Had the Caleb Williams plan gone south, the Bears would have traded down with a team that wanted to come up for Williams, and the Bears would have drafted JJ McCarthy, who would have become their QB1 after they examined his on-field performance, as well as his off-field intangibles.

Michigan's J.J. McCarthy was nearly the No. 1 pick in 2024 NFL draft by Bears, debunking myths about his passing ability, per The Athletic.

The Chicago Bears love Caleb Williams, but it sounds like they were entertaining the idea of drafting J.J. McCarthy, according to The Athletic.