Everybody has relished the opportunity to dunk on Caleb Williams over the past week. It started when he had an uneven joint practice against the Miami Dolphins last week. The fact that he then didn't suit up for the preseason opener didn't help. Struggling in Monday's practice only seemed to fan the flames. People started wondering if Williams wasn't grasping the new offense. Maybe he isn't cut out for big-boy football. As has become the case since last year, the Chicago Bears quarterback seemed to feed off the negativity.
The next two practices were some of his best, showing more decisiveness and efficiency. Mistakes tapered off, and he seemed to have found growing comfort with his receivers. The timing felt good as the Buffalo Bills came to town, setting the stage for the second joint practice of the month. This one felt much more important. Buffalo was in the AFC championship a few months ago. They're considered one of the best teams in the league. This was his first opportunity if Williams wanted to prove something had changed.
By all accounts, he did just that.
Caleb Williams deserves time and patience.
It feels like people are being more than a little unfair to the young quarterback. He stepped into a brutal situation last year with a porous offensive line and one of the worst coaching staffs in the NFL. Yet he somehow overcame all of that to post respectable numbers. He had the fifth-most efficient season in franchise history for a quarterback with at least 400 passes. Sure, it wasn't always perfect. It got ugly at times. That shouldn't dismiss the impressive things he did. Now he has the coaching and protection any quarterback requires for success. Yet people don't seem interested in giving him the necessary time to develop his game. That is not practical. This young man is too talented to dismiss as a lost cause before his second season even begins. This latest practice is proof of why.
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