The Chicago Bears ventured into the great unknown this off-season when they traded Justin Fields. It is never easy to embrace change, but GM Ryan Poles understood one inescapable fact. Until the team upgraded at quarterback, they were never going to have a chance of winning a Super Bowl. So, he utilized the advantage of holding the #1 overall pick to select Caleb Williams from USC. Draft experts loved him. Scouts and personnel evaluators loved him. There weren’t many things about his game you could criticize aside from his tendency to play too much hero ball.
Chicago knew the objective. It was to help him tone down those improvisational tendencies while embracing the role of playing distributor from the pocket. Don’t be afraid to take what the defense gives him. Don’t bring out the Superman cape until necessary. Williams made sure to go into the spring with an open mind, listening to coaches and veterans. It appears their advice has stuck. Since returning for training camp, the quarterback has looked far more polished than people realize. Adam Hoge of CHGO confirmed this.
Even the team is underselling the improvement.
From that regard, I’ve been impressed through two practices. Eberflus, offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and running back D’Andre Swift have all come out and said rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has improved since the spring.
“Caleb did a great job ending OTAs and then showing up back here at training camp a step ahead of where he left,” Waldron said Sunday. “Shows that he did a great job during his time away from the building, owning the offense, understanding different calls and (coming) out here these first two practices operating at a much higher level than what we left it.”
My eyes back up what’s been said in the press conference room. It’s been a smooth operation of the offense through two days, with only a couple hiccups, including one false start on Sunday. But no practice is going to be perfect and the mistakes have been extremely limited, which is especially notable considering Williams worked with two different centers the last two days.
Caleb Williams isn’t intimidated by the challenge.
Head coach Matt Eberflus has thrown him into the gauntlet from the beginning. Every practice has seen the rookie go against the starting defense in every drill. This is not your typical approach. Often, coaches will have QBs play against the #2 defense to help streamline execution. Eberflus doesn’t think that would be helpful. Williams has to understand the caliber of defenses he will see every Sunday in the NFL. The only way that happens is if he practices against it every day. It appears this logic is working as the young QB is progressing rapidly.
The plan ahead is clear. Caleb Williams will keep these practice habits through next month. He will get a chance to work against the Cincinnati Bengals in a joint session before playing 45-65 snaps in the preseason. Chicago is doing everything they can within reason to sharpen his mental faculties for the long season ahead. Williams doesn’t seem bothered by the challenges. If anything, he embraces them. A natural-born competitor like him prefers being pushed. It will be interesting to see how things evolve.
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Bearcub30 That is a good one. I have kissed worse. I am now proud of you. Now you and I should get, what they say is, the “London look.” I just wish they all could be California Girls here.
@Dr. Melhus I Just came back from a far too short pub crawl tonight but have politicking to do early tomorrow. I do not blame you for falling out of this nonsense and believing I should rise above the disrespect and personal attacks. But if you are really an unbiased scientist, then it should be pretty easy to trace the threads over the last two days (if not several weeks) and witness the ones who started the disrespect or lied in their comments. I don’t back down. So, I just give them more than they can dish out–[it’s] verbal warfare.… Read more »
Sallie boy laughing at his lame troll comments wishing England had a better dental plan!
Just tuning out all this drama nonsense. Don’t mind me.
Oh, here’s to hoping Caleb looks like a solid NFL QB from day one vs. Tennessee.
Well Gordo, if you have never been to a rave just outside of London, you do not know fun. Then, again, you might end up praying for something other than fun. If you cannot afford London, I can meet you in Vegas, sort of like in Hostel 3. Bring the whips.