The Chicago Bears suffered a tough loss with a key interception, and they may be playoff pretenders. But an ex-NFL star got completely honest about quarterback Caleb Williams, according to a post on X, formerly Twitter, by First Take.
“‘Caleb Williams just needs time under a coordinator like Ben Johnson,' Jeff Saturday on if he is a believer in Bears QB Caleb Williams.”
Saturday said that Johnson is sculpting Williams.
“Allowing guys to play within the system is what Ben Johnson is trying to create,” Saturday said. “The problem is: Caleb Williams hasn’t had a ton of coaching like that yet.”
Bears QB Caleb Williams still trying to absorb
Saturday pointed to other young quarterbacks, who have already gotten Ben Johnson-like training.
“Drake Maye has Josh McDaniels, who is going to tell him, this is where the ball … but he still gives you the chance to take the shots,” Saturday said. “But he’s gonna say, no, no, this is house money. We’re taking this every time. In the flat open, take the first one.
“Kliff Kingsbury with Jayden Daniels last year was very similar. They did some great things together, but it was conservative. Until Jayden Daniels started [throwing] this deep ball. People are like, ‘Golly, he can put the ball down the field.’ That’s a learning curve for Caleb Williams.”
Williams also got support from ESPN’s Ben Solak.
“I understand why Bears fans are frustrated,” Solak wrote. “When Williams was selected with the first pick in the 2024 NFL draft, he came with glorious fanfare. Yet to this point in his career, he has been dramatically outproduced by the second (Jayden Daniels) and third (Drake Maye) picks. On film, they've outplayed him, too. We get consistent Sunday reminders of what could have been.
“In that frustration, the ability to calibrate to Williams' play has been lost. Because he has been relatively disappointing, that must mean he is outright disappointing. I strongly disagree. He has been good this season. We haven't seen the things that were promised — stupendous, life-changing, franchise-resurrecting play — but he hasn't been bad. Not just decent — better than decent. He has been good!”
Still, Solak said Williams isn’t a finished product.
“Williams has plenty to improve,” Solak wrote. “He must be more accurate on layup throws, which he is obviously rushing and overthinking.”
