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For the first time in a long time, it’s very exciting to be a Chicago Bears fan. Just within the last