Caleb Williams is the #1 overall pick in the draft, which comes with a certain degree of expectations. People are reluctant to trust that the Chicago Bears have a good plan for him. After all, their history speaks for itself. Quarterbacks have had a rough go of it here. That said, things feel different this time. GM Ryan Poles has put together an impressive structure. Wide receivers D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, and Rome Odunze, tight end Cole Kmet, and running back D'Andre Swift highlight a talented group of weapons. There is also an offensive line returning four starters from last season.
In addition, they hired an experienced offensive coordinator, Shane Waldron, who has a solid track record working with quarterbacks. Nobody can say the Bears haven't done enough to give Williams a genuine opportunity to start his career strong. The rest is up to how good he is and how fast he can adapt to the NFL level. There is always a learning period for rookies. Some take a bit longer than others. Mike Clay of ESPN seems to think he will end up having an admirable year.
Why he fits in Chicago: Trading Justin Fields to the Steelers in March meant all signs pointed to Williams becoming the No. 1 pick, and it's no surprise that the rookie has already been named the Week 1 starter in Chicago. Williams' ball placement, anticipation and creativity make for a perfect fit in new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron's scheme. This offense will be predicated on accuracy and consistently playing on time, so Williams' urge to constantly make highlight-worthy plays will be tested -- but when protected, Williams can play in rhythm and dominate. And he will have a great supporting cast around him. -- Reid
Clay's 2024 projection: 3,532 passing yards, 23 touchdown throws, 13 interceptions (311 rushing yards, three touchdown runs)
Caleb Williams would be in good company with those numbers.
The passing yards would be in the same conversation as Jim Kelly and Matt Ryan during their rookie years. The 23 touchdowns would line up with Andrew Luck, C.J. Stroud, and Dak Prescott. It also goes without saying that both marks would be Bears rookie single-season records. Mitch Trubisky holds the yardage mark with 2,197, while Charlie O'Rourke holds the TD mark with 11. Not exactly difficult hurdles to clear. The only way Williams probably doesn't is if he somehow gets hurt this season. That is possible. No Bears quarterback has started a full year since 2009.
All that aside, the optimism around Caleb Williams is high. The Bears seem to have a favorable schedule to start the season. They don't play any divisional opponents until Week 11. That should give the rookie enough time to acclimate to NFL speed before he runs into the tougher opponents. Having such a talented group of veteran targets helps a lot. Moore and Allen alone will make his life much easier. It comes down to whether he will be overwhelmed by the speed and complexity of pro defenses.
