Bates is a versatile player with the potential to play all five positions on the Bears offensive line

 Are things starting to come together after two months of pondering?

Here are where things stand with the Bears’ quarterback situation and more after the NFL Combine, which might have given us a look into the coming weeks for the Chicago Bears.

The winds are indicating the Bears are going to select Caleb Williams

Bears GM Ryan Poles, last Tuesday in Indianapolis, said he’d prefer to have the quarterback decision done as soon as possible. Based on last week, it feels like the Bears are leaning a certain way.

It wasn’t until Day 2 or so in Indianapolis when the rumors started swirling about a Justin Fields trade.

Up until the combine, there wasn’t even so much as a rumor or two surrounding the Bears and their decision. Was it a coincidence that rumors finally began popping up after Poles started talking about wanting to do right by Fields and trade him before free agency opened?

It does not seem so.

Combine this with reports the Bears are looking to get Caleb Williams in for a visit even before his USC Pro Day, and it seems clear the team is taking steps to explore a future with Williams at quarterback.

Sitting at No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Bears are in full control. They can do whatever they want, and Williams’ words at the combine indicate he’s more than ready to start his career in Chicago. Albert Breer reported

This leads to the idea that Fields is going to be traded. There are a few things to settle here first.

The next major domino to fall: Kirk Cousins

Before Fields could get moved, the one road block seems to be Vikings quarterback and impending free agent Kirk Cousins.

Cousins, who has been the Vikings quarterback since signing with the franchise in 2018, threw 18 touchdowns in eight games before tearing his Achilles tendon. Before that, he was the subject of midseason trade rumors.

A report noted Cousins was beginning to relocate his family to Atlanta.

Atlanta is a desirable destination. They have Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts already. Those are more weapons than most teams have in more than one dimension of their offense.

New head coach Raheem Morris is a defensive-minded coach, but first-year offensive coordinator Zac Robinson won a Super Bowl under Sean McVay in Los Angeles.

If the Falcons grab Cousins, it’s a sign they believe they’re ready to compete now as opposed to later. It would also have to do with the idea they can pay Cousins for a season or two and not have to give up and draft capital.

After Cousins, eyes might shift towards where Baker Mayfield could end up, but Tampa Bay resigning Mike Evans could point to the team running it back with the former No. 1 overall pick instead of moving on to a new quarterback AND a new offensive coordinator.