When I think about the Bears and the NFL Draft, let me tell you… I don’t get a lot of warm and fuzzies. There have been many drafts where I have been unhappy; in fact, I can’t think of a whole hell of a lot of drafts where I’ve actually been happy about. I think back to some of the guys we took that turned out to be really good, specifically in the first round. Justin Fields was our last swing and a miss at QB; I was happy that night. David Montgomery, Roquan Smith, Leonard Floyd… they all turned out to be pretty decent, except they’re all on other teams right now. Trubisky, Kevin White, Shea McClellin, Cade McNown, Curtis Enis… those are some of them that jump in my head. Even when the Bears nailed it, like when they took Urlacher, I wasn’t over the top excited; glad I was wrong on that one. Yeah, when was the last Bears draft where I was over the top excited? I don’t need to think about that any more.
With the first pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears select… Caleb Williams. I hope everybody is right. I hope Caleb turns out to be THE guy. We’ve been here before, many times over the years; will this year finally, finally be different? As of right now, it sure feels like it will be. Talk about pumped up… I’m pumped up. We have another chance at getting this QB thing right, and at the moment, hope springs eternal… sky is the limit… when do the games start? We’re due… overdue. That doesn’t mean crap though; nobody outside of Chicago cares about that, especially all those people gathered in Detroit on this evening. We knew we’d get booed, just like the commish. Same division and all… hey, I don’t mind the Lions… I was hoping you guys did well last year… but that’s all over now. The Bears have a QB; here we come!
The Bears had another first round pick… another top 10 first round pick. We all knew who the Bears were taking at 1; we all knew that that pick alone would make this draft a success. The Bears couldn’t F this one up. But another top 10 pick… well, that’s pretty cool; why not hit on BOTH of these picks? I wanted Odunze; I’ve wanted him for a while. Yet, as we got closer to 9, I talked myself down a bit… it’s OK if the Bears take an offensive lineman. I was preparing myself. There was no way, on this night, I was going to be disappointed. We had already selected our QB; we’re good, but why can’t we be REAL good? When the Falcons took Penix at 8, it cleared the path. I had talked myself down, but now found myself really, really wanting Odunze… Come on… come on… The Bears select… Rome Odunze. YEAH!!!!!!!!!! MFing Jackpot!!!! I picked up my son as we celebrated. What a night!
Every one of my franchises has had those fortune turning events. For the 85 Bears, it was the hiring of Ditka and the 1983 NFL Draft. For the dynasty Bulls, it was that 1984 NBA Draft, and yes, the Pippen-Grant draft, the Jackson hiring. For the Blackhawks, it was Toews and Kane in back to back drafts; will the Bedard pick make this list one day? For the Cubs, I remember the hiring of Theo Epstein and then Joe Maddon. Back to the Bears… tonight could be, as I told my son, one of those nights that we will never forget. We could be watching Caleb to Rome (and others) for the next decade. Add in a solid defense, and… now I’m not talking about Super Bowl next year, but… I am thinking playoffs. It feels like the Bears are back; it’s been a long time… in fact, this may actually be the first time I can remember, where the Bears may end up having one of the best offenses in the NFL; too much? Maybe, but this may very well be, on paper, the best offense the Bears have ever had. Somebody pinch me. Forget about the potential busts and injuries and bad fortune that exist as possibilities for every single draft pick. Forget about our history with QBs. What if we finally got it right? Think about that… let your mind run wild. This is how it should be. It’s our time. Bear Down!!!
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