Get ready to celebrate a grand slam of a Bears draft

We’re one week away from a Bears party.

Gather with friends and family as Ryan Poles transforms his team into a contender for years to come with home runs picks in the top 10. That’s the hope. And hope is a powerful sports drug.

You saw what it did for the Chicago Sky a few days ago with its draft of Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese.

Now multiply that several times as these are the Bears. The team in Chicago. This is the position in professional sports. And the position this franchise has never gotten right in the modern era.

I’m just thankful there’s no drama with the first pick. We’ve been through enough questions dating back to January.

Who will the Bears take at No. 1? Will the Bears trade Justin Fields? Should Ryan Poles take the haul and trade out of the first pick? Does Caleb Williams want to play in Chicago? Will Bears fans accept a QB who paints his nails?

Months of silliness, debates and sports radio fights have been silenced. Bears fans are ready for the for the draft to commence in a week with the announcement that Williams is officially a Bear.

That’s not the case with the ninth overall pick, and the possibilities are endless.

In a normal draft, this pick would’ve had a large spotlight, instead, it has suffered from second child syndrome.

The truth is, if the Bears draft another blue-chip player at nine, this off-season goes from a home run to a grand slam, even with only four picks. Keep in mind, Poles turned this year’s second-round pick into Montez Sweat, his fourth-rounder into Keenan Allen and his fifth-round selection into offensive lineman Ryan Bates.

It’s why I don’t love the idea of trading down for more picks. Depth is nice, but drafting another star is most important. When Hall of Fame executive Bill Polian helped the Bears hire Poles, he joined us on the Waddle and Silvy show and told us that the Bears need 10-12 blue-chip players to contend. I count Sweat, Allen, DJ Moore and Jaylon Johnson as these players. Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker could be on the way. Poles hopes Williams will be one and Darnell Wright becomes one.

The point is, the Bears need more stars.

And while we all like a great draft day party, let’s hope this is the last time the Bears are drafting in the top 10 for at least the next 10 years. Build a winner, draft in the 20s, and let’s throw playoff parties or dare to dream about a Bears Super Bowl party.

To get there, Poles must get another star at nine and not trade back if great players are still on the board.

Here are my top wishes for the Bears at nine with the caveat that I am not Mel Kiper Jr. or an NFL scout.

If my ideas don’t pan out, I will ask to delete this column from the internet or claim my computer was hacked:

1. Run to the podium with either Rome Odunze or Malik Nabers if either is available. This was the dream scenario when the season ended and it should continue to be viewed as such. Do not overanalyze this. You can never have enough weapons and either of these two are projected to be studs. Poles has not done well when searching for a receiver when it’s not a slam dunk like Moore or Allen.

Chase Claypool, Velus Jones and Tyler Scott are good examples. And speaking of Allen, he is only signed for another year even if you do extend him, he will be 32 at the end of the month.

2. Draft Joe Alt or Dallas Turner and continue to build up front. It is my belief that these two players are better than the rest of their positions. Alt would look fantastic with Darnell Wright protecting Williams. This could make Braxton Jones a draft-day trade chip. Turner would be perfect on the other side of Sweat. Both of the players have high ceilings and fill needs. The problem is, most believe Alt could go to Tennessee at seven and Turner to Atlanta at eight.

3. Trade up for Marvin Harrison Jr. Imagine getting one of the better quarterback prospects and wide receiver prospects in years in the same draft. I don’t love giving away more draft capital for next year’s draft and normally would be against it for most prospects. Harrison isn’t most prospects. You are completely taking the risk out of this pick as he could be a generational player and you’re making things easier on Williams.

There are some things in life worth paying for, and Harrison would be one of them. Williams and Harrison would make beautiful music together while under rookie contracts for five years. This isn’t a luxury item. Scoring points in the NFL is a necessity. With the defense already ready to roll as a top 10 unit, imagine the offense with Williams, Harrison, Moore, Allen, Cole Kmet, Gerald Everett and D’Andre Swift. Keep your first-round pick next year and trade the Carolina second-round pick along with your own second and never look back.

4. If one of the three above options doesn’t present itself, then trade back and select the best defensive or offensive lineman available. Troy Fautanu, JC Latham, Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Taliese Fuaga, Laiatu Latu, Jared Verse or Byron Murphy are all possibilities.

• Marc Silverman shares his opinions on the Bears weekly for Shaw Local. Tune in and listen to the “Waddle & Silvy” show weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m. on ESPN 1000.