Caleb Williams is meeting with several teams at the top of the 2024 NFL Draft order, during the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, even though signs seem to be trending towards the USC signal caller and top quarterback prospect not making it past the first selection.
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Williams is slated to meet with the Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders, New England Patriots, New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, and Las Vegas Raiders.
#USC QB Caleb Williams, the potential top overall pick, arrives today at the NFL Scouting Combine and is expected to meet with the #Bears, #Commanders, #Patriots, #Raiders, #Falcons, #Jets, #Giants and #Vikings. Williams will do meetings, but no testing or on-field work. pic.twitter.com/x5onK00Ous
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 28, 2024
Meanwhile, Bears general manager Ryan Poles seemed to indicate that it would take a colossal offer for Chicago to move out of the first pick.
"It's hard to say right now," Poles told reporters Tuesday. "But it's gotta help our organization significantly to move around because we saw what it did last year. And I'm looking for that type of return ticket to improve our football team."
Poles and the Bears received a king's ransom from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, prying away the ninth-overall pick in 2023, a second-round selection in 2023, a first-round pick in 2024 (which became said No. 1 overall choice), a second-round pick in 2025, and receiver DJ Moore for the first pick.
If the Bears are primed to trade quarterback Justin Fields and turn the page to selecting Williams, it might take a more substantial haul to convince Poles to alter course and pass up the opportunity to choose the highly touted passer.
Williams enters the draft having completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 10,082 yards with 93 touchdowns to just 14 interceptions.
Whether it's the Bears, or one of the teams in the top-15 picks who overwhelms Chicago with an offer to pass up on the opportunity to select him, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner seems earmarked to be the first player selected this April.
