Chicago Bears 2024 NFL Draft Guide: What you need to know
Attention Bears supporters! Prepare for the 2024 NFL Draft with exclusive insights and analysis of your team.
Below, you can get an understanding of Chicago’s predicted selections, positional requirements, selection past, GM draft notes, and more, all provided by the research team of the NFL.
And don’t forget to tune in on Thursday, April 25th at 8:00 p.m. ET for live coverage of the draft on NFL Network and NFL+.
Chicago Bears Draft Overview
2023 record: 7-10
Fourth in NFC North; missed playoffs
Bears 2024 draft picks (4):
Round 1, pick 1 (from the Panthers in the D.J. Moore/2023 No. 1 overall pick trade)
Round 1, pick 9
Round 3, pick 75
Round 4, pick 122 (from the Eagles in 2023 draft trade)
Bears team needs (according to Chad Reuter): Quarterback, Wide Receiver, Edge, Offensive Tackle, Defensive Tackle
Projected Bears first-round selection, via NFL.com draft analysts:
| Analyst | Pick No. 1 | Pick No. 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel Jeremiah | QB Caleb Williams (USC) | WR Rome Odunze (WAS) |
| Charles Davis | QB Caleb Williams (USC) | EDGE Laiatu Latu (UCLA) |
| Lance Zierlein | QB Caleb Williams (USC) | WR Rome Odunze (WAS) |
| Bucky Brooks | QB Caleb Williams (USC) | WR Rome Odunze (WAS) |
| Peter Schrager | QB Caleb Williams (USC) | OT JC Latham (ALA) – via trade to No. 15 |
(See all projections at Mock Draft Central)
Bears 2024 Opponents
Home
Patriots, Panthers, Titans, Jaguars, Seahawks, Rams, Vikings, Packers, Lions
Away
Commanders, Colts, Texans, Cardinals, 49ers, Vikings, Packers, Lions.
Bears Notable Activity Tracker (2024 offseason):
| Adds | Losses |
|---|---|
| RB D'Andre Swift (Eagles) | G Cody Whitehair (released) |
| S Kevin Byard (Eagles) | S Eddie Jackson (released) |
| OL Ryan Bates (trade – Bills) | DT Justin Jones (Cardinals) |
| TE Gerald Everett (Chargers) | WR Darnell Mooney (Falcons) |
| S Jonathan Owens (Packers) | QB Nathan Peterman (Saints) |
| OL Matt Pryor (49ers) | QB Justin Fields (traded – Steelers) |
| QB Brett Rypien (Jets) | OL Dan Feeney (Vikings) |
| C Coleman Shelton (Rams) | RB D'Onta Foreman (Browns) |
| WR Keenan Allen (trade – Chargers) | |
| OL Jake Curhan (Seahawks) | |
| WR Dante Pettis | |
| DE Jacob Martin (Colts) |
Bears Decision Makers
Chairman: George H. McCaskey
President: Kevin Warren
General Manager: Ryan Poles
Head Coach: Matt Eberflus
Ryan Poles
Poles is embarking on his 3rd season as the General Manager of the Bears.
In Poles’ first two seasons as the General Manager for CHI, they had a win-loss record of 10-24. In 2022, they had a dismal season with a 3-14 record, the worst in the NFL. They slightly improved in 2023 with a 7-10 record.
Poles has served as the Bears’ GM for the last two Drafts (2022-23).
– 21 draft selections (9 offense, 11 defense, 1 punter)
– 1 first-round pick (Tackle Darnell Wright, 10th overall in 2023)
In 2022, CHI did not have a 1st-round pick as a result of trading up for Justin Fields during the 2021 draft night.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 Draft was traded away to CAR by the Poles.
Received: 1st-round pick (No. 9) in 2023, 2nd-round pick (No. 61) in 2023, 1st-round pick (No. 1 overall) in 2024, 2nd-round pick in 2025, and wide receiver D.J. Moore.
– CHI has made 5 trades involving 1st-round picks since 2016
– 2023: Traded down from No. 1 overall pick to No. 9 with CAR
– 2021: The Justin Fields trade
– 2018: The Khalil Mack trade
– 2017: The Mitch Trubisky trade
In 2016, a trade was made with TB to obtain their 1st-round pick, which was utilized to draft Leonard Floyd.
Fields, Mack, Trubisky, and Floyd are no longer associated with Chicago.
CHI has selected a QB with 2 out of their last 4 1st-Round picks.
– Mitch Trubisky (2017) & Justin Fields (2021)
It is predicted that the Chicago team will choose quarterback Caleb Williams in 2024.
Fields was traded by CHI to PIT in exchange for a conditional 6th-round pick in 2025, which could potentially become a 4th-round pick depending on playing time.
Due to numerous trades, the Bears only retain 2 of their original draft picks in 2024, including their own 1st and 3rd round picks.
Exchanged 2nd Round for DE Montez Sweat with WAS.
Swapped 4th Round to LAC in exchange for WR Keenan Allen.
Exchanged 5th Round for OL Ryan Bates with BUF.
Traded 6th Round to MIA for G Dan Feeney, who is no longer on the team.
Traded 7th Round to NE for WR N’Keal Harry, who is no longer in the NFL.
Over the last six drafts, only one CHI draft pick has either made a Pro Bowl or been named 1st-Team All-Pro with the Bears.
Jaylon Johnson, a CB, made his first Pro Bowl appearance in the 2023 season.
In the last five drafts, CHI has not selected an IOL, edge, or LB with a pick from the top four rounds.
Highest drafted Bears player by position, past 5 drafts
| Position | Player | Round | Overall | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB | Justin Fields | 1st | 11th | 2021 |
| RB | David Montgomery | 3rd | 73rd | 2019 |
| WR | Velus Jones Jr. | 3rd | 71st | 2022 |
| TE | Cole Kmet | 2nd | 43rd | 2020 |
| OT | Darnell Wright | 1st | 10th | 2023 |
| IOL | Doug Kramer | 6th | 207th | 2022 |
| DT | Gervon Dexter | 2nd | 53rd | 2023 |
| EDGE | Trevis Gipson | 5th | 155th | 2020 |
| LB | Noah Sewell | 5th | 148th | 2023 |
| CB | Kyler Gordon | 2nd | 39th | 2022 |
| S | Jaquan Brisker | 2nd | 48th | 2022 |
Last time Bears picked each position in first round:
| Position | Year | Player | School | Pick No. (Overall) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB | 2021 | Justin Fields | Ohio State | 11th |
| RB | 2005 | Cedric Benson | Texas | 4th |
| WR | 2015 | Kevin White | West Virginia | 7th |
| TE | 2007 | Greg Olsen | Miami – FL | 31st |
| OT | 2023 | Darnell Wright | Tennessee | 10th |
| OG | 2013 | Kyle Long | Oregon | 20th |
| C | Never | |||
| DE | 2012 | Shea McClellin | Boise St. | 19th |
| DT | 2004 | Tommie Harris | Oklahoma | 14th |
| LB | 2018 | Roquan Smith | Georgia | 8th |
| CB | 2014 | Kyle Fuller | Virginia Tech | 14th |
| S | 1990 | Mark Carrier | USC | 6th |
| P | Never | |||
| K | Never |
Compiled by the NFL Research team. All data current as of April 16, 2024.
