An NFL Network report by Ian Rapoport says USC QB Caleb Williams will be a player the Bears can consider in the draft.

It’s not official from the NFL or from Caleb Williams.

However, Bears options with the first pick of the draft seem to have become much greater because Caleb Williams has filed to be considered as an underclassman in the 2024 NFL Draft, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Williams is widely expected to be picked No. 1 in the draft in on April 25 and the Bears own the pick thanks to last year’s trade with Carolina.

Williams can still change his mind during the next two days and retain his college eligibility for 2024, but the league makes an official announcement on all underclass players who are in the draft come Friday.

Much was made of the fact Williams had not made such a pronoucement before now but this is common for quarterbacks and even other players to wait until the deadline to make it known.

The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner struggled down the stretch to get wins with USC last season after he stood out as a transfer from Oklahoma in 2022.

Williams completed 68.6% last season (266 of 388) for 3,633 yards and 30 touchdowns with five interceptions. USC lost four of its last five games last season and he was 124 of 185 for 1,612 yards with seven TDs and one interception during those. USC gave up 211 points in those five losses.

Williams transfered from Oklahoma to USC after a 2021 season when he was 136 of 211 for 1,912 yards (64.5%) with 21 TDs and four interceptions as a freshman. Coach Lincoln Riley went from Oklahoma after that year to USC and Williams followed him.

The Bears will now be able to weigh whether to draft Williams and most likely trade Justin Fields or keep Fields and try to trade the first pick for a boatload of picks and possibly even established talent like they did last draft with the first pick when they acquired DJ Moore.