Windy City Gridiron
The Athletic for whatever reason decided to fill the pre-draft void with a re-draft of last year’s NFL Draft.
The NFL Draft is such a silly thing in many aspects.
An entire industry is built on analyzing, ranking and mocking players for teams and fans. The draft occupies so much of the NFL offseason and at the end of the day, it’s a very long, over-produced and commercialized ceremony of guys having their name read at a podium.
But it is important for the future of the team’s fans love. The draft can change the fortune of franchises and turn them around or be a catalyst for rebuilds.
In these many exercises of grading and analyzing the drafts, re-drafts are perhaps the most futile. The past cannot be changed. And re-evaluating the past after only one season of NFL play is also asinine.
But here we are...for the clicks. Good job, The Athletic, you got my clicks. Nick Baumgardner re-drafted the 2024 NFL Draft for the Chicago Bears and the rest of the first round.
And the rationale:
Original pick: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
It’d be almost impossible to say the Bears regret drafting Williams No. 1, as the rookie had a very productive first season and was playing better at the end of the year than the beginning. It’s literally impossible, though, to say another rookie QB outperformed Daniels. Now Washington’s franchise player, Daniels had one of the most poised and productive rookie seasons in NFL history.
You could just end it at “It’d be almost impossible to say the Bears regret drafting Williams No. 1.
End of story.
We all know what Jayden Daniels did and we know what happened in Chicago. The thing is though that everything that could go right went right for the Washington Commanders and Daniels. While everything that could go wrong went wrong in Chicago.
Except Williams.
The wins didn’t come, but Williams was great. The fifth-best passing season in franchise history, the 12th-most passing TDs in a season and one of just two QBs to ever throw 20 TDs and less than 10 INTs in team history.
I don’t understand why more of these exercises can’t say “both teams ended up with the player they wanted.”
I don’t think either team's results change with this re-draft. The Bears would’ve gone with 5-12 with Jayden Daniels because the coaching was so bad.
And I get that Daniels is probably a more dynamic runner, but given that he had some familiarity with Kliff Kingsbury, I think it stands to reason that Washington could have a built a system to get the most out of Williams.
Daniels, even with everything he has and his talent, he couldn’t have elevated the Bears with where their offensive system and offensive line were a year ago.
I don’t think there are many Bears fans to disagree with me here. The future is bright for both players and both franchises. I think they’re both happy with...
