What Caleb Williams-Bears ‘Smoke’ Could Mean For Patriots In NFL Draft

Caleb Williams has been the consensus No. 1 overall pick for months ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft in April.

That pick is held by the Chicago Bears, who have struggled for years and do not have a playoff win since 2010. The lack of potential in Chicago has created an interesting dynamic for Williams and whether or not he would commit to the Bears should they draft him.

FS1’s Colin Cowherd broke down the latest on the generational quarterback prospect.

“I’m told by NFL executives that USC’s quarterback is the best quarterback prospect they can remember,” Cowherd shared on “The Herd” on Friday.

“The Chicago Bears are not a winning football operation,” Cowherd added. “In the last decade, they finish last 50% of the time. They have a head coach that if he loses games in September, he’s on the hot seat. They have the only defensive coach in the division. … Young quarterbacks are as good as they land. Justin Fields is 10-28. Do you think he would be 10-28 if he inherited Andy Reid? I don’t.”

Given the reports that have swirled about Williams’ wishes for his future team ahead of the draft, Cowherd shared on the program that he recently received intel from the quarterback’s team on where they stand.

“I got a call yesterday from the Caleb Williams camp,” Cowherd reported. “… (They said), ‘We don’t want to be painted as anti-Chicago, and we don’t want to be painted as anti-Bears.'”

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While Williams may give the impression that he will play wherever he is drafted, a scenario could unfold where the quarterback forces his way elsewhere, just as Eli Manning did in 2004, leading to a QB-swapping deal with Philip Rivers between the New York Giants and the then-San Diego Chargers.

“It does show you the reality of Caleb Williams,” Cowherd said. “I’ve got sympathy for the athlete.”

Cowherd noted that while Williams does not want his draft stock to turn into a “massive ordeal,” the situation is clearly a fluid one with under three months until selections begin.

“He doesn’t want to be viewed as a villain,” Cowherd added. “I think Caleb Williams, privately, deep down, has real concerns about the Bears. … There’s a lot of noise. There’s a lot of movement. There’s a lot of concern.”

Conversations continued throughout the football community, including on “The Pat McAfee Show” as former NFL players Pat McAfee and A.J. Hawk addressed what could turn into a historic situation with major consequences come draft day.

“There’s a lot of smoke right now,” McAfee said on Friday. “Draft season. Combine season. It is bananas.”

On social media, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport put the breaks on the Williams’ rumors, painting the positives of a union between the prospect and the Bears.

“Why would he be anti-Chicago if the Bears end up going QB at (No. 1)?” Rapoport shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Friday. “Great city, classic organization, played great at the end of the year, seems to be building a really solid foundation.”

With plenty of uncertainty, the future for Williams and the Bears could have an impact on the New England Patriots, the team with the No. 3 selection. In the likely scenario that Williams still goes to Chicago, the Patriots would have a shot at a top prospect out of a few viable options, such as North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, or Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.

But what if Williams goes elsewhere?

The No. 2 pick belongs to the Washington Commanders, Williams’ hometown team that looks to also be in line for a quarterback. Any changes in the top two picks could significantly alter where the Patriots go with the third pick.

A greater passer could fall to the Patriots at No. 3, or a shuffling of quarterbacks could create a scenario where if New England does not love the available signal-caller, taking a generational receiver in Harrison Jr. or making the move for a needed offensive tackle could make more sense.

While Williams is still the ideal pick at No. 1 overall, anything can happen leading up to that selection in the NFL Draft.