There is a lot of hype surrounding Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears heading into 2024. Many think the Bears will contend for a playoff spot, and some even have Chicago pegged as a dark horse contender in the NFC thanks much in part to the belief in Williams.
With the NFL schedule getting set to release on Wednesday night, everyone is amped to learn who their favorite teams will be playing in Week 1.
Well, we now know who the Bears will be facing, as their opponent just got leaked. It will be the Tennessee Titans.
It will also represent a home game for Chicago, so Williams will begin his NFL career in front of the home fans in the Windy City.
The Titans should actually be a tough opening matchup for the Bears. They went just 6-11 last season, but they made some major additions this offseason, signing wide receivers Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd, running back Tony Pollard and center Lloyd Cushenberry. Chicago also swung a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs to acquire cornerback L'Jarius Sneed.
Tennessee still has the unproven Will Levis under center, and that may end up holding the club back in 2024. Still, the Titans represent a pesky opponent, and they will be a good test for the Bears right off the bat.
There is a lot of pressure on Caleb Williams and the Bears
Chicago went 7-10 in 2023, but that was then and this is now.
The Bears are entering a brand new era, and it's one full of expectations. The question is, are the expectations too great, and will they end up crushing the Bears in a similar fashion to the way expectations flattened the Cleveland Browns back in 2019?
It's a similar scenario. Young quarterback. Big offseason additions. Tons of weapons. Unproven head coach.
The Browns had all of that five years ago. So does Chicago going into 2024.
Williams will be under a microscope from the get go. He was the No. 1 overall pick, after all, and some consider him to be a generational prospect. Plus, unlike Drake Maye in New England, Williams actually has a lot of talent surrounding him. The Bears already had DJ Moore at wide receiver, and they went out and traded for Keenan Allen. They also drafted Rome Odunze. Plus, they signed running back D'Andre Swift and tight end Gerald Everett in free agency. And did I mention they also have tight end Cole Kmet on the roster?
Chicago is loaded with talent at the skill positions, so Williams is expected to step in and produce immediately. If it gets to October and Williams and the Bears are struggling, there is no doubt we will begin to hear a lot of negativity in the media.
It's not like Chicago is without faults, either. The team's offensive line is only mediocre, at best. The Bears' defensive front also isn't very good. They totaled just 30 sacks last season, and they didn't add any pass rushers in free agency or the draft. As a matter of fact, they lost a couple, as Justin Jones departed, and Chicago has opted not to re-sign Yannick Ngakoue (although he is still available, and the Bears may want to consider bringing him back).
We'll see if Williams and the Bears can live up to all of the hoopla as they kick off a new dawn at Soldier Field.
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