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2022 NFL Draft | NFL Draft News, Video & Photos | NFL.com

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2022 NFL Draft | NFL Draft News, Video & Photos | NFL.com

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Get the latest NFL draft news. Watch live streaming draft videos & video highlights. Follow our 2022 NFL draft tracker, draft history & mock draft commentary.

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Inside look at Bears' vetting process of Caleb Williams

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This article talks about how the Chicago Bears drafted Caleb Williams No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. It also talks about why they chose him over any other quarterback. This is important to bears fans because we have never really had an outstanding quarterback in the history of our franchise.

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"What we saw is that glue component that he has, which is to bring people together for whatever their goal is." Bears GM Ryan Poles on QB Caleb Williams

The immense talent that enabled Caleb Williams to produce 120 touchdowns in three college seasons and win the 2022 Heisman Trophy jumped off his tape.

But before the Bears committed to selecting the USC quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, general manager Ryan Poles spearheaded a comprehensive cross-country effort to get to know Williams as a person.

In addition to speaking with those closest to him, the Bears did their due diligence by spending quality time with the 22-year-old at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, his Pro Day in Los Angeles and a top-30 visit to Halas Hall.

The first formal meeting between the parties occurred at the combine Feb. 28 in a suite at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Bears' contingent in the room included Poles, coach Matt Eberflus, President/CEO Kevin Warren, assistant GM Ian Cunningham, offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and passing game coordinator Thomas Brown.

"It's just an awkward setting," Poles told ChicagoBears.com. "You have a room full of people and this draft prospect just walks into this suite in a stadium. But we realized quickly he was very comfortable in his own skin; talking about himself, talking about his experience at USC, talking about the film we put up on the screen.

"You like to see someone who has a slow pulse in a pressure situation. Now, does that tell you everything about their game? No, but being comfortable with what you know and who you are, that's important, especially at that position, and he definitely had that."

The combine interview was more formal than subsequent meetings the Bears had with Williams.

"The combine was them testing me, them trying to figure out the type of guy I am," Williams said. "That was their first time meeting me really and being around me and asking me certain questions like that. In the other [meetings], they weren't necessarily trying to pepper me with questions. We were trying to figure each other out, connect and start to build a relationship and bond."

The second main touchpoint between the quarterback and his future team came March 20-21 in Los Angeles. The night before his Pro Day workout, Williams dined in a private room at a friend's restaurant, The Bird Streets Club in West Hollywood, with a large Bears ensemble that included Poles, Eberflus, Cunningham, Waldron, Brown and quarterbacks coach Kerry Joseph. Also on hand were four of Williams' USC teammates that Poles had invited.

"I just wanted to see him interact with his teammates," Poles said. "I wanted to see how comfortable they were just having conversations and also spending time with them to get a feel for Caleb and what those guys like to do in their free time.

"What we saw is that glue component that he has, which is to bring people together for whatever their goal is. For them it was to get into the playoffs, be successful, but that also goes a long way when you go through hard times as well and adversity and keeping guys together. He definitely had that. There was something special in the way that his teammates looked at him."

Poles was impressed that Williams didn't look at his cell phone throughout dinner.

"I learned that from my dad," Williams said. "My girlfriend also doesn't like when I pick up my phone when I'm at dinner. It's respect to who you're around."

Williams made an excellent impression on Eberflus that evening.

"When you go to dinner with somebody," said the Bears coach, "you really can figure out a couple different things, and I really just believe that we were trying to figure out his personality, how he interacts with his teammates and coaches, and it was great. He's very easy to talk to, very conversational, can talk about a lot of different topics with ease. That, to me, was what we got mostly out of that visit."

The final formal meeting between Williams and the Bears occurred April 2-3 when he visited Halas Hall. The night before, Williams dined at Sophia Steak restaurant in Lake Forest with future teammates DJ Moore, Cole Kmet, Teven Jenkins and T.J. Edwards -again at the behest of Poles.

