The Chicago Bears aren’t going to announce their plans at quarterback yet. Much work remains to be done before GM Ryan Poles reaches that point. He must meet with Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and the other top options. Interviews will take place throughout February and early March. It is reasonable to assume the Bears will have their plan in place by the start of the new league year. However, it appears more than a few people think the decision is all but made already. What will come in the next month is merely a formality to see if they spot any red flags. Caleb Williams is coming to Chicago.
Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog has proven several times he has credible sources close to the organization and around the league. From what he’s hearing, the overwhelming belief is that the Bears will make the USC star their pick at #1 overall.
One thing we know about Poles is he tends to have a good idea of his plans early in the off-season. He proved that last year when he traded the #1 pick on March 10th. It is a safe assumption he and his scouts have been doing exhaustive research on Williams for months. That continued this week when he and head coach Matt Eberflus flew to Los Angeles to meet with USC quarterbacks coach Kliff Kingsbury.
The Bears taking Caleb Williams is exciting and terrifying.
This will mark the first time they have ever taken a quarterback #1 overall in franchise history. Many consider Williams one of the best prospects to come out of college in years. “One in a decade” and “generational” are phrases getting thrown around about him. He’s drawing comparisons to Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers. It all sounds so good. Still, everybody knows this franchise. They’ve spent decades trying to solve the quarterback position and never got it right. Every big swing they’ve made in the Super Bowl era was either a disaster, a disappointment, or underachieved.
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- Justin Fields – great athlete but never matured as a passer
- Mitch Trubisky – had one good year and then fell off a cliff
- Jay Cutler – some incredible streaks but couldn’t overcome his inconsistency
- Rex Grossman – never serious franchise material
- Cade McNown – bust
- Rick Mirer – catastrophe
- Jim Harbaugh – serviceable but nothing special
- Jim McMahon – pure winner but could never stay healthy
- Mike Phipps – Lost cause before he even arrived
When looking at that list, it’s easy to understand why Bears fans are uneasy about Caleb Williams. They fear this regime won’t be able to develop him. They fear he may not have the mental toughness to handle the pressure of playing in Chicago. Yet the talent speaks for itself. He can do many special things. If Poles thinks he can chart this team on course to a Super Bowl, then buckle up.
