Category: Latest Bears News

Caleb Williams reacts to the Bears drafting WR Rome Odunze

Caleb Williams couldn’t contain his excitement when he saw the Bears select Rome Odunze.

New Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams didn’t have to wait long to see who his new teammate would be—and he was pretty darn happy about it. The Bears selected wide receiver Rome Odunze with the No. 9 overall pick, giving Williams a new weapon to utilize in a suddenly stacked offense. After seeing the two develop a friendship over the last few months during the pre-draft process, it should come as no surprise to see Williams’ reaction to the selection.

Williams couldn’t contain his excitement backstage when he saw Odunze’s name pop up. “I would have spiked this water if we didn’t have cameras,” he said. “We got our guy,” he said while smiling. It’s pretty clear he’s thrilled about the new addition.

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Williams and Odunze were opponents the last two years when they were at USC and Washington, respectively, but got to know one another during their time in the PAC-12. The two were seen dapping each other up at the NFL Combine and made some news earlier this week when they were on the same flight to Detroit. They also worked out with Keenan Allen and DJ Moore. Now, all four are teammates on the Bears.

Instant analysis of Bears selection of WR Rome Odunze

The Bears paired QB Caleb Williams with WR Rome Odunze at No. 9. Here’s our instant reaction.

The Chicago Bears paired new quarterback Caleb Williams with a playmaking wide receiver in Rome Odunze with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

The Bears have found a perfect fit for Shane Waldron’s offense in Odunze, a talented wide receiver from the University of Washington. At 6’3″ and 212 pounds, Odunze possesses the size, strength, and athleticism to become a dominant force in the NFL.

Odunze’s physicality and ability to win contested catches make him an ideal target in the red zone and on third downs. His strong hands and body allow him to make difficult catches in traffic, providing a reliable option for the quarterback when the play breaks down. Odunze’s size also makes him an effective blocker in the running game, which is crucial in Waldron’s scheme, which relies heavily on the outside run.

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In addition to his physical attributes, Odunze’s route-running ability and football IQ are intriguing. He has a good understanding of how to leverage his routes and find soft spots in zone coverage, which will be valuable in the Bears’ play-action passing game. The Washington wide receiver can read defenses and adjust on the fly, which will help Caleb Williams.

Overall, the Bears have found a talented and versatile wide receiver in Odunze, who fits perfectly into Waldron’s offense. His size, physicality, route-running ability, and football IQ make him a great addition to the Bears’ receiving corps, and he has the potential to become a long-term starter and future WR1 on the team.

Grading the Bears’ selection of WR Rome Odunze

The Bears added to their explosive WR room with Rome Odunze at ninth overall. Here’s how we graded the pick.

Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze made headlines when they took a photo together following their flight to Detroit, fueling speculation that the Chicago Bears might look to pair the two offensive juggernauts.

That speculation turned out to have some merit, as the Bears selected Odunze with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, ensuring the pair will share a return flight to Chicago.

Odunze will join Keenan Allen and DJ Moore in the wide receiver room, creating what is certainly one of the most dangerous pass-catching trios in the NFL.

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Chicago opted to go with the flashier pick in Odunze rather than upgrade positions that are more volatile, such as pass rusher or the offensive line. The Bears clearly approached the first round with the mentality of helping Williams find immediate success, pairing him with the physically gifted Odunze.

Chicago had more pressing needs that could have remedied with the ninth pick, but more firepower in the pass game is certainly welcome, especially for a franchise that has historically neglected skill positions on offense.

Grade: B

Instant analysis of Bears selection of QB Caleb Williams

The Bears officially made Caleb Williams the first overall pick. Here’s our instant reaction.

The Chicago Bears selected quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

As expected, the Bears have secured the franchise quarterback poised to become the face of the team and bring a dynamic presence to the Bears locker room.

Caleb Williams is a player with a skill set that perfectly aligns with offensive coordinator Shane Waldron’s vision. Williams brings an impressive combination of precision passing – especially off-platform, the agility to evade defenders, and a fiery competitive spirit.

