Derek Carr didn’t play last season. Some wonder if the 35-year-old quarterback is unofficially retired at this point. That isn’t clear yet, but one thing is. If he does return at some point, it won’t be to the NFC North. The four-time Pro Bowler has kept an eye on that division since last year. Nobody caught his attention more than Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. His mixture of Houdini escapes, arm strength demonstrations, and late-game magic was a thrill to watch, both as a fan and a quarterback.
Then Carr realized something. What he and everybody else saw last year was the worst form of Williams in that offense. What could the ascending quarterback become with more time and experience in the system? Carr explained it on the Home Grown podcast.
“The scary part about Caleb Williams is that he’s not even close to his ceiling……I think this marriage between Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson, the future is very bright for Chicago. If I’m a Bears fan, they haven’t been this excited in the offseason in a long time. We got a team, we’re going in the right direction…..I’m excited to see it. Can’t wait.”
Carr backed up his comments by breaking down several minutes of film. Williams’ evolution from early in the season to where he was going into the playoffs was night and day. With another offseason of work coming, it’s only going to get better.
Derek Carr speaks from experience.
Like Williams, he endured a lot of turmoil early in his career. His head coach, Dennis Allen, was fired midseason during his rookie year. Then, after a new coaching staff arrived, he overcame a rough start to his second season to finish strong, both in the win column and on the stat sheet. Everything coalesced in 2016. He threw for 3,937 yards, 28 touchdowns, and just six interceptions, earning him Pro Bowl honors and getting the Oakland Raiders to the playoffs. Sadly, his progression was stunted the next year when his offensive coordinator left for another position.
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That is where Williams is in a better situation. Head coach Ben Johnson isn’t going anywhere. He runs the team and the offense, meaning continuity will be a regular benefit for the Bears’ quarterback. If Carr was able to play at such a high level in that third season, there is no telling what Williams will do. He has every bit the arm Carr had, and also happens to be a top-tier athlete for a quarterback. Add growing mastery of a highly successful system on top of it, and you may have the makings of a superstar.
Carr probably hides some jealousy.
After all, Williams is getting to experience something he never did. His first two head coaches in Oakland were defensive guys. The Raiders finally wised up when they hired Jon Gruden to replace them, finally giving the quarterback stability. It worked really well for a time. Sadly, his poor luck returned when Gruden was forced to resign over controversial emails he sent that had racial overtones. Derek Carr declined from there and was eventually traded to New Orleans. One can only wonder how his career might’ve gone if Gruden had stayed.
Hopefully, Williams won’t have to worry about that. Johnson is firmly entrenched in his position and plans to build a Hall of Fame legacy in Chicago. The two have formed a tight partnership after the success last season. Such chemistry hasn’t really existed for the Bears going back many years. Even Mike Ditka and Jim McMahon weren’t on the same page all the time. That is why what Carr says is true. Williams only showed his first form last season. What happens when he goes Super Saiyan this year?
Carr already saw this movie once before with Patrick Mahomes. Never again.
