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.