"With the quarterback position, especially rookies that have to lead right away, you've got to have some buy-in from the guys around you," Poles said, "and those guys were the ones that I thought would be really good in terms of just getting a good feel for, 'Is this a guy that we could follow? Is this a guy that we believe in in terms of getting this organization to where it needs to be?'

"It was a good group, and right after I called them and got a feel for what they thought, and it was really positive."

"We wanted to see how he intermingled and gelled with our players," Eberflus said. "That was the most important thing."

Asked about the feedback he received from the Bears players on Williams, Eberflus said: "Great personality. Easy to talk to. One of the guys. He's going to fit right in. He's easy to hang out with. He'll be great in the locker room."

The Bears weren't the only ones on an information-gathering mission. Williams also had questions about them, most notably about the franchise's commitment to winning.

"Mainly if I could vibe and connect with them," he said. "And then after that, 'Do you want to win?' I would obviously want to be part of a place that wants to win. You can say it, but there's a certain feeling that you have around people that you can tell if they want to do something or they don't want to do something. It seemed as if we have the same mindset, same goals and same aspirations."

Williams certainly felt that from Poles.

"The biggest thing that stood out to me is that he always has a plan," Williams said. "It's something that my dad has instilled in me - having a plan and routine and committing to that. It seems as if that's also how [Poles] lives his life, and to build a team like this, you have to set goals and have a plan to do all of this."

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Inside look at Bears' vetting process of Caleb Williams

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Before the Bears selected Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick in the draft, general manager Ryan Poles spearheaded a comprehensive cross-country effort to get to know Williams as a person.

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Bears pick Washington WR Rome Odunze at No. 9

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This article talks about the edition of Rome Odunze to the Chicago Bear’s lineup. Drafting Odunze at pick 9 was a steal. Even though Caleb Williams has many weapons the edition of Odunze will add another weapon that will make the Bears elite contenders for the coming years.

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After selecting USC quarterback Caleb Williams at No. 1, the Bears further bolstered their offense by choosing Washington receiver Rome Odunze at No. 9.

The 6-3, 215-pounder appeared in 40 games with 30 starts the past four seasons for the Huskies, catching 214 passes for 3,272 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Last season Odunze was named AP First-Team All-American and was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award which honors the nation's top receiver after establishing career highs with 92 receptions, 1,640 yards and 13 TDs. His 1,640 yards led all FBS receivers and were the most in Washington history.

As a junior in 2022, Odunze was named AP Third-Team All-American after catching 75 passes for 1,145 yards and seven touchdowns.

During a Zoom call with Chicago media Thursday night, Odunze was asked what type of receiver the Bears are getting.

"They're getting a versatile receiver," he said. "I think I do a lot of things well on the field, honestly, from playing outside, playing inside, catching contested balls, creating separation. I feel like I do all these things at a high level. And I'm looking to come and make that immediate impact, find my role within the team with great receivers like Keenan Allen and DJ Moore already there. Just finding my role within that and creating avenues for the offense to have success."

NFL.com ranks Odunze as the third best player in the draft, with analyst Lance Zierlein writing: "A team captain with good size and elite ball skills, Odunze consistently dominated his competition. While most receivers look to open separation windows with speed or route running, Odunze seems to relish jump balls and contested catches. He shines in all aspects of ball skills, including positioning, body control, hand strength, timing and mid-air adjustments. He was a decorated high school sprinter, so speed should not be an issue in the pros. He's a high-volume target on the next level that play-callers can utilize to mismatch finesse cornerbacks. Elite ball skills are often the secret sauce for top NFL receivers, so it should not surprise if Odunze is a Day 1 starter who becomes a top-flight WR1."

Odunze is the second star receiver the Bears have added this offseason, following the March 14 acquisition of veteran Keenan Allen in a trade with the Chargers.

With Allen and DJ Moore, the Bears are the only NFL team with two receivers who both compiled at least 1,200 yards last season. Allen finished 11th in the league with 1,243 yards, while Moore was sixth with a career-high 1,364 yards.

Odunze hopes to learn from Allen and Moore.

"They've been veterans in the league, been doing well for themselves for a long time, so soak up all the information that I can and learn from them and hopefully go out there and make some plays too," Odunze said. "I just came from a wide receiver trio that was able to have a lot of success at my college, so I think we can just do the same exact thing, but at the next level.

