Everything keeps pointing to the Chicago Bears drafting Caleb Williams with the #1 overall pick next month. Insiders across the league have indicated as much. GM Ryan Poles and his people love Williams’ tape and came away impressed during their first meeting with him at the scouting combine. People are running out of excuses for why Williams shouldn’t be the Bears’ choice. However, there is a persistent topic that hasn’t gone away ever since the pre-draft process started.
That is the presence of Carl Williams, Caleb’s father.
Several reports have indicated the man has a strong presence in his son’s life, essentially acting as his business manager. He poked the bear in many ways when he sent out feelers to see if he could circumvent the Collective Bargaining Agreement by obtaining equity in whichever team drafts him while also allowing his son to pick which team he goes to. It was met with immediate resistance from the NFL. Apparently, that hasn’t stopped the elder Williams, who, according to former scouting director Greg Gabriel, is still hoping to find a way to get Caleb to his hometown team, the Washington Commanders.
Caleb Williams won’t get his wish unless he forces the Bears’ hand.
That would be done by outright saying he won’t play for Chicago if they draft him. This is the same tactic employed by John Elway in 1983 and Eli Manning in 2004. Both instances were about avoiding organizations (Colts and Chargers) that had long histories of dysfunction during those periods. Neither pointed out specific teams they wanted to go to. Williams would be different. This would be a deliberate power play to get the quarterback home. No doubt Carl understands the many business possibilities of such an outcome.
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However, there have been no indications from their camp that they are prepared to take this step. Maybe Caleb Williams might try dissuading the Bears from taking him by bombing interviews, but it doesn’t sound like he’s doing that. The quarterback has stated publicly that playing in Chicago would get him excited. He understands the status he can achieve if he achieves great things there. Michael Jordan and Walter Payton are icons. That is the same heights he wants to reach.
While his father may still hope for a Washington outcome, it sounds like his son is prepared to embrace the Bears.
