Some serious buzz has made the rounds ahead of the NFL draft for the past week or so. It centers around the idea that Marvin Harrison Jr., the Ohio State star wide receiver, is trying to hurt his stock enough to slip in the 1st round. His endgame is finding a way to join the Chicago Bears, likely hoping to pair with presumed #1 pick Caleb Williams. Obviously, there has been no confirmation of this from any major outlets. However, there has been a twist to the story. It seems the Bears are also eager for something like this to happen.
Ben Volin of the Boston Globe has long proven to have quality sources, both covering the New England Patriots and the wider NFL. He’s been reaching out to people for weeks about what could play out when the draft begins. He came away with some fascinating information. For starters, he believes the expected run on quarterbacks won’t be as big as people think. They will go at #1 and #2, but he’s not convinced others will go right away after that.
That was when he dropped a mini bombshell regarding Harrison and the Bears.
That the Bears could get aggressive for Marvin Harrison Jr. If the Patriots stay at No. 3 and draft Maye, then it seems all but certain that the Cardinals will draft Harrison at No. 4 to give Kyler Murray an elite receiver. But the Patriots wouldn’t mind trading out of No. 3, and I’ve got my eye on the Bears at No. 9, who seem like they want to make a big splash and be the talk of the NFL this year.
The way to do that is trade up and get Harrison. The Bears are already drafting Williams at No. 1, and what better way to create excitement than to get the best quarterback and the best receiver in one draft? The Bears don’t have a second-round pick, but I wonder if No. 9, No. 75, and multiple picks next year (maybe a first and a third?) would be enough for the Patriots to make the swap. I think the Patriots would be much more comfortable taking McCarthy at No. 9, while adding extra draft capital, than they would Maye or McCarthy at No. 3.
The Bears going after Marvin Harrison Jr. would be a clear signal.
That would mean they fully intend to compete for the playoffs in 2024. Pairing arguably the two best prospects not only in this draft but maybe the past four or five would be an incredible turn of events. Both Williams and Harrison were lauded as future NFL stars long before they declared for the draft. It’s been a steady build for two years. It would be the first time in league history a team took the #1 quarterback and #1 wide receiver in the same draft. If that doesn’t generate buzz in Chicago, nothing will.
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Will it happen? As Volin mentions, that depends on whether the Patriots are willing to move down. If the quarterback they prefer is on the board, that seems unlikely. If he’s not, it will depend on the asking price. GM Ryan Poles has moved up in the draft only once in his career, so such a move would be out of character. That said, Marvin Harrison Jr. is the caliber of prospect worth the risk. Everybody believes he is a future superstar. Pairing him with D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen would be cheating.
That said, it’s hard to imagine the Bears sacrificing their last chance to find sorely needed pass rush help. Then again, it is a quarterback-driven league.
