After trading the number one pick in last year’s draft to the Carolina Panthers, the Chicago Bears will be on the clock first during the 2024 NFL Draft. The Bears are in a quarterback situation involving Justin Fields, who has been the starting quarterback for Chicago since being selected 11th overall in 2021 or turning to the draft and starting over.
Since trading up in the 2021 draft, the Bears have not managed to turn things around going 6-25 while Fields is under center. Chicago will have to make a decision in the coming months and USC standout quarterback Caleb Williams is projected to be the first player taken off the board, but one NFL insider isn’t sold on William’s talent.
NFL Analyst Merril Hoge Claims Chicago Bears Should Not Draft Caleb Williams 1st Overall
Merril Hoge, who played 8 seasons in the NFL for multiple franchise including the Bears has been an NFL coach and analyst since retiring as a player in 1994. When asked about Williams and his draft profile, Hoge did not seem to enjoy the idea of Chicago selecting him number one overall.
“The one thing that is clear, (Williams) is not special. He is not something unique like a Patrick Mahomes, and I hope the Bears don’t think. Well, let’s try to make up for our mistake when we passed on Patrick Mahomes and go get the Patrick Mahomes. The kid is not Patrick Mahomes. Ain’t even remotely close to that.”
Williams has been compared to Patrick Mahomes by analysts for the past year leading up to the draft. Mahomes, who will be making his 4th Super Bowl appearance in 5 seasons on Sunday is considered the best quarterback in the league by a lot of his peers. Williams would have a lot to live up to if the comparison sticks, but Hoge believes that those should be shut down.
Hoge Believes Bears Situation is “Unfair” to Justin Fields
Merril Hoge, who’s had a solid track record of evaluating talent in the past, says the #Bears shouldn’t take Caleb Williams #1 and that he “isn’t special” like a Patrick Mahomes (NBC Chicago). pic.twitter.com/WVWQ7KHu46
— uSTADIUM (@uSTADIUM) February 9, 2024
While Fields has only won 6 out of 31 games played since being drafted by Chicago, Hoge claims that the situation he was brought into was the worst that can dealt to a quarterback in the NFL.
“It is unfair to Justin Fields. He has had new coordinator, new coordinator, new coordinator. There is no possible way you can know about your guy when you do that. It’s the worst thing that can happen to any player. Especially the quarterback… From what I have seen in Justin Fields, from my evaluation, there is enough growth and hope there that I would not let him go because I see enough there.”
Despite the struggles in his first couple years, Fields has dealt with multiple different play callers since his arrival in 2021. The Bears also just let go of last year’s offensive coordinator in Luke Getsy and replaced him with Seattle Seahawks play caller Shane Waldron.
Chicago will have a decision to make in the coming months whether to keep Fields and trade the 1st overall pick or draft a new man for the future, but Hoge believes that the growth of Fields has shown enough despite the situation he was given.
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