DJ Moore has gone public that he likes the idea of the Chicago Bears selecting Marvin Harrison Jr. with the No. 1 overall pick. It’s an idea that has a lot of merit considering the makeup of the Bears.

In an appearance on NFL Total Access, Moore — himself a receiver — said the Bears “could add another receiver.” He singled out Harrison from an elite group of first-round receivers.

“I know Marvin, so that would be a choice of mine,” commented Moore.

To be clear, Moore did not say the Bears should take Harrison with the first pick in the draft, but anyone monitoring the draft knows what it will take to get Ohio State’s superstar. Chicago currently holds the 1st and 9th picks of the draft, and Harrison is all but guaranteed to be off the board in the top 5 picks.

Moore certainly has that understanding, so the only way (barring a trade) for the Bears to grab Harrison is with the top pick in the draft.

Why the plan could work

For much of the pre-draft process, the debate surrounding Chicago’s first pick in the draft has centered around Justin Fields and Caleb Williams. Fields is entering his fourth NFL season and will soon need a new contract if the Bears want to keep him. In Williams, Chicago could reset the rookie contract clock, but is cheaper always better?

Analysts and scouts have raved about Williams’ generational talent, and he is the top player in the top 50 draft prospects list of NFL.com expert Daniel Jeremiah. But, guess who is No. 2 on Jeremiah’s list?

I’ll save you the drama: It’s Harrison, and there is a healthy argument that Harrison is a safer pick than Williams. And in fairness, some of the safety boils down to the team making the pick.

RELATED: Caleb Williams continues to lead the overall odds of being the top pick in the draft. Fans can track all the draft odds and line movement with Tradition’s Ohio online sportsbooks.

We have all seen the meme of the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback turnover, but the Bears have ruined many a young QB’s career in their time. And should they move on from Fields and take Williams, with the pieces currently in place, why should fans believe they suddenly know how to unlock the next great superstar?

In Harrison, the Bears could equip Fields with another elite receiving talent to go with Moore and the rest of the offense. Moore shined in 2023 with Fields, and tight end Cole Kmet continues to be a threat alongside Fields.

It also must be said that there are still inherent risks in going with a cheaper option, provided a team wants to win games. Speaking to the media ahead of the NFL Combine, Chicago GM Ryan Poles acknowledged the locker room supports moving forward with Fields.

“He’s a leader, everything our guys have said is true,” said Poles. “I’m not surprised our guys have said what they have said, I feel the same way.”

While the attention has been focused on which option is cheaper, it doesn’t address the risks of moving on from a guy the team is rallying around. That doesn’t mean Williams cannot chart a similar path with the roster, but it is noteworthy current players seem to want Fields under center.

The other angle is that Fields is indeed developing. While team success has not followed quite yet, a comparison of Fields’ last 20 games compared with the last 20 games of Lamar Jackson is intriguing. Consider for a moment Jackson just wrapped up his second MVP award.

That’s not to say Fields is on the level of Jackson at this point in his career. Turnovers are still an issue for Fields, but it presents a wrinkle in the argument for Williams’ potential.

Williams may have the skill set to thrive in the conditions in Chicago, but Fields is already proving he can develop even with less than ideal circumstances. If the Bears are serious about winning, the more competitive decision is to grab Harrison at the top of the draft.