Bears Clinch No. 1 Overall Pick in 2024 NFL Draft With Panthers' Loss

With the Carolina Panthers' 26-0 defeat at the hands of the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, the Chicago Bears clinched to No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The Panthers will finish the season with the worst record in the league. Chicago currently owns Carolina's first-round pick due to a trade between the two teams prior to the 2023 draft, resulting in Bryce Young heading to the Panthers.

The Bears received three other draft picks as well as wide receiver D.J. Moore in the deal.

Although the Bears currently own a 7-9 record following a victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 17, the trade has proven to be successful for general manager Ryan Poles. Young has struggled to begin his career with a poor supporting cast in Carolina, while Moore has continued to produce in Chicago.

In 16 games, the 26-year-old has racked up 1,300 yards and eight touchdowns while crossing the century mark through the air on five separate occasions. Not to mention, the Bears earned another premier draft pick due to the Panthers' dismal season.

Now, Chicago's front office will need to make an important decision regarding the pick. USC Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams is widely regarded as the top prospect in the 2024 class, although the Bears could choose to stick with Justin Fields under center moving forward.

Fields has showed flashes of franchise quarterback potential, although he's struggled with consistency throughout his career. In 12 starts this season, he's thrown for 2,414 yards and 16 touchdowns against nine interceptions. He's also scored four times on the ground. Fields has a fifth-year option worth roughly $23.3 million, with Chicago having until May 2024 to make a decision about exercising it (per ESPN's Courtney Cronin).

The Bears could trade the first overall pick in consecutive years if another team is desperate to land Williams and the front office isn't willing to move on from Fields. They could also stand pat and select one of the several talented non-quarterbacks available, such as wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. after another impressive season at Ohio State.