Is Bears' Caleb Williams overrated? Exploring rookie QB's potential heading into 2024 NFL season
Caleb Williams completely changed the in Chicago. The new Bears quarterback is the golden ticket for a franchise that has long craved a decent signal-caller to lead them, and he's ready to take over from the first day.
Williams is the type of quarterback molded to perfection, always thought of as the type everyone wants to have: five-star recruit coming out of high school, college football star, Heisman Trophy winner, first pick in the NFL Draft. He's used to the feeling of being the star, and will have to live with that responsibility on the biggest stage.
At this point, with so much hype around the quarterback before he has taken a single snap in the NFL, it's fair to wonder if the media is hyping him more than they should. Or if everything's fair and square when you're talking about Caleb Williams.
Is Bears' Caleb Williams Overrated?
Caleb Williams is not overrated. He was not overrated as a prospect and he deserves all the hype that has come since the Bears spent the first-overall pick on him - and believe, Chicago finally has a quarterback they can trust.
Coming out of high school, Caleb was already a pretty hyped prospect. A 5-star recruit, he received offers from every major university, but decided on Oklahoma to play for head coach Lincoln Riley. Taking advantage of Spencer Rattler's downfall, he took the starting job in his freshman year and never left. When Riley packed his bags and left for USC, Williams didn't think twice and followed his coach.
He made the right decision: his season was spectacular. Williams was easily the best quarterback in the nation during the 2022 season, and while this title belonged to Jayden Daniels in 2023, there was still no doubt about who was the better prospect.
Anyone who sees the tapes of #13 immediately notices that there's something special there. He has a fantastic arm: the ball explodes out of his hand, and he's capable of making all the throws he will need in the NFL with impressive ease. Even when the throwing window isn't the biggest, the ball is there, in the right spot for the receiver to have a chance to make the catch.
Another aspect of his game that pleased scouts was his athleticism: even though he weighs 217 pounds, Caleb has the athleticism to become a weapon on the running game as well. He has nearly 900 yards and 16 touchdowns rushing the ball, which makes him an even more exciting prospect.
Like every youngster, there are still aspects of his game that need improvement. The main one is quite common in young talented quarterbacks and age can help improve: Williams trusts his arm so much that he sometimes risks throwing into double coverage, something that cannot happen in the NFL. Small adjustments to the mechanics, especially at the throwing base, and greater control of the pocket are necessary, but nothing that's scary or could become something really problematic.
Technically developed, he'll have to deal with another suspicion: being a product of Lincoln Riley's system. A creative offensive mind, the coach has an explosive offense, and in his years at Oklahoma, he had Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray among his players. Both ended up being the #1 picks in their drafts, but they didn't become the dominant players you'd expect from a #1 pick.
Chicago Bears fans are in for a great ride. Caleb Williams is all they've dreamed of for in a long, long time. If the Green Bay Packers always find a new answer to the quarterback position, Chicago now also has their prized asset.