I could add a fry onto it. The vibes around the Bears are better now than they have been in quite some time. They made two draft picks on Thursday night that were good. These weren’t head-scratching picks. They made sense. The Bears really got two top-5 players in this draft class without having to mortgage the future. Sensational!

Caleb Williams now a member of the Chicago Bears. So is Rome Odunze. I think we watched these two become fast friends in real-time last night, so that was pretty cool.

Do you want some Rome Odunze highlights? Here ya go. A Caleb Williams sizzle reel? We’ve got you covered here.

This might be the wildest NFL Draft comp you’ll ever see:

In the Dragon Ball Z x #NFLDraft Project, Caleb Williams is Super Saiyan 3 Goku. Both rare and do things their way whether you like it or not. Both want to face the best, but approach fighting differently than most. It takes a lot of energy to be them but their game is polished. pic.twitter.com/zbooukotvb— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) April 25, 2024

I know RGIII has had some less-than-savory things to say about the Bears and Caleb Williams in the pre-draft process. But there is no denying the cool factor here. At a minimum, this is the most unique draft analysis of a prospect you’ll get. I’m all for it. More, please!

I love the lead in this Colleen Kane Tribune story on the Rome Odunze pick:

The Chicago Bears’ new pairing of USC quarterback Caleb Williams and Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze unfolded in a series of scenes over the last month resembling a football teammate meet-cute.
The move script goes like this: Odunze, a longtime fan of Bears great Devin Hester, secures a predraft training session with Williams, the franchise’s next great hope at quarterback.
The two, who played against each other in college, meet again on their flight to Detroit for the NFL draft, snap a photo together and post it on social media. They see each other on the elevator a few times around the draft. Then, on the night the Bears draft Williams with the first pick, Odunze serendipitously falls to No. 9, at which the Bears hold another pick.

Rome Odunze saying the Bears were his childhood favorite team and that Devin Hester was his favorite player gave me all the warm feels:

Dreams to reality for @RomeOdunze pic.twitter.com/ChkPAktEej
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) April 26, 2024

We, the people, need a Rome Odunze-Devin Hester meet-up at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in August like it’s nobody’s business. The Bears need to make Rome’s childhood dreams come true and link him up with his favorite player.

Caleb Williams is going back to his high school number and wearing No. 18 now that he is with the Bears. With Jaylon Johnson set to wear No. 1, it leaves Rome Odunze in search of a new number at the pro level. I’d like to take this moment and recommend No. 4. Last worn by Eddie Jackson (2022-23), Bears die-hards might recall No. 4 was Devin Hester’s college number when he was at Miami. What better way to recognize your fave than by wearing his college number? Just a thought.

As expected, the Bears draft party was LIT:

https://twitter.com/ChicagoBears/status/1783656329434853785

There were some angsty times this offseason with Bears fans and I wasn’t sure how folks would react to the Caleb Williams pick. But it sure seems like everyone is on board now. Moving forward with this fanbase will be easier with everyone pulling on the same end of the rope.

Now that the Caleb Williams pick is in, an updated look at the return on the Bears-Panthers trade tree: WR DJ Moore, RT Darnell Wright, CB Tyrique Stevenson, QB Caleb Williams, Pick No. 122 in the fourth round, and Carolina’s 2025 second-round pick. All that so the Carolina Panthers could draft Bryce Young.

I’m not ready to build Ryan Poles a statue just yet. But maybe someone should start rounding up some estimates if they have free time on their hands.

WOW. They really had a Caleb Williams hologram at the Bears draft party:

https://twitter.com/ChicagoBears/status/1783660888483832305

I hope the wonders of modern technology never cease to amaze me.

Oof. I could write another thousand+ words of Bullets but then I’d be here all day. I’m just going to try and sprinkle stuff in while I can and hope I get to everything I’ve saved and bookmarked that I wanted to share.

The Atlanta Falcons pick still befuddles me. I’m thankful it happened. The Falcons could’ve easily shopped that pick to a team that wanted to move up for a receiver. Or they could have used it for themselves to take Rome Odunze. That would’ve stung the most. Maybe this was one last gift from Ryan Pace. Maybe *puts on tin-foil hat* Atlanta knows that Kirk Cousins will be suspended as part of the tampering punishment and drafting Michael Penix Jr. will keep them afloat. I know that doesn’t even make sense, but the Falcons drafting Penix in the first place doesn’t make sense either.

On the one hand, the Minnesota Vikings drafted their franchise quarterback and the top edge defender prospect in this class without giving up a future first-round pick. But on the other hand, the Vikings gave up pick Nos. 11, 42, 129, 157, 167, 188 in the 2024 NFL Draft as well as second, third, and fourth round selections in 2025 to get J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner. When you put it that way, it looks like a steep price to pay.

