BREAKING NEWS: The newly acquired Bears star has already been branded Chicago’s most ‘overpaid’ athlete.

When the Bears appear on’most compensated stars’ lists, you know things are going well in Chicago.

It wasn’t long ago that there wasn’t a single Bears player who would turn up for something like that. They had lost 14 games in a row behind players such as Trevor Simian (no offense Trevor), and things were looking dismal.

But as it so happens, getting the first overall pick in the NFL Draft two years in a row does wonders for your team’s talent level, and the Bears have done an admirable job moving quickly to move on from the Ryan Pace era team and build up a new roster, capped off by – presumably – Caleb Williams next week.

And because win-now moves are often met with criticism from the strange part of Twitter that is concerned with wealthy owners “overpaying” their players, the Bears were bound to make a couple of them this season. The most recent is from Bleacher Report, which looked at all 32 clubs and selected the most overpriced player on each. Chicago’s will probably not surprise you.

New Bears star is already being dubbed Chicago’s most ‘overpaid’ player.

It’s typically a solid point, but it’s amusing to see BR begin a Most Overpaid explanation by stating that, in fact, the answer on the Bears is “no one.” Content! Looking at Allen, it makes sense: he’s 32 and has missed a significant number of games over the last two years.

But he also put up over 1300 yards on over 100 catches in 13 games last year, which is kind of insane to think about. He finished last season ranked as Pro Football Focus’ 11th best wide reciever, one spot behind DJ Moore. I’d argue that $23 million for the 11th best wide receiver in football is not really an overpay at all. Especially for, right now at least, only one season! Allen’s set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2025, so if his play falls off this season, the Bears have a pretty easy out.

Edmunds is almost probably one of the “five big-money guys.” His cap hit remains above 6% for the following three seasons, and he completed 2023 as PFF’s 70th-ranked linebacker (out of 82). But, after the last several seasons, it’s wonderful to debate which Bears players aren’t quite good enough to make the squad, isn’t it?

The Chicago Bears will draft Caleb Williams first overall, but there are many uncertainties about what they will do with the ninth overall choice. Of course, how the board falls will have a significant impact on how the club operates.

What are the best possible results for the Bears on Draft Night?

3. The Chicago Bears have the opportunity to trade up for one of the finest receivers.

The top players in this draft are the top three wide receivers; Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, and Rome Odunze. Considering there are four quarterbacks expected to go high, at least one of these players is going to be available with the seventh pick in the draft.

The Bears pick ninth, so while they cannot be guaranteed to get one, they could be right within striking distance to do it. This would be a win.

The Bears need to bolster their supporting cast around Caleb Williams, and any of these receivers would be a significant upgrade over D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen, who are already on the roster. In most years, any of these receivers would be ranked first in their class. This year, the Bears can add one by moving up just a few positions. This is a gain, even if it means losing some draft equity, which may have to wait until next year.

The Titans and Falcons are only sliding down one or two slots, but they are receiving significant compensation. If the Bears sign any of the best receivers, it will be difficult to highlight the bad parts of it.

Chicago Bears are lucky they are not the Washington Commanders

Since the Chicago Bears traded Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers last month, it seemed evident that the organization would draft quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Following the decision to trade Fields, it is evident that the Bears have been committed to using Williams as their starting quarterback since the Senior Bowl in January.

No matter who the Bears talked to at the Senior Bowl, or the NFL Scouting Combine in February, the Bears were turning over every stone in their efforts to confirm the idea that Williams is the right individual to be the leader at the quarterback position for the team.

No matter where the story has come from, Williams has passed every evaluation, and the worst-kept secret in next week’s draft is that he will be the No. 1 pick.

It’s a terrific position for the Bears to be in, and as they celebrate having the first pick in a draft class with a clear top quarterback, they should be thankful they aren’t the Washington Commanders.

The Washington Commanders are upset that the Chicago Bears have signed Caleb Williams.

