Chicago Bears: Is team giving clues to their quarterback plans through interviews?

The Chicago Bears are certainly doing their due diligence in their search for a new offensive coordinator. So far, they have interviewed nine candidates, all who have a wide range of experience and skills. They had an interview with one that raised eyebrows, though.

Just days after quarterback Caleb Williams, one of the most heralded prospects in recent times, announced that he would enter the 2024 NFL Draft, the Bears announced that they would be interviewing former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury.

What was noteworthy from that announcement was that Kingsbury is USC's Senior Offensive Analyst and Quarterbacks coach. He has worked directly with Williams. In addition to that, he helped develop Patrick Mahomes at Texas A&M and Kyler Murray with the Cardinals.

Is the interview with Kliff Kingsbury a clue as to what the Chicago Bears plan to do at the quarterback position?

Kingsbury's experience with these three successful quarterbacks certainly seems like something good for the Bears. Whoever plays under center will need someone who can get the best out of them. Former Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy failed to do that and general manager Ryan Poles noted that as one of the reasons for the firing.

Does having Kingsbury come in signal that the Bears are ready to use the top overall pick in the draft on Williams?

Many feel that Justin Fields' time has come and gone. Despite not receiving the proper help from Getsy or former head coach Matt Nagy (who was considered a quarterback guru), they still feel the team has to move on. They don't think the Bears should pass on a possible generational quarterback in Williams.

While it is remains to be seen if Williams becomes that great of a quarterback, does Poles feel that he could be that good? If he does, and he wants to draft him, wouldn't be prudent to have the one guy who has worked closely with him?

This interview certainly got those on Team Williams fired up. It would be great to help Williams' development if he had someone familiar who already has been helping him. The fact that Kingsbury has NFL experience is a bonus for Williams. Not only that, but Kingsbury would also help head coach Matt Eberflus in developing a plan for the quarterback.

Could this be a smokescreen?

Kingsbury's interview could be more than just Poles wanting to have him stay with Williams. As mentioned before, Kingsbury has had positive experiences with three quarterbacks. He understands quarterbacks as he was a quarterback who was drafted in the first round. Working well with quarterbacks would also help Fields in his development.

If Poles feels that Fields is his man, then he'd want to do whatever he could to help him. Kingsbury could be that help and support.

On the other hand, this could be a big smokescreen. Poles could be all in on Fields. If that is the case, then he is definitely trading the top pick. From the moment he became the general manager, he stated that he wanted to build the roster mainly through the draft. He wants to use draft picks the team can have under control.

Trading this pick could garner a bigger haul than Poles received from the Carolina Panthers last year. Essentially, the Bears received offensive lineman Darnell Wright, cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, the #1 pick in this year's draft, a 2025 second-round pick, and DJ Moore. If they can receive more than that with this pick, why would Poles walk away from that?

Interviewing Kingsbury could be a message to other teams who covet Williams. It could make one of them desperate enough to give the Bears more in a trade. They could give Chicago a franchise-changing haul. That could certainly give Poles the opportunity to get even more than they did last year.

Poles has done a very good job of rebuilding this roster. He took the opportunity in his first season to tear down the team and have a very frustrating season. A lot of fans were unhappy but the result was having the flexibility to make the moves he is making now to get better.

While the Bears were just 7-10 in 2023, they were competitive. In fact, they had three late-game collapses that, if they hadn't happened, could have catapulted the Bears into the playoffs. That would put the rebuild ahead of schedule. Now, with this possible haul, the team would be even stronger. Interviewing Kingsbury could be part of Poles' grand plan.