Anonymous NFL executives discuss the 2024 draft class for the Chicago Bears.
Due to a perceived need, some NFL executives believed the Bears should have selected a talent with a lesser grade at nine overall in the draft.
Mike Sando recently published statements regarding each team’s draft class from unnamed NFL executives in an article for The Athletic. We thought it would be interesting to share his two-part series on CEO thought processes, and we wanted to hear what they had to say about the Chicago Bears.
Although there was substantial disagreement regarding the path the Bears should have taken at nine in lieu of choosing Washington Rome Odunze, this executive approved of the selection.
“Chicago already (has) tackles, so I would have also selected Odunze to take a lineman in the top 10 who will start at guard versus a receiver who is spotless, a proven playmaker at a position that has increased to the $32 million range,” one person said.
Although Odunze was the most widely anticipated mock choice at number nine, it appeared that he would not be selected in the draft. Fortunately for Chicago, a fourth quarterback and two offensive linemen placed in the top eight.
The executives Sando spoke with chastised Atlanta for selecting Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. at the eighth pick. Some made a comparison between Mitch Trubisky’s 2017 draft selection by the Falcons and the acquisition quarterback Mike Glennon by former Bears general manager Ryan Pace. Terry Fontenot is the general manager of Atlanta right now, but who knows if Pace had any say in the selection of Penix in the draft following the signing of quarterback Kirk Cousins?
Now, back to their opinions regarding the Bears.
Why didn’t Chicago select an offensive lineman in the draft to provide rookie quarterback Caleb Williams with more support? one executive questioned.
An executive stated, “You’re not all of a sudden learning how to get rid of it on time in the pros if you hold the football in college.” They are encircling this quarterback with weapons in the mistaken belief that he can execute progressions and deliver the ball on schedule, but that is not how he plays. Keenan Allen, a seasoned receiver accustomed to catching passes from Justin Herbert and Philip Rivers, is the player you acquired through trade. If his young quarterback is not productive on time, he will become irate.
Although Braxton Jones, a former fifth-round pick, is happy with his position, it’s possible that other league executives aren’t as familiar with Jones’ skill set.
But other league executives must think alike if they advise the Bears to choose a lower-graded player off their board just because he fills a perceived need.
Here’s an additional one.
One more executive stated, “I would have traded back.” “I would rather trade back and grab the best defensive player to cover a hole at three-technique or a hole opposite Montez Sweat than to take the third-best receiver, unless he was rated as their top receiver. Unless Caleb has a particularly hot start, they might find it more difficult than you expect to outscore opponents.
If Odunze got a higher overall grade than the defensive line prospects, why should that rating matter inside the receiver class?
Not only was Odunze plainly rated higher by the Bears than Laiatu Latu, Byron Murphy II, or any other defensive lineman on their draft board, but analysts generally agreed that Odunze was the superior prospect.
Even though Odunze was the third receiver off the board, the league probably agreed that he was the better prospect given that the first defensive player (Latu) wasn’t selected until pick 15.
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