Despite the Commanders being considered the darlings for Williams, especially after hiring Kliff Kingsbury, Washington is now in a position where they have to pick the next-best quarterback available and it doesn’t sound like they have been blown away by their options.

On one end, at least the Commanders are doing their due diligence on the quarterback options available to them after Williams goes to the Bears. On the other, they have the second overall selection in the draft and have known Williams was going to the Bears for at least a month. If you’re a Commanders fan, it should be slightly concerning that the team hasn’t zeroed in on a quarterback yet. But hey, for the Bears, all they need to do is sit back and enjoy the ride with the hope that the quarterback fallout leads to them being able to take Rome Odunze at the No. 9 spot.

The 2024 NFL Draft is just a few days away, and with the Chicago Bears set to bring in one of the most highly anticipated groups in recent years, now is a great time to look back at some of the top draft classes in franchise history.

The Bears have competed in the NFL Draft every year since 1936, when it was originally held, and have added some notable players ranging from the top five to the 20th round. Keeping that in mind, here are the top ten draft classes in Chicago Bears history, beginning with some honorable mentions:

Honorable Mentions for the 2022 and 2023 Chicago Bears Draft Classes

It’s difficult to say much about a draft class when the players are still in the middle of their careers, let alone on rookie-scale contracts, but the 2022 and 2023 draft classes could be among the best in Chicago Bears history.

In 2022, despite not having a first-round pick, new general manager Ryan Poles was able to add two instant starters in the second round with the additions of cornerback Kyler Gordon and safety Jaquan Brisker. In the fifth round, the Bears picked up offensive tackle Braxton Jones, who has turned into the team’s starter on the left side of the line.

The 2023 class was perhaps an even stronger showing for the Bears, who benefitted greatly from the trade with the Carolina Panthers. With their first three picks, the team added three starters in first-round offensive tackle Darnell Wright, second-round defensive tackle Gervon Dexter, and third-round cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, all of whom had strong rookie campaigns. Even later-round selections like running back Roschon Johnson, wide receiver Tyler Scott – both selected in the fourth-round – and fifth-round defensive back Terrell Smith showed flashes in their first years and may be in line for an uptick in playing time come fall.

Again, it is too difficult to place either of these classes amongst the top ten in team history, an honor here that is bestowed upon classes with no current active players (often by a wide margin). Still, both of these classes deserve a nod, and they are a reminder to trust the current front office and their selections throughout the weekend.

The Chicago Bears have several possibilities for the ninth overall pick. Because of the names expected to be available, there have been debates of taking a wide receiver, pass rusher, or offensive lineman with the choice. If the team moves down, a tackle might be the greatest option, but otherwise, the team should seek elsewhere.

First, let’s look at the names being replaced by the additions made. If the Bears draft a receiver in the top ten, he pushes Tyler Scott down the pecking order. An edge rusher would give DeMarcus Walker fewer snaps but effectively would push Jacob Martin out from a role player to someone who hardly sees the field. If they add a tackle, it pushes Braxton Jones out.

Jones is not an above-average starter, but compared to Martin and Scott, he is much safer to keep on the field. Beyond that, while the tackle class is deep, and there is talent at the top, it is not quite an elite tackle class.

Why the Chicago Bears should not select for offensive lineman in the first round

Almost every mock draft has Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze, and Marvin Harrison Jr. ranked higher than the top tackle on the board. If any of those three can fall to nine, it is evident that the team will select them over tackling.

If they do trade down, it puts them in a better position for Troy Fatanu, Taliese Fuaga, or JC Latham. However, Fatanu and Fuaga are expected to be guards at the next level. It is true that the Bears may be better off looking to replace one of Nate Davis or Teven Jenkins in the long term, but the question is, what is the cost-benefit? You can find guards later in the draft, and while these would be surefire options, so would the majority of the other positions they take that could have a bigger impact.

With so many offensive line options expected to go in the first round, there is a real chance that the team will go that route. However, as of now, there is a better chance that we see a receiver or an edge rusher.

GET RELATED CONTENTS ON: BLACKSPORTNEWS.CO.UK