At Chicago Bears training camp on Saturday, Pro Bowl defensive end Montez Sweat was kicked out of practice by head coach Matt Eberflus after Sweat hit the right arm of prized rookie quarterback Caleb Williams as Williams was dropping back to pass, a no-no for any defensive player this time of year. But what Bears fans, members of the media, and Williams' teammates are beginning to learn about the 22-year-old quarterback is that he doesn't need anyone to step in and fight his battles. He's ready to take the fight to the Bears defense and the rest of the NFL.
“Williams has been far from perfect through the first seven practices of training camp, but from the media in attendance, it's clear that the Bears have a potential star on their hands,” writes Bears beat reporter Alyssa Barbieri of USA Today. “The No. 1 overall pick has drawn rave reviews from the media, as well as his teammates and coaches.”
Whether that means Caleb Williams is making the sorts of throws that folks in Chicago are only accustomed to seeing from the most talented visiting quarterbacks, stepping in to break up altercations between defense and offense, or simply displaying a better command of the offense he's learning, everyone in Chicago is taking note of how far Williams has already come along.
“That jump from OTAs to now, there was just a huge step forward for him,” offensive lineman Ryan Bates said. “Being vocal, doing a great job with his cadence, getting everybody on the same page, the play calls, because it's a lot different than what he was doing in college, and he's embracing it wholeheartedly. He's kicking ass, he really is.”
Caleb Williams brings Bears fans hope that brighter days are ahead
As a lifelong fan of the Chicago Bears, I can confidently tell you that in my lifetime — 32 years now — the Bears have never had an ‘ass-kicker' at quarterback. Linebacker? Sure, we've had plenty of those. Running backs? Sweetness, the Kansas Comet, even Matt Forte could take over a game. But at the game's most important position, Bears fans have had to suffer through decades of mediocrity, with only the rarest glimpses of hope. The way that Bears general manager Ryan Poles put it is, Caleb Williams “is a quarterback you win because of,” not just a quarterback “you win with” (h/t Scott Polacek of Bleacher Report).
Caleb Williams has fewer than a dozen NFL practices under his belt, so every tidbit regarding his progress should be taken with a grain of salt until we see what he does during the regular season during live game action. But given how dire the Bears quarterback situation has been for decades, it's gonna be hard for myself and the folks in the Windy City to tone down our excitement.
Follow Us
Subscribe
