The NFL Scouting Combine is in the books, so it’s time to fire up the PFF Mock Draft Simulator again and take another swing at trying to fix the 2024 Chicago Bears.

A couple of prefaces:

First, it’s fun. I think these can be fun exercises if you treat them with a degree of realism. I have a great example in the first version of my Chicago Bears seven-round mock draft, but I'll talk about that later.

Second, I want to look back on these and see how fluid the pre-draft process is when the dust settles in Detroit in April. For example, when I did this before the Senior Bowl — and kept it to myself — I had the Bears addressing the need for a center by taking Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson outside the first round. We know today that’s highly unlikely after his Senior Bowl performance was so damn good that he’s skyrocketed to No. 20 on Dane Brugler’s latest Big Board.

So, it was back to the drawing board. Over the next 53 days, we’ll see other names rise and fall, and we’ll see needs addressed in free agency for the Bears and the rest of the league. At this point, I think today — in the wake of the Super Bowl and the Senior Bowl — is a good starting point for this exercise. I’ll do this again post-free agency and once more in the week leading up to the NFL Draft in late April.

If, in between those dates, the Bears do something significant, like trade Justin Fields, I’ll do one then, too.

2024 Chicago Bears 7-Round Mock Draft: 2.0

TRADE!

I think the Bears will end up trading Fields before the draft, so let’s get this out of the way right now. Justin Fields is heading to the Falcons for a pair of picks. The market on Fields is softer than most want to admit, and the Bears get a return here that reflects such.

Round 1, Pick 1: QB Caleb Williams, USC

This is the easy choice. For two years, Caleb Williams has been the top quarterback prospect in this year’s draft class. The Chicago Bears are resetting the clock at quarterback and taking Williams here. He’s a can’t pass on prospect. Period, point blank.

TRADE!

The Broncos swap with the Bears and move up to No. 9 to take their quarterback of the future, J.J. McCarthy. Chicago gets an extra fourth-rounder in this draft and a pair of 2025 draft picks to move down a few spots.

Round 1, Pick 12 (via DEN): C Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon

The Bears need a center, and they get one here with their second first-round draft selection. The top three wideouts were off the board when I allowed Denver to move up to No. 9 and add a trio of draft picks in addition to the pick that netted us the top center in the draft.

Powers-Johnson is a former Oregon standout with immense power at the center position. He has smooth footwork, a balanced base, a strong punch, excellent upper-body torque, and is very aware. He blocks two guys at once, sets a heavy anchor, and rarely gets pushed back. In the run game, he's tough, physical, and regularly knocks opponents back. However, he sometimes lunges, leans, pops up too upright, and misses his target. He's a one-year starter with relatively few games played.

Round 2, Pick 43 (via ATL): WR Roman Wilson, Michigan

The Bears still need a wide receiver, and Michigan’s Roman Wilson is the guy here at No. 43 with the second-rounder that we got back from Atlanta in exchange for Justin Fields.

Wilson is a former Michigan star with a compact, muscular frame, incredible quickness, and body control. He easily avoids press coverage, gets to top speed quickly, and separates at the breakpoint with sharp cuts. Wilson has reliable hands and excellent focus to catch the ball in traffic. He can go up high to reel in a pass, turn upfield, and pick up yards after the catch. He is also a chains-moving, touchdown-scoring machine who was one of the biggest standouts at the Senior Bowl. However, his short arms and limited catch radius restrict his effectiveness in contested catches, and he mainly played in the slot position.

Round 3, Pick 75: EDGE Gabriel Murphy, UCLA

Murphy becomes my first non-Caleb Williams repeat selection in this series. In my 1.0, I had the Bears taking Murphy in the fourth round, but that’s why we update these: player values and rankings fluctuate throughout this process.

I think the Bears will sign a new edge rusher to complement Montez Sweat during free agency. However, I also want to work on acquiring more depth in that position during the draft, and I believe Gabriel Murphy from UCLA could be a good fit.

Murphy shows promise as a potential third-down pass rusher in the NFL. His athletic ability and flexibility are clear when you watch him play, traits that helped him succeed in college and be effective in defensive line stunts.

