Although there have been headlines about Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams struggling at training camp, general manager Ryan Poles spoke about the star getting used to the new offense under new head coach Ben Johnson. While the Bears' offense under Williams looks sloppy now, Poles would make a comparison that is sure to excite fans.
Anytime a player can be compared to arguably the best quarterback in the NFL, the Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes, it is likely to lead to a boost of confidence. In speaking about Williams' progression in training camp under a new offense, Poles would make the comparison to Mahomes, whom the general manager knows a lot about, as he was with Kansas City from 2009 to 2021 in a variety of roles.
“He's getting better at it,” Poles said, according to ESPN. “It'll start with the simple, obviously, as you go and you get older, all of a sudden you can progress from one side of the field to the other — fast. Very similar to when we were in [Kansas City], [Chiefs quarterback] Pat [Mahomes] didn't know coverages, a lot of the big plays were when he just made things happen.
“And every year you just keep getting better and better at identifying what teams are doing to you, and then all of a sudden there's looks that they're hiding from you, and then all of a sudden snap goes and then they're switching into something,” Poles continued. “Once your Rolodex grows, you can react to those things and actually start to manipulate them as you get older. It's just part of the quarterback position in the growth process.”
Ryan Poles on how it's “going to take time” for Bears' Caleb Williams
With Williams getting tough love from the Bears, it's an effort to get the best out of the former No. 1 overall pick from the 2023 NFL Draft. However, some players either start off the gates as elite, or it takes some time, and with a new coaching staff, the process won't be overnight, as Poles mentioned.
“I think as a human being, I want it to happen super fast, and I would love for it to look really clean and for [Williams] to look like a fifth-year vet right now,” Poles said. “But I think, just being in this long enough, what's reality, though? It's going to take time. It's new.
“A new defense is going to jump out faster,” Poles continued. “It always does. We're also playing this man scheme that [defensive coordinator] Dennis [Allen] is playing is a pain, and he is not holding back anything. And I think because of that, it might look choppy at times, but that's what you want. You want this time to look, be as hard as possible. And then when you get to game time, when the lights come on, you want that to then slow down.”
Chicago starts the season on Monday, Sept. 8, against the Minnesota Vikings.
