Two-Time Champ QB Insists Caleb Williams Is A Massive Upgrade For Bears
The Chicago Bears made a difficult decision this off-season when they chose to trade Justin Fields. GM Ryan Poles made it for multiple reasons: his expiring rookie contract, his slow development as a passer, and the fear that his body wouldn’t be able to survive the rate of hits he’d been accruing up to this point in his career. Combine that with the acquisition of the #1 overall pick from the trade with Carolina last year and there were too many reasons for the Bears to move on. The presence of Caleb Williams in this draft class didn’t hurt as well.
Many see the USC star as one of the two or three best quarterback prospects to emerge from college in over a decade. Right up there with Andrew Luck and Trevor Lawrence, both of whom became Pro Bowlers. The Bears appear to see the same. While they have evaluated every quarterback in the 2024 class, none of the other top options ever seemed to challenge Williams for that top spot. That became especially true after the scouting combine. One person who isn’t surprised by this is Phil Simms. A two-time Super Bowl champion and one of the best quarterbacks of the 1980s, he never understood the argument from some people that Chicago should’ve stuck with Fields.
Having watched both players extensively, he is 100% certain the Bears are about to upgrade in a big way. He explained why on the Ross Tucker Podcast.
Nobody can say the Bears haven’t prepared for Caleb Williams.
Poles has constructed an offense infused with viable talent, both young and experienced. D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen should form a dynamic tandem at wide receiver. Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett will be a quality pairing at tight end as well. Four starters are returning to the offensive line. They have three solid options at running back. The Bears can even add further to the equation with their 9th overall pick. Williams is probably stepping into the best situation a #1 pick has in several years.
If he is as good as Simms and others insist, Chicago is about to become a much tougher opponent to handle. Matt Eberflus already has the defense playing like a top unit again. Caleb Williams might be the missing piece that brings everything together. Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has experience developing quarterbacks of different styles. He should be able to work around what Williams does best. If Simms is correct, all those plays Fields seemed to miss will start connecting.