(Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)


At this time, the Chicago Bears are likely to select USC’s Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft next month.

But teams still have some time to change the minds of the Bears brass. If GM Ryan Poles gets an offer he can’t refuse, the Bears could acquire several major assets for the first overall pick and continue building around young QB Justin Fields.

After releasing Russell Wilson, the Denver Broncos are in desperate need of a new franchise quarterback. The trade for the nine-time Pro Bowler didn’t work out, but that shouldn’t scare off GM George Paton from going all-in for the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner.

Without a new superstar young signal-caller to build around, the Broncos will simply not compete in the AFC with Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs, Josh Allen’s Buffalo Bills, Lamar Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens, C.J. Stroud’s Houston Texans or Joe Burrow’s Cincinnati Bengals.

So the Broncos should not be afraid to sell the farm to the Bears if it means landing Williams with the No. 1 pick. Last year, Chicago got star wide receiver D.J. Moore, the No. 9 and No. 61 picks of 2023, 2024 first (this year’s No. 1 selection) and 2025 second-rounders from the Carolina Panthers for the No. 1 pick.

The Broncos should offer the Bears All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain II, the No. 12 pick, 2025 first and second-rounders and a 2026 third-rounder to the Bears for the top pick. That feels like a fair price considering what Carolina had to give up.

Denver wouldn’t contend right away in 2024, but they’d finally have a new franchise QB to help them compete with the top AFC heavyweights over the long run. Remember, the Broncos hoisted the Lombardi Trophy last time they had a true franchise QB in place.