"When you look at Keenan's game, how complete it is, when you look at DJ Moore, how he's able to compete in the league at a high level for a long time now, the possibilities are endless of what I'm able to learn. That's why I say I'm going to go in there and soak up all the information I can and learn as much as I can from them, because they're already two very established, very elite receivers in the league."

Odunze is confident the Bears are on the right track and is eager to help them continue to ascend.

"Chicago has continued to develop, continued to get better as a team and the goal for them I know already is the Super Bowl," Odunze said. "We're going to make strides towards that, to have that success, and we'll build brick-by-brick to go accomplish that."

Odunze grew up in Las Vegas and was named the Nevada Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior at Bishop Gorman High School after catching 54 passes for 1,222 yards and 15 TDs. He was also named All-State in track after winning the state title in the 200-meter race.

As a kid, Odunze was a big Devin Hester fan, telling reporters he wore No. 23 when he played youth football.

"He had this tape on YouTube that I played back-to-back," Odunze said. "I don't know how I stumbled upon it, but he had this tape to a Lil Wayne track, and I probably watched it over 100 times of him returning kicks, returning kicks in the Super Bowl. That just really inspired me."

RELATED: Follow ChicagoBears.com's Draft Central for the latest news, information and more on all the Bears' 2024 draft picks.

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Bears pick Washington WR Rome Odunze at No. 9

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After selecting USC quarterback Caleb Williams at No. 1, the Bears further bolstered their offense by choosing Washington receiver Rome Odunze with the ninth overall pick.

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Matt Eberflus pinpoints hidden benefit of Bears adding Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze

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LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Every part of the Bears' offensive operation got a much-needed facelift this offseason, from the hiring of offensive coordinator Shane Waldron to the trade for Keenan Allen and the drafting of quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze.

On paper, the Bears should have a dynamic offense led by Williams and the litany of weapons at his disposal.

For head coach Matt Eberflus, the Bears' offensive additions mean improvement on Sundays and a vital way for his defense to improve during the week.

"I think it's going to be tough to defend, starting with practice," Eberflus said after the Bears' 2024 draft concluded last week at Halas Hall. "We've gotta defend those guys in practice, which I think is going to be really for our skillset on both sides of the ball. Because if you look at the receiving corps, they're all different. The halfbacks are all different. The tight ends are different. They're different skill sets. So I think that's a credit to [general manager Ryan Poles] to be able to bring those guys together, acquire those guys, and I think it's going to be very difficult to defend."

The Bears already had two of the most quarterback-friendly receivers in the NFL in DJ Moore and Allen, but desperately wanted to add Odunze with the No. 9 pick in the first round after selecting Williams at No. 1.

The Washington star slid into the Bears' lap, with some help from the Atlanta Falcons at No. 8, and now the Bears have arguably the best wide receiver trio in the NFL.

"As a receiver, he can line up anywhere, inside outside," Poles said of Odunze. "You love his ability to finish in contested situations. Plays strong, plays big, run after catch is very good. He's a punt returner as well. I mean, the kid's just put time in, and he got better and better every single year, and he's a winner. He can impact the game at any moment. If you're at quarterback, and you're in doubt, you want to just go give a guy an opportunity to go finish, he's your guy. He's done that consistently."

Williams got to know Odunze during the pre-draft process and made it known that he wanted Odunze to complete a dynamic offensive attack.

"You set high expectations," Williams told NBC Sports, the Chicago Tribune, and the Chicago Sun-Times in Detroit after the Bears drafted Odunze. "I don't necessarily have numbers or anything like that. An electric offense. Efficient. Fun. Just spreading the ball around to everybody. Because we have three guys and let's not forget about Cole Kmet. You know? Let's not forget about him. He looks like. We said this when I had my dinner. He looks like Clark Kent. Let's not forget about the guy. 85.

"We're excited. I'm excited. I think it's going to be a high-powered offense to have guys like that. A lot of knowledge that I am willing and excited to learn."

