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Stephen A. Smith throws cold water on fans hoping to see CJ Stroud-like run out of Caleb Williams

The Chicago Bears and many NFL fans are expecting big things from rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. Williams was selected with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, as he was one of the best quarterbacks in college football last season for the USC Trojans.

While Williams is expected to have a standout season, sports journalist Stephen A. Smith thinks he may not do enough to secure the NFC North title. Smith thinks Williams will do his part and make the team better but thinks the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers will finish with a better record.

"I don't want to hurt anybody feelings here. I don't think y'all going to be better than Detroit or Green Bay. But the fact of the matter is, just a couple of years ago, you were like three and 14. Last year you won seven games. There's been improvement," Smith said om First Take. (3:03 - 3:14)
"There's been elevation without Caleb Williams. So if Caleb Williams is half of what we think he has the potential to be, there's no reason not to look at the Chicago Bears and say, yo, they could do a few things here. Let's see what happens." (3:14- 3:28)

Being selected number one overall comes with a ton of pressure, especially for a quarterback. Williams is being looked at as a franchise guy and with the pieces the Bears put in place for him, he faces high expectations.

Another reason why he might have some big shoes to fill is because he is being compared to Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud. Stround was drafted second overall in the 2023 NFL Draft and had the best rookie season for a QB in NFL history.

Both the Lions and Packers made the post-season last year. The Lions topped the NFC North with a 12-5 record and the Packers made the playoffs as a wildcard team with a 9-8 record in Jordan Love's first season as the starter.

Chicago played well at 7-10, and they made a lot of changes in the off-season to improve their roster.


Did Caleb Williams play in the Chicago Bears' pre-season opener last night?

NFL: AUG 01 Hall of Fame Game - Bears vs Texans - Source: Getty
NFL: AUG 01 Hall of Fame Game - Bears vs Texans - Source: Getty

Last night (August 1), football returned. The Chicago Bears hosted the Houston Texans in the Hall-of-Fame game and defeated them 21-17 in a game that ended in the third quarter due to weather.

While the Bears kicked off their pre-season last night, Caleb Williams did not make his debut. Leading up to the game, head coach Matt Eberflus said Williams and the starters wouldn't play in the game. Williams' backup, Tyson Bagent had a good game in his absence, throwing three touchdown passes.

Eberflus and the Bears plan on having Williams play 45 to 55 percent of pre-season snaps with his debut expected to come next Saturday against the Buffalo Bills.

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