I’m not sure who will be coaching the Bears in 2024 at the moment I’m writing this, but I’m quite confident Ryan Poles will be the general manager. Honestly, it doesn’t matter. I have the Chicago Bears covered in one step. I will admit that this plan is more of an expression of my frustrations over the past few years than it is a logical one. Here’s my suggestion on how Ryan Poles ought to tackle the issues at hand, though.
Step 1: Construct an offensive line that is a temple to the football gods using the draft
Step 1a: Trade down from #1 to the position that will enable Chicago to obtain more high-value selections and maintain its Top 10 ranking. This should allow the team to select a second-round pick and a potential first-round pick when it gets as low as #4 or #5. So be it if it must be lowered. Better yet if a club pays an equal amount to advance from closer.
Step 1b: Unless Olumuyiwa Fashanu is still available, use the highest pick currently available to select a new quarterback (then draft Fashanu and revise the strategy for 3c). To be clear, the live game does not begin for this young man (presumably Daniels at this time) until after the bye. Even if Tyson Bagent’s father has to start instead, I don’t care. I would prefer it if his first start occurred in 2025, but the only scenario in which that would not happen is if the Bears are somehow leading by three scores and the other club has already pulled their starting defense.
Step 1c: Use Chicago’s native pick to select the best offensive lineman still available; if Fashanu was selected with the higher pick, a quarterback (likely Nix or McCarthy if he emerges at this stage) would be selected.
Step 1d. Which new second-round selection? Choose the best offensive lineman still available in the draft. I apologize if this is overdrafting, but my answer is in the questions below (key phrase: “Jay Cutler”).
Step 1e: To reenter the second round and select the best offensive lineman still available, trade Chicago’s third-round selection and the Carolina Panthers’ 2025 second-round selection. Not to your taste? Don’t get hooked to the notion that it’s for anything ostentatious, either, as Chicago acquired an extra first by trading down.
First g. In 2024, would a quarterback for the Bears ever have a dirty jersey? True? Then, Chicago ought to reinvest in the offensive line with at least two of its two first-round selections in 2025. This should indicate that the new quarterback will have access to four first-round and two second-round draft selections for his five offensive linemen by the time he takes the field.