The Green Bay Packers drafted Jordan Morgan, a University of Arizona offensive lineman who is not to be confused with 2017 Bears draft pick Jordan Morgan. I just wanted to make that point of clarification while it was on my mind.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the Lions drafted Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold after seeing the Bears load up with Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze this offseason.

Remember when Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell said he was happy Justin Fields was gone and out of the division? OPE…

I can’t believe we did an impromptu 4-hour NFL Draft live reaction show:

It can be challenging to be a Chicago sports fan when you’re not in Chicago. So I’m sending the following as one Bears fan trying to bring others together. A friend of mine out in Philadelphia is trying to bring together Bears fans out east with Bear Down Philly, Philadelphia’s only Bears game day watch party group. There will be more. But this feels like a nice place to start. You can follow along on Instagram or Facebook.

HAPPY FRIDAY! The Bleacher Nation Newsletter

FAQs

Have the Bears ever had the number 1 pick? ›

(1) The Bears have chosen two players at No. 1: Michigan halfback Tom Harmon in 1941 and Oklahoma A&M halfback Bob Fenimore in 1947. After winning the Heisman Trophy in 1940, Harmon was picked by the Bears at No. 1.

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Will Bears draft a QB in 2024? ›

Bears select USC QB Caleb Williams, Washington WR Rome Odunze in Round 1 of 2024 NFL Draft. The presumptive top pick for months, Caleb Williams is officially headed to the Windy City. The Chicago Bears selected Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday in Detroit.

Get More Info Here ›

Why is Caleb Williams the number one pick? ›

No draft pick is more controversial and highly touted than USC's Caleb Williams. Williams is said to be the #1 overall pick, which is for big reasons. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2022 and nearly won the award in the 2023 season.

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What do Chicago Bears fans say? ›

"Bear down, Chicago Bears! Make every play clear the way to victory. Bear down, Chicago Bears! Put up a fight with a might so fearlessly.

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Who will the Bears take with the number 1 pick? ›

While the Bears held the top overall selection briefly in 2023, the team appears set to use its No. 1 pick for the first time in nearly eight decades ... and draft a potential franchise-altering talent in quarterback Caleb Williams.

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Have the Bears ever drafted a Heisman Trophy winner? ›

The Chicago Bears handed the starting job to quarterback Caleb Williams in the offseason when they drafted the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner and USC star with the No. 1 overall pick.

Who is the number one quarterback recruit in 2024? ›

2024 ESPN Top Quarterbacks: Pocket Passer

RK	PLAYER	SCHOOL
1	Dylan Raiola Video \| Scouts Report	Nebraska Signed
2	C.J. Carr Video \| Scouts Report	Notre Dame Signed
3	Air Noland Video \| Scouts Report	Ohio State Signed
4	Michael Van Buren Video \| Scouts Report	Miss. St Signed

37 more rows

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Who will be the next Bears QB? ›

The following is the first of nine position previews in advance of training camp. The development of promising rookie quarterback Caleb Williams—the No. 1 overall pick in the draft—will be a top storyline throughout training camp.

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Who is the #1 draft pick in 2024? ›

Hawks select teen Risacher with No. 1 pick

The Atlanta Hawks select French teen Zaccharie Risacher as the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft Wednesday night.

How many QBs have the Bears drafted? ›

The Bears drafted Jim McMahon in 1982, and he eventually led them to and won a Super Bowl. He's the only quarterback to do so in the NFL's modern era. Since McMahon, over the last 40 years, the Bears have drafted 15 different quarterbacks.

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Who was the Bears 9th pick? ›

1, the Bears further bolstered their offense by choosing Washington receiver Rome Odunze at No. 9.

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What is Caleb Williams' salary? ›

Breaking down Caleb Williams' salary at Bears

The quarterback inked a 4-year, $39 million deal with the club, with all of it guaranteed.

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What does the C stand for in Chicago Bears? ›

They actually changed their primary logo to the bear head in 2023, but the “C” means Chicago.

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What did Aaron Rodgers say about the Bears? ›

Aaron Rodgers offers some praise to Bears, thinks they're 'almost good enough' to beat Packers.

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How many 1st round QBs have the Bears drafted? ›

Since the NFL and AFL merged in 1966, creating the first common draft in '67, the Bears have selected six QBs in the first round. Those quarterbacks have combined for zero selections to the All-Pro teams (first team or second), and two Pro Bowls during their time in Chicago.

How many 1st round draft picks do the Bears have in 2024? ›

The order for all 32 picks in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft is set, with the Chicago Bears picking No. 1 and the Washington Commanders picking No. 2. The Bears have two first-round picks -- the second at No.

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What is the Bears best record ever? ›

The Chicago Bears had their best record in a season in 1942 and in 1934, with a record of 11-0.