For Odunze, who played alongside fellow NFL draft picks Ja'Lynn Polk and Jalen McMillan at Washington, slotting into a three-headed monster in Chicago should be no problem.

"Excited to attack, really," Odunze said. "It really reminds me of all the key pieces that I had in college and the pieces coming together for the incredible seasons that we had. It really has that same feeling, having so many weapons on offense, bringing in a guy like Caleb at the helm of it all allows us to do so many different things, so I'm super excited for the attack mindset that we'll have on offense, the explosiveness we can bring to any football field and I think it will be special."

The work for Williams and Odunze will start May 10 and 11 at rookie minicamp before OTAs begin on May 20, where the new-look Bears offense will get its first work against an ascending defense led by cornerback Jaylon Johnson.

Johnson is excited about the addition of Odunze and the battles they will have in practice.

"The rook got to come and prove himself, but he's a damn good player for sure," Johnson told 670 The Score. "He's got to see guys like me every day. He's a heckuva a player."
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Matt Eberflus pinpoints hidden benefit of Bears adding Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze

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Caleb Williams and the Bears' new-look offense should be a lot more potent this fall, but all the additions should also come with an added benefit during the week.

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Bears release plans for stadium project in Chicago

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Along with making some great draft picks in the most recent NFL draft the Chicago Bears have recently released ideas for their new lakefront stadium. By having the oldest stadium in the NFL at this moment in time it is bound to be out of date in many aspects so an upgrade is needed. Even though they won’t be able to host Super Bowls due to parking constraints, it is still a step in the right direction for the organization.

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During a public presentation Wednesday at Soldier Field, the Bears unveiled their plans to build a state-of-the-art fixed-roof stadium along Chicago's lakefront.

The Burnham Park Project includes a new publicly-owned multipurpose replacement stadium located just south of Soldier Field that's part of a singular year-round hub centered on park-based culture and recreation.

"This is an incredibly, incredibly special day for the Chicago Bears," said Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren, "for the City of Chicago, for the state of Illinois, for our ownership, for our players, for our coaches, for our staff members, for the alumni and for our incredible Chicago Bear fans.

"Today is about progress, and one of the things that I am most excited about today is the fact that this shows that in this city we have the intellectual capabilities, we have the heart, we have the passion, we have the foresight, we have the wisdom, we have the vision to do big things."

The proposal boasts year-round use for recreational and community events and an increase in open and green space, including 14 acres of athletic fields and recreational park space for use by public and youth sports programs. The athletic fields would provide a high-quality, safe place for the city's youth, especially those from nearby underserved neighborhoods, to gather and play sports.

Visitors would be able to enjoy the lakefront via indoor and outdoor experiences. The plan features a three-acre promenade and plaza area which could include year-round food and beverage outlets, retail shops, a cultural attraction focused on sports and Soldier Field history.  A publicly-owned hotel could also be included on the recreation and cultural campus.

The new stadium would continue the tradition on a site that has hosted Chicago's major civic, entertainment, sports and cultural events for 100 years.

"The Bears have been proud to call Chicago home for more than 100 years," said Bears chairman George H. McCaskey. "Perhaps no other sports team embodies the character of the city it represents better than the Bears and Chicago. Our founder, George Halas, emphasized the importance of being a champion for Chicago. This has been part of the foundation of our organization. That is why we are excited to invest in the greatest city in the world through a stadium project and site improvements that will benefit Chicagoans and visitors."

The proposal includes a contemporary architectural design which complements the existing architecture featuring an enclosed, fixed roof; spectacular views of Chicago's skyline and lakefront; intimate seating for unparalleled sight lines and open spaces for congregating.

The stadium would be capable of hosting large-scale sporting events year-round, including Super Bowls and NCAA Final Fours as well as the world's most prominent entertainment acts. Those spectacles would unlock economic benefits for a variety of sectors within Chicago and the region, evidenced in part by the estimated $6.6 billion in direct fiscal tax impact produced nationwide in 2021 by the sports tourism sector of the economy, according to Sports Business Journal.

