For weeks, people have tried to make sense of how the Chicago Bears became so convinced that Caleb Williams was their guy. It’s been enough that they didn’t even bother meeting with any of the other top quarterbacks privately ahead of the draft. It can’t be his talent, substantial as it is. Something must’ve happened along the way that told them he was exactly what they were looking for. GM Ryan Poles seems sold on him for various reasons: his talent, his poise under pressure, and his slow pulse in big moments. However, he knew surviving in Chicago would take more than that.
One common say in the NFL is that “the players know.” They can tell early on if a certain player has what it takes to be in the league or not. So, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Poles hatched a crafty plan when Williams came for his private visit.
“When Caleb Williams visited Chicago in early April, the Bears did something smart. Rather than have Williams go to dinner with their front office and coaches, they sent him to dinner with team leaders Cole Kmet, DJ Moore, T.J. Edwards and others. The thinking was, those are some of the team’s most respected players, the players who others listen to, and this group then would be able to tell the other players what they were getting in Williams, who is likely to be the No. 1 overall pick.”
The genius of this move is subtle. Rather than wait until after making the pick to have their locker room leaders assess the kid, Poles jumped ahead by bringing them together weeks before the draft. If Kmet, Moore, and the rest came away with concerns, it would’ve been a clear red flag for the Bears brass. They would’ve then had time to pivot to one of the other QBs. By all accounts, the dinner went well. The team has been on the Williams train ever since.
Caleb Williams isn’t shy about speaking his mind.
He proved that in a recent interview on the Pivot Podcast. The guy expresses himself, unafraid to tell the truth. It isn’t hard to understand why teammates love him. Such an open personality is easy to gravitate towards, especially when he’s really good at what he does. Don’t forget guys like Edwards and Moore have played with former or current star quarterbacks. Edwards was with Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia. Moore spent time with Cam Newton in Carolina. Keenan Allen, who met Williams at USC’s pro day, played with both Philip Rivers and Justin Herbert. These guys know what the good ones look like.
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The fact they seemed to sign off on Caleb Williams is a great sign for the Bears. The players know. Remember, these guys were staunch supporters of Justin Fields. They easily could’ve entered that dinner, intent on grilling the potential #1 pick. It didn’t happen. Williams made the right impression. Now, he is four days away from becoming their next quarterback.
@barry_mccockiner, yeah, I can agree with that and would have to think CW resents Spencer Rattler, it’s human nature. I also think Spencer Rattler is garbage though, he’s got Desmond Ridder written all over him. I stated on these comments before how I’ve watched a ton of USC games because my kid’s a fan and I believe CW looked better in ’22 thanks to his receiving corps but there’s also truth in the fact he didn’t have a great line or defense last year. There is no denying the talent though, so if/when they take him, I’ll roll with it… Read more »
@mbearest Fair enough. There’s also reporting out today that supports the hypothesis I’ve been floating for weeks: That Poles dealt Justin Fields so that Caleb wouldn’t face competition in camp for QB1. Reportedly, this involves the contempt Caleb has for Spencer Rattler from their time at Oklahoma. Caleb himself admitted as much during his latest podcast appearance. As Brad Biggs always says, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. I don’t believe reports like these down to the letter but I do tend to believe their overall sentiment, to some degree. Uncorroborated reporting and anonymous sources are worthy of skepticism, but nobody… Read more »
@barry_mccockiner, I got yer back more than most on here but as far as the Poles/Johnson/Caleb stuff, it’s not “News” until we see Ryan Poles say it with a raised eyebrow. Until then, it may as well have come from those cackling hens on The View.
@Tred Dan Wiederer at the Tribune has a new report out that documents that there is internal division and turmoil already about Williams. Poles is reportedly pissed that Jaylon Johnson said Caleb shouldn’t “bring that Hollywood stuff” into the locker room.
Perception is reality. While I don’t think it’s the most important thing in the world for a QB1 and a CB1 to be rowing in the same direction, this news is … not a great signal.
@barry_mccockiner – you nailed that. 110%. Poles has made every effort to give Williams smooth sailing. I just hope the same guys who ragged on Fields don’t do the same thing to Williams immediately if he has some bad stretches, or doesn’t look like a HOF’er from day one. There are people here who want Williams that I think will support him 110% if he puts forth effort at being a good QB for the Bears… And there are also a few here that I feel pretty certain will sour on him very quickly no matter how loudly they scream… Read more »