Brian Urlacher Says Bears Need To Trade Justin Fields, Draft Caleb Williams

The Chicago Bears have a big decision to make when it comes to their quarterback. But Brian Urlacher thinks it's a no-brainer.

Chicago has the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. So the Bears have to choose whether to keep Justin Fields as their QB or trade him and draft another signal caller to take his place.

But if it were up to Urlacher, the Bears wouldn't be in this position in the first place.

"I would have drafted C.J. Stroud last year," he said on CBS Sports Radio's Zach Gelb Show.

The Bears passed on the No. 1 pick in 2023, trading it to the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers took Bryce Young, and the Texans got C.J. Stroud with the No. 2 pick.

Stroud, of course, had a phenomenal season and is the runaway favorite to be named the league's Rookie of the Year.

Now, Urlacher says, Chicago has an opportunity to make up for last year's misstep.

This year's draft will be a quarterback-heavy draft. North Carolina's Drake Maye, LSU's Jayden Daniels, Washington's Michael Penix Jr., Oregon's Bo Nix and Michigan's J.J. McCarthy are all on the board. And, of course, there's Caleb Williams from USC.

"I think they have to take Caleb. I don't think there's any way around it this year," Urlacher said.

(Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

Urlacher, who spent his entire 13-year Hall of Fame career with the Bears, said Chicago would regret not taking a chance on a player like Williams.

"If you don't take him (and) he turns out to be great, um," Urlacher said, trailing off. "But having said that, Justin Fields played good to end the season last year as well. It's tough."

The decision really all boils down to one question: Has Fields shown enough to convince the Bears he can be franchise QB for years to come?

Urlacher doesn't think so.

"If you're asking in year three if he was still the guy, he's probably not the guy," he said. "He played better last year, I'll give him that, but I just don't think he's gonna be the guy going forward for them."

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