Recent Super Bowls have reportedly generated $1.3 billion for Arizona in 2023, $234-478 million for Los Angeles County in 2022 and $572 million for South Florida in 2020. Recent Final Fours have produced $270 million for Houston in 2023, $106 million for Louisiana in 2022 and $80-100 million for Indianapolis in 2021.

"This is a beautiful day for the City of Chicago," said Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. "It really is, and as a lifelong Bears fan, it is an honor to be here to celebrate the Bears' commitment to remaining the *Chicago *Bears. This is going to reinvigorate the entire City of Chicago. It would be the crown jewel of the City of Chicago, and with this new project we are showing the world what Chicago is capable of."

Other project benefits include a pedestrian mall and pavilion, a wider variety of food and beverage options, more public restrooms, and the preservation of Soldier Field's historic colonnades, which will remain accessible to fans and continue to honor the men and women who served in our nation's military.

The Bears have pledged to contribute more than $2 billion to the project-over 70% of the total stadium cost. The remaining stadium funds are proposed to come from the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority (ISFA), a government entity that was created by the Illinois General Assembly in 1987 for the purpose of constructing and renovating sports stadiums for professional teams in the state of Illinois. The Bears' proposal can be accomplished with the existing 2% hotel tax used to back ISFA bonds.

"We are committing over $2 billion into a public/private partnership that will be transcendent for the city and bring opportunities and positive outcomes to millions of people who both live in Chicago and visit Chicago," said Karen Murphy, Bears executive vice president of stadium development and chief operating officer.

The Burnham Park Project includes a commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The Stadium Project DEI program is designed to provide equitable access and opportunities to the diverse community throughout the city and state. It includes a four-phase approach to formalize efforts to develop and implement workforce, business and community goals, standards and expectations alongside key partners from inception through completion and beyond.

The DEI plan includes the Bears formalizing partnerships with key experts and organizations, beginning with city and state governments and community-based entities representing women as well as Black and Hispanic people.

The construction of a publicly owned stadium and associated Burnham Park improvements would be one of the largest building projects in the region's history, representing $4.2 billion of direct capital investment while creating opportunities for a regional workforce.

The project would boast over $8 billion in regional construction economic impact, a $456 million annual economic impact post construction, the creation of 43,000 regional construction jobs and 4,200 permanent jobs post construction. Annual tax revenue from ongoing operations is projected to be 58% higher for the City of Chicago and 41% for the state of Illinois with the replacement stadium over the current operation of Soldier Field.

"This is a big day for the City of Chicago and our dynamic business community," said Charles Smith, vice chair of World Business Chicago. "Chicago is the best place in the world to do business. Economic development serves as an engine driving our city toward a promising future. And when executed thoughtfully, it has the potential to extend opportunities to every corner of our city."

The plan also involves the easing of traffic circulation in the area via:

Improved ramps and interchanges at 18th Street.

A new parking deck built on an existing surface lot.

Improved access to DuSable Lake Shore Drive via a new overpass, relocation of a Lake Shore Drive exit and new ramps to the campus.

A new lower level for McFetridge Drive.

The changes are expected to result in a 50% increase in campus capacity for events, a 10- to 20-minute reduction in event exit times, and 1,200 vehicle hours of congestion removed on an average day at the intersection of DuSable Lake Shore Drive and McFetridge Drive.

The infrastructure plan for the project is split into three phases. Phase 1 consists of requirements to open the stadium including transportation, roadways and utilities, and would cost an estimated $325 million. Phase 2 would maximize the stadium and surrounding campus, cost $510 million and include a bus depot expansion, new parks and playfields. Phase 3 would further enhance the campus, cost $665 million and consist of additional transportation improvements, retail and public attractions.

The Bears are aiming to break ground in the summer of 2025, with a planned grand opening in the summer of 2028.

To stay up to date on news and information regarding the stadium project, visit StadiumforChicago.com.

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Bears release plans for stadium project in Chicago

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During a public presentation Wednesday at Soldier Field, the Bears unveiled their plans to build a state-of-the-art fixed-roof stadium along Chicago's lakefront.