Windy City Gridiron
WCG’s lead draft analyst breaks down the performance of each of the Bears’ draft picks last year.
The Bears entered the 2024 NFL Draft in rarified air.
It marked their first time with two first-round selections since 2003. Better yet, it was their first time with two top-ten picks since 1979. For a team that hadn’t seen much success in recent years, having two premier draft picks in the same year figured to be a massive boost to their rebuild.
That didn’t seem to turn the entire trajectory of the team around, as the Bears finished 5-12 in 2024. Granted, it was hardly the fault of the rookies. The coaching staff was a mess, the offensive line fell apart, and certain free agent and trade acquisitions didn’t live up to the hype.
How exactly did each of their draft picks perform last year, though? Let’s look at how each of Chicago’s rookies played in the 2024 season.
The rookie season for Caleb Williams came with plenty of adversity and obstacles in his way. The coaching staff was a mess, the offensive play calling lacked cohesion or common sense, and the offensive line was a porous disaster in pass protection.
That’s hardly to say Williams is free of criticism. He held onto the ball too long and seemingly got too conservative with the ball, straying away from the playmaking mentality that won him the Heisman Trophy at USC. The lack of big plays in the passing game was apparent when you watched the Bears last year.
However, Williams showed tremendous resilience and durability by staying healthy for all 17 games, despite being the most-sacked quarterback in the league. His arm talent was on display for some flashes of elite throws, and his mobility got him out of some serious jams. As often as he got sacked, most quarterbacks would’ve been sacked even more behind that offensive line. Caleb’s athleticism helped him avoid a lot of the seemingly constant pressure he faced.
Williams finished 17th in the NFL with 3,541 passing yards. That number was surely helped by his health, as he finished last among all 14 quarterbacks who stayed healthy for all 17 games. He also placed just 31st in QBR at 46.7. That said, his ability to stay turnover free was extremely impressive, as he placed third in the entire NFL with a 1.1% interception percentage.
Going into Year 2, Williams has an improved offensive line, some new weapons to work with, and one of the best offensive play callers in the NFL in new head coach Ben Johnson. He has his own flaws he’ll need to work on, but he’s in a much better situation on paper in 2025.
Generally speaking, Rome Odunze had a tougher battle to compete for touches than the average top-ten pick at wide receiver. He finished his rookie year with 54 catches for 734 yards and three touchdowns.
Because of a crowded receiver room, Odunze underperformed...
