Mike Florio Reveals Tactic Caleb Williams Might Use To Avoid Chicago

One thing to remember about the NFL is that perception is everything. It's true for teams, coaches, and players. There is a certain way everybody wants to be perceived, even if the reality might be different. Everybody has heard the Caleb Williams story by now. The USC quarterback is rumored to have reservations about the Chicago Bears drafting him, given their rough history at developing quarterbacks. Now, his camp has sent signals to the media that this isn't the case. If the Bears draft him, he would be on board playing for them. However, it doesn't mean the original statement is untrue.

Williams doesn't want to play in Chicago.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk revealed something interesting during a conversation on Berstein & Holmes for 670 The Score. Many people don't know that back in 2012, Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III quietly sent signals to the Indianapolis Colts that he had no desire to play for them. Word never got out about it, and the Colts simply pivoted to Andrew Luck, proclaiming he was always the guy. Florio says they were interested in Griffin III, but his campaign to dissuade them had the desired effect.

He believes Williams could try something similar.

Caleb Williams would be the first to try this tactic in a long time.

Before RGIII, Eli Manning was another quarterback who refused to play for an organization. In his case, it was the San Diego Chargers. If Williams is committed to avoiding Chicago, he has to hope one of the other quarterbacks in the top 10 conversation makes a strong enough impression on the Bears to go #1. Otherwise, his only prayer is another team is willing to make a huge offer to secure the #1 pick from them. It sounds like there will be plenty of teams interested. Whether they're willing to pay GM Ryan Poles' price tag is another story.

High noon for all of those will be at the scouting combine. That is when the Bears will meet Caleb Williams for the first time. From there, they are guaranteed to host him for a private visit and workout. If he resists these requests, it will become crystal clear he doesn't want to come to Chicago. Were that to happen, Poles has some courses forward. He could draft Williams anyway, either hoping he comes around or holding his rights hostage until another team makes an offer he likes. That is what happened with Manning and John Elway.

Or he could look to trade the pick itself, maybe to Washington at #2, since they've given off signs for weeks they're interested in the D.C. native. Poles isn't one to be jerked around. He likely has plans in place for several scenarios.