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Williams will be the starting quarterback right out of the gate, and the Bears have already equipped him with the necessary support to excel. This isn’t just a draft pick; it’s a statement.

The Bears are building, and Caleb Williams is expected to be the cornerstone of GM Ryan Poles’ vision. The world waits to see how soon Williams will be able to shift Chicago’s fortune and reassert the Bears as a dominant force in the league.

Bears select WR Rome Odunze with 9th overall pick in 2024 NFL draft

Welcome to the Chicago Bears, Rome Odunze!

The Chicago Bears have selected Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

Odunze has the size (6-foot-3), speed (4.45) and elite ball skills that make him an enticing option to add to a receiver duo that already consists of DJ Moore and Keenan Allen.

Odunze is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with Washington, including 92 catches for 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2023. Back in 2022, Odunze totaled 75 receptions for 1,145 yards nad seven scores.

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According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Odunze recently caught balls from new Bears quarterback Caleb Williams during a pre-draft workout. That session also happened to include their new teammates, Moore and Allen.

The addition of Odunze, who would be WR1 in any other draft class, gives the Bears one of the best receiver trios in the league with Moore and Allen.

After sharing a flight to Detroit together, Odunze and Williams will now be sharing a flight to Chicago as the newest members of the Bears.

Follow along with our live blog with live updates and picks during Round 1.

Bears QB Caleb Williams jersey number revealed

Caleb Williams has only been a Bear for a short time, but he already has a jersey number picked.

Caleb Williams has only been a Chicago Bear for a short time, but he already has his jersey number set. Shortly after he was selected with the No. 1 overall pick, the Bears announced Williams would wear No. 18 in the pros in a very cool reveal on social media.

Williams had worn No. 13 throughout college at both Oklahoma and USC, but wore No. 18 when he was in high school. Now, he’s going back in that direction with the Bears. Perhaps part of that is due to new wide receiver Keenan Allen, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Chargers in a trade back in March. Allen has worn No. 13 for his entire career and expressed a desire to keep it when he joined the Bears.

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Unfortunately, those fans who purchased No. 13 Williams jerseys will now have a fun collectible. Perhaps they can duct tape Allen’s name over the nameplate ahead of the 2024 season.

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Grading the Bears’ selection of QB Caleb Williams

The Bears found their new QB in Caleb Williams. Here’s how we graded the pick.

The Chicago Bears have chosen the next face of the franchise with the selection of USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, blazing forth a new era of Bears football.

The selection comes as a surprise to no one, as the team has been linked to Williams since the end of last season, when it became certain that Chicago would hold top priority in this year’s draft.

While the wider NFL world considered Williams’ union with the Bears inevitable, the decision was not so cut-and-dry for the team’s front office, as there was rampant internal debate on whether the Bears should keep Justin Fields and possible forgo taking a highly-touted QB in the draft.

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The allure of Williams’ generational talent won out, and general manager Ryan Poles promptly arranged a trade that sent Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a 2025 conditional sixth-round pick. The deal was done, and Chicago’s future was settled; they would tie their fate to Williams with the hope that he can end a 38-year Super Bowl drought and bring home the Lombardi trophy.

It’s an understatement to say that this is a home-run pick for the Bears. They fix their biggest and most immediate problem by plugging in an immensely talented passer who will start on Day 1; furthermore, the team has surrounded Williams with a roster that is ready to win now.

The rookie will have a supporting cast that features electric playmakers like DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and D’Andre Swift, and he’ll be complemented by a stingy defense that asserted themselves as one of the better defenses in the NFL in the second half of the 2023 season.

All of that is not accounting for what the Bears will do later in the first round of this draft and beyond. Williams is coming to a Chicago team that is ready to take the leap; it’s up to Williams to be the final piece of the puzzle and bring immediate success to the Bears.

