Bears Trade Pitch Nets Team $60 Million WR for 4th-Round Pick
Regardless of who plays quarterback in 2024, the Chicago Bears will need a bonafide No. 2 in the wide receiver room and may be able to land one at minimal cost by helping out a cash-strapped AFC squad.
The Los Angeles Chargers‘ new regime is in serious need of dumping salary this offseason and wideout Mike Williams is a prime candidate. Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report on Monday, February 26, authored a trade proposal in which the Bears surrender a fourth-round pick (No. 111 overall) to take a one-year flier on Williams in 2024.
Williams is entering the final season of his three-year deal worth $60 million total and while he is an expensive option, the Bears could negotiate with the Chargers to have L.A. pick up some of Williams’ salary in order to clear his cap hit off their bloated books.
A fourth-round pick isn’t an overwhelming price for Chicago to pay if it believes Williams has adequately recovered from the torn ACL he suffered against the Minnesota Vikngs in Week 3 of last season. The Bears own two picks in the top 9, another in the third round, two in the fourth and another in the fifth.
Chicago is also likely to secure a second-round selection by trading quarterback Justin Fields, which will probably happen if the team drafts Caleb Williams of USC at No. 1 overall. If the Bears decide to move off the top pick, they can trade back once or even twice and accumulate so many assets that one of their two fourth-rounders in 2024 is a near afterthought — particularly if it nets the team a receiver that, when healthy, is a legitimate threat to go over 1,000 yards.
Williams eclipsed that figure in 2019 and 2021, before catching 63 passes for 895 yards and 4 TDs across 13 games played in 2022, per Pro Football Reference. A former first-round pick (No. 7 overall in 2017), Williams will play next season at 30 years old.