Nevertheless, there's room for improvement in his hand technique. Murphy currently lacks precision and timing in his initial hand movements, hindering his ability to disengage from blockers effectively. Despite his agility and potential, he must improve his handwork and add more diverse pass-rushing moves.

Round 4, Pick 111: TE Cade Stover, Ohio State

Stover is my second repeat selection in this series.

Stover is the No. 3 tight end in the class according to PFF and No. 4 on The Athletic’s Dane Brugler’s Big Board.

Stover needs work as a blocker, but he’s a vertical threat that could feast in an offense that operates under center — something that Waldron does, and Getsy didn’t — and relies on play-action for their deep chunk plays in the passing game.

Stover has an excellent catch radius and body control to make catches in traffic outside his frame. He registered the 11th-most contested catches, 23rd-most deep catches, and 21st-most deep yards among all tight ends with more than 25 targets in 2023.

Stover is a well-rounded, well-versed football player whose natural athletic ability and fundamentally sound approach to the position should make him a high-floor role player with TE1 potential.

Round 4, Pick 114 (via DEN): S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Texas Tech

Since my last version of this exercise, Eddie Jackson has been released by the Bears. With the extra fourth-rounder that netted from Denver in the trade back in round one, we fill that hole vacated by Jackson.

Taylor-Demerson may not possess the highly coveted measurables that teams are looking for, but he makes up for it with his instincts and ball skills. He has the ability to offer coverage versatility as a split safety, high safety, and nickel. He is quick enough to handle man coverage and exhibits outstanding anticipation, which helps him steal possessions from quarterbacks who show their cards. However, his aggression may sometimes create negative plays, and his tackling might never be better than average. Nevertheless, Taylor-Demerson's versatility, football IQ, and consistent ball production align with what defensive coordinators are looking for, making him a solid starting defensive back.

Round 4, Pick 123: RB Trey Benson, Florida State

With their third fourth-rounder of this draft, the Bears add a pretty good running back to their backfield that will include Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson.

Benson is a tall, explosive running back with quick feet, turbo-boosted bursts, and a flexible lower half. He's a tackle-breaker with gyroscopic balance, acceleration, and breakaway juice. Benson has good pass-protection skills, soft hands, and open-field elusiveness. However, he has limited skills as a route runner, erratic vision, and a tendency to run for the big play. He must smooth his tempo, follow his blocks, and avoid dancing behind the line. Benson never carried a significant workload in college and suffered a severe knee injury as a freshman.

Round 5, Pick 143: G Cooper Beebe, Kansas State

The Bears wrap up this version of the exercise with a guard they can use as a swing guard and a nice depth piece on the offensive line tasked with protecting Caleb Williams.

Beebe is a technically sound offensive lineman in the 2024 NFL Draft. He has played over 1,200 snaps at both tackle and guard positions and practiced at center. Beebe's versatility is one of his strengths that NFL teams will appreciate. Due to his short arms, his best fit in the NFL would be in the interior. Beebe has quick feet in pass protection and is a bulldozer in the run game. Although he needs to work on his recovery when in trouble during pass protection, shedding some weight could help improve his conditioning.

More Chicago Bears at Bleacher Nation

• The Justin Fields trade market is as good as anyone’s guess right now. Luis recaps the latest reports:

More Chicago Sports at Bleacher Nation

Chicago Blackhawks

• The Blackhawks dropped one to the Columbus Blue Jackets this weekend.

Chicago Cubs

• Brett walks you through Sunday’s victory over the Cleveland Guardians and the latest Cubs notes:

What’s on deck?

• The Cubs take on the Padres this afternoon at 2:10 PM CT on Marquee.

• The Blackhawks visit the Colorado Avalanche tonight. Puck drop is set for 8:00 PM CT, and you can catch the action on NBC Sports Chicago and ESPN+.

• The Bulls are in Sacramento to take on the Kings tonight. Tip-off is at 9:00 PM CT, and the game will be on NBC Sports Chicago +.

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