The Chicago Bears found their quarterback of the present and future when they selected Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Head coach Matt Eberflus didn't want to waste any time in handing Williams the keys to Chicago's castle.
Eberflus has named Williams the Bears' starting quarterback, via Adam Schefter at ESPN. While the decision was obvious, Chicago will enter training camp with no question marks or any quarterback battle. Williams will immediately get to work in proving why he was the No. 1 pick. In turn, the Bears will begin implementing their offense around their new promising QB1.
Chicago's head coach was adamant in giving the role to Williams. In his mind, Williams was the Bears' QB1 as soon as the team landed him in the draft, via Adam Hoge of CHGO Bears.
“No conversation. He's the starter,” Eberflus said of Williams.
Williams has already won Eberflus over. But alongside his announcement, the head coach still gave his QB a strong endorsement for not just his work on the field during his Friday press conference.
“You can really tell that he's comfortable in his own skin. He is who he is,” Eberflus said. “His light comes out from the inside. You can certainly feel that energy. He's a one plus one equals three guy. He's an enhancer. He's a guy that brings out the best in people and you can certainly feel that within five minutes of meeting him.”
When Williams steps under center, he will be throwing passes to Rome Odunze alongside a newly stacked wide receiver room. Odunze heard his name called in the 2024 NFL Draft just eight picks after Williams. Now that he has been named QB1, Odunze can't wait to get to work with his fellow rookie, via Courtney Cronin of ESPN.
“He's very talented,” Odunze said of Williams. “It's effortless for him.”
Matt Eberflus' announcement wasn't a shock in the slightest. If anything, perhaps it's a bit earlier than fans were expecting. Regardless, Caleb Williams has officially earned his title, and the Bears have found their quarterback.
How Caleb Williams became Bears QB1
Holding the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Chicago decided to trade down and give Justin Fields one more year as the starting quarterback. Amongst their return package was wide receiver DJ Moore and the Carolina Panthers' first-round pick in 2024.
Fields proceeded to throw for 2,562 yards, 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions. His notorious rushing attack was dilapidated, gaining 657 yards and four scores on the ground. With a 5-8 record as a starter in 2024, Fields' time in Chicago came to an end. The Bears traded him to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a late round draft pick.
During that time, the Panthers weren't finding much success of their own. They ended the season with the worst record in the league at 2-15. The Bears were once again gifted the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft.
This time around, Chicago couldn't afford to trade down. They needed a quarterback and found him in Williams. Over his three years at the college level – one at Oklahoma and two at USC, Williams threw for 10,082 yards, 93 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2022 after throwing for 4,537 yards and 42 touchdowns.
The Bears knew exactly what they were getting in Caleb Williams. They decided to hit the reset button and view their offense in a different light. Now that the plan has come to fruition, Matt Eberflus and his staff are working to make sure the fit is perfect. Announcing Williams as QB1 ensures all offensive plans are built around him.
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