The Bears gave up on going straight ahead after three runs by Khalil Herbert put them at the 1. They tried an ill-fated option pitch on fourth down to Swift against a defensive look they didn’t like for the play, although Williams had the ability to audible to another play.

The Bears believed they had the best of both worlds when the No. 1 draft pick fell into their lap at seemingly the perfect time. They’d take former Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams and bring the consensus most NFL-ready quarterback into a one-of-a-kind scenario with a fully furnished roster ready to compete for a playoff berth.

Chicago Bears fans dreamt of their first competent passing attack since the Jay Cutler-Brandon Marshall days when the Bears selected both quarterback Caleb Williams (first overall) and wide receiver Rome Odunze (ninth overall) in the 2024 NFL Draft.