The Chicago Bears have been the subject of dozens upon dozens of mock draft proposals and trade theories since it was confirmed that they’d have the first-overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
And, although the wildest of the ideas seemed to fizzle away after the trade of quarterback Justin Fields and the all-but-confirmation that they’d be selecting USC blue-chip quarterback potential franchise-altering prospect Caleb Williams, there are still some wild rumblings from the outer edges of the NFL media landscape.
So, how about we explore the lunatic fringe and talk about a wild-eyed draft-related trade proposal that, actually, might work for all parties involved.
Hold on to the phone/tablet/keyboard in your hands and brace yourself for a wave of mind-twisting wildness first indirectly broached by Carlos Nazario of NFL Spin Zone, but whose blanks are being filled in by yours truly.
Chicago Bears Go WAY Outside the Box
What if the Bears not only DIDN’T draft Caleb Williams at no. 1, but also opted to trade away that top pick and bypass drafting a quarterback altogether?
Wha? Mind blown, yet?
But who the heck would be quarterback for the Bears, then? How the double-heck would this make any sense?
Bears-Chargers in a Reality-Bending Deal
Here’s the deal:
Chicago could swap their number-one pick and some other added future draft capital for the Los Angeles Chargers’ number-five pick and their star quarterback Justin Herbert. If the desire was great enough, they could even dangle their other first-round pick (ninth overall) to tantalize the Chargers.
Then, with their new number-five pick, the Bears could go ahead and select Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who many feel is actually the best prospect in the entire draft, a half-step higher than even Caleb Williams. This is also assuming that the Arizona Cardinals, who’ve been tied to Harrison, would be trading their fourth overall pick to a quarterback-hungry team willing to trade up.
The Plus Side for the Bears
One can definitely see the plus side of this deal when it comes to the Bears.
They’d be getting a young, 26-year-old quarterback who is already a proven, established elite-level field presence. There wouldn’t be any guessing when it comes to an incoming rookie at the most crucial position and how well he may develop.
Plus, they’d be giving an incoming Herbert an elite added weapon in Harrison to go along with veteran ball catchers DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, and tight end Cole Kmet.
The Plus Side for the Chargers
On the Chargers side of the deal, they’d be able to bring in the new quarterback of new head coach Jim Harbaugh’s choosing while also ditching a big salary. Los Angeles is, reportedly, about $35 million over the salary cap this season according to Roster Management System via ESPN.
Harbaugh has already gone on record as saying that his former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy is the best young quarterback in this draft and should be the first-overall pick.
What an Expert Thinks
Luke Easterling of Sports Illustrated explored the idea of the Chargers and Bears making a deal involving Herbert back in February.
Per Easterling:
“Conventional wisdom would indicate that one of the many draws for Harbaugh in taking the Chargers job was likely the presence of a young franchise quarterback in Justin Herbert, who has already signed a long-term contract extension with the team.
But we all know that Harbaugh is anything but conventional.
On a recent appearance on Fox Sports with Colin Cowherd, Harbaugh make the shocking (if biased) prediction that McCarthy wouldn’t just be a first-round pick in this year’s draft, but would be the No. 1 overall selection:
…If the Chicago Bears are willing to move on from Justin Fields by using the No. 1 pick on one of the top quarterbacks in this draft, could they be tempted by the Chargers to send the pick to Los Angeles in a deal that nets them Herbert?
Meanwhile, it would put Harbaugh and the Chargers in the No. 1 spot, where the old Michigan head coach would ensure that his prediction comes true by reuniting with his old quarterback in McCarthy. It would also help the cap-strapped Chargers save plenty of money by starting over with a young quarterback on a rookie contract.”
A Bears-Chargers trade involving Justin Herbert and the overall no. 1 pick almost sounds like science fiction right now, but there’s at least some sound logic behind it. At the very least, it makes for some interesting pre-draft fan debate.
