Colin Cowherd did what he always does this week when he stirred up a persistent rumor regarding top 2024 draft prospect Caleb Williams. He made it seem like the USC star doesn’t want to play for the Chicago Bears, citing their long history of struggling to develop young quarterbacks. This could lead to a scenario where the Bears are forced to trade their rights to him to the Washington Commanders, his hometown team. People weren’t sure what to believe, knowing Cowherd had connections in the industry but also had a bad tendency to spout inaccurate nonsense.
Thankfully, top insider Ian Rapoport of NFL Network set the record straight. He alluded to the fact that Williams was prepared to play for any team that drafted him when he declared a couple of weeks ago. He then reinforced that statement in response to the Cowherd fiasco.
If that weren’t definitive enough, the other shoe dropped barely 20 minutes later when Cowherd went on his show and backtracked from his previous comments. He admitted Williams’ camp called him to clearly state they did not wish to be painted as anti-Chicago. Not a great look for him.
Caleb Williams seems content to let things play out.
Rumors will always fly this time of year, especially when a quarterback that many consider a once-in-a-decade talent is available. There were rumblings in 2020 that Joe Burrow wasn’t keen on joining the Cincinnati Bengals. Nothing ever came of that. The truth is Williams should be happy. Chicago isn’t the typical team that holds the #1 pick in a draft. Those organizations feature weak rosters experiencing issues with age and depth. The Bears aren’t in such a spot. They have young talent sprouting on both sides of the ball. Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright are two promising tackles on the offensive line. D.J. Moore is a stud wide receiver. Cole Kmet is a rock solid tight end. The defense emerged to become one of the NFL’s best down the stretch.
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It feels like a team that could be a quarterback away from serious playoff contention. For a supposed competitor like Caleb Williams, that is more than he could hope for. The Bears even retooled the offensive coaching staff to handle a young quarterback better. Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, quarterback coach Kerry Joseph, and passing game coordinator Thomas Brown all have proven experience elevating the position. Yes, Chicago hasn’t always been great at producing quarterbacks. That doesn’t mean they’re unprepared this time.
