Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) passes the ball as Washington Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu (4) and Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) defend during the second quarter at Northwest Stadium. Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Chicago Bears nearly went in a different direction at QB

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI
By Matthew Schmidt | Last updated Jul 21, 2025 2:39 PM ET

The Chicago Bears ultimately selected Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft in a move that everyone had been anticipating for months leading up to it, regardless of the rumors that Williams may not have wanted to play in the Windy City.

However, there was apparently some deliberation on which quarterback the Bears should actually take with their top selection.

While everyone assumed Chicago had its eyes set on Williams all along, general manager Ryan Poles evidently strongly considered another signal-caller: J.J. McCarthy.

McCarthy's personal quarterback coach Greg Holcomb recently revealed to Alec Lewis of The Athletic revealed that the Bears almost took McCarthy two Aprils ago, which would have definitely changed a whole lot of things.

“He (Poles) was talking about how much they (the Bears) loved J.J.,” Holcomb said. “And said to me, ‘I don’t think people realize how close we were to possibly taking him.’ Obviously, they love Caleb, but I thought that was interesting.”

The Minnesota Vikings ended up nabbing McCarthy with the No. 10 pick, trading up to acquire the University of Michigan product. McCarthy then proceeded to miss all of 2024 after undergoing knee surgery and will get his first chance to start this year.

The general consensus has always been that Williams was the superior prospect, although many loved McCarthy's demeanor on the field while also criticizing that of Williams. Still, there seems to be little doubt that Williams has the higher ceiling, so the Bears probably made the right decision.

This article first appeared on Chicago Bears on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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