Grade: A+

Bears select QB Caleb Williams with 1st overall pick in 2024 NFL draft

It’s official: the Bears have made Caleb Williams the first pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

The Chicago Bears kicked off the 2024 NFL draft with the selection of USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick.

The move has been expected for weeks since the Bears traded away Justin Fields to clear the path for Williams, who some believe is the best QB prospect since Andrew Luck.

It’s easy to see why general manager Ryan Poles is so invested in Williams: He’s got the arm talent, mobility, creativity and leadership that puts him in a great position to rewrite Chicago’s brutal quarterback history.

Williams spent the past two years as USC’s starter, which included a Heisman Trophy campaign in 2022, where he completed 67% of his passes for 4,537 yards with 42 touchdowns and five interceptions. He added 382 rushing yards and 10 rushing scores.

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Despite USC’s struggles in 2023, Williams still had an impressive season, in two fewer games. He completed 69% of his passes for 3,633 yards with 30 touchdowns and five interceptions. He added 101 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns.

Chicago spent extensive time with Williams during the pre-draft process, between the NFL Scouting Combine, pro day and his Top 30 visit. Not on did Bears brass get to know Williams, but some key veteran players also got a jumpstart on building a foundation with the rookie QB.

Just last week, Williams hosted a workout in Los Angeles, where he was throwing to his new teammates, DJ Moore and Keenan Allen.

Expectations are high for Williams, even in Year 1. The Bears have done everything to make this an ideal landing spot for Williams: he’s got an arsenal of weapons (including Moore, Allen and Cole Kmet), an improved offensive line, a potential top-five defense and new QB-friendly offensive coordinator in Shane Waldron.

Follow along with our live blog with live updates and picks during Round 1.

Report: Bears ‘very open’ to trading back from No. 9

It sounds like the Bears are ready to trade back from the ninth overall pick – “for the right price.”

We’re just hours away from the start of the 2024 NFL draft, and it sounds like the Chicago Bears are working the phone lines.

While it’ll come as no surprise when they make quarterback Caleb Williams the first overall pick, there’s more intrigue when it comes to the ninth overall selection — especially given all the teases that chaos is on the way in the first round.

Multiple reports have indicated there are several teams looking to trade into the top-10 — be it for a quarterback, pass catcher or offensive tackle. Could the Bears be a beneficiary of the chaos?

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According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, Chicago is “very open for business” when it comes to trading the No. 9 pick — but “for the right price.”

Translation: Make it a haul or we’re comfortable staying put.

General manager Ryan Poles told reporters this week that he was comfortable with just four draft picks. But if the offer is right, it’s hard to turn it down.

Whether the Bears elect to trade the ninth overall pick or stay put remains to be seen. But that could very well depend on how the board falls and whether any of their top guys are still available.

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Bears need to keep up with NFC North rivals in 2024 NFL draft

The Bears need to keep an eye on their NFC North rivals in the 2024 NFL draft.

The Chicago Bears are just hours away from making quarterback Caleb Williams the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft with the hope they finally have the guy that can lead them from that position. 

This is a very important draft for general manager Ryan Poles. It could very well make or break the next few years of the franchise. If the Bears do it right, they could prosper for a long time. If they don’t, they could be a last-place team for another half decade or more. 

Chicago needs to keep an eye on their NFC North rivals in this draft. Two of the teams won at least one playoff game last season, as both the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions are dangerous. 

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Each team has a good quarterback in place, with Jordan Love and Jared Goff, respectively. The Bears are hoping that they will have one now, but that remains to be seen. 

With their quarterbacks already in place, the Packers and Lions are already one step ahead. They are going to now try and use the draft to supplement their rosters around the franchise QB.

As for the Minnesota Vikings, they may trade up to select one of the other available quarterbacks in the draft. They may even consider one at No. 11, if they can’t get a deal done. 

Regardless of what happens, the Bears need to make sure they are better than their division rivals. If that is the case, they are already on a good track. You must beat your division first if you ever have aspirations of winning the Super Bowl. Poles needs to be better than the Lions, Packers and Vikings this weekend.