Bears 'know what we're going to do' with No. 1 pick in NFL draft - ESPN

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Bears general manager Ryan Poles knows which player Chicago is going to select with the No. 1 overall pick, but he's not ready to divulge particulars two days ahead of the 2024 NFL draft.

«Unfortunately, it's one of those things I think everyone's got to tune in on Thursday to watch and figure out, but I feel really good about our process and where we are and where we're headed,» Poles said during his pre-draft news conference. «We know what we're going to do, but everyone is going to have to wait until Thursday to go there.»

The No. 1 pick, which the Bears earned from a trade with the Carolina Panthers, is expected to be USC quarterback Caleb Williams. The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner was the only quarterback prospect hosted by the Bears this month on a top-30 visit. Conversely, Williams made only one visit — to Halas Hall — during his pre-draft process.

After trading Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2025 conditional sixth-round pick, the Bears shifted their focus to starting fresh at the quarterback position. The team sent a contingent of nine coaches and front office members to Los Angeles, where they spent two days in March getting to know Williams before USC's pro day.

Prior to bringing the 22-year-old quarterback to Halas Hall for a visit on April 3, Bears brass arranged a dinner near the team's facility for Williams and several current players.

«That part, getting him with some of our players — that's important to us,» Poles said. «We're in a really good place with our culture in our locker room. As much as I can, I want those guys a part of the process of building this team. I trust their feedback and I think that chemistry is really important, so that's why we did that.»

Poles