28 January 2024 , 04:00
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Chicago Bears legend Brian Urlacher has given the team some advice. He's told them to trade Justin Fields and pick Caleb Williams in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Williams is seen as a top prospect, and now the Bears have to choose between keeping Fields or building their team around Williams, who won the Heisman Trophy in 2022.
Despite a dip in form last season, Williams' reputation remains high. Before the 2022 college football season, he moved from Oklahoma to USC with head coach Lincoln Riley and quickly became one of the best quarterbacks in the game.
In his second year at college, he scored 42 touchdowns with only five interceptions. In 2023, Williams threw for 3,633 yards and 30 touchdowns to five interceptions, but the Trojans didn't meet their high preseason expectations.
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The 22-year-old has been compared to two-time NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes for his ability to dodge pressure and make impressive throws from unexpected angles. Now, the Bears have a decision to make.
The franchise, who also have the ninth pick, got the top pick in the NFL Draft after a deal last year that let the Carolina Panthers pick quarterback Bryce Young first. They must decide if they should stick with Fields and make their team stronger in other areas by trading down, or go for Williams.
When asked about the number one pick, Urlacher said: "I would have drafted C.J. Stroud last year so you know... they had the number one pick last year. I know everyone was high on Bryce Young but look everyone always talks about the guy like they said the Bears passed up on Deshaun Watson when they took Mitch Trubisky.
"Well, you could say the same thing last year. They passed up on C.J. Stroud as well. They traded that pick when they could have taken him, but I mean it's not good to have number one picks two years in a row. Obviously, this year they got it because of the trade with Carolina but I think they have to take Caleb [Williams].
"I don't think there's any way around it this year. If you don't take him and he turns out to be great, but having said that, Justin Fields played good this season. Last year as well. It's tough. The defense really played good the second half of the season... but I think if Caleb's available, you have to take him."
Caleb Williams is widely regarded as the best quarterback on offer in the 2024 NFL Draft (Getty Images)During his college career, Williams - who had a 23-10 record as a starter - scored 93 touchdowns and only 14 interceptions, throwing for over 10,000 yards. He also scored 21 times in his two seasons at USC, showing off his big-play ability; he had 10 games where he scored five or more touchdowns. According to ESPN Stats and Info, only Mahomes had more in the College Football Playoff era.
The Bears could trade down given they already have Fields on their team. They drafted Fields at No. 11 back in 2021, and while he hasn't led them to a winning record yet, his improvement each year is promising.
Urlacher seems to think the Bears should draft Williams and trade Fields to get more assets to strengthen their team. The Bears' defensive and offensive lines didn't perform well for most of the 2023 season, but they did improve towards the end to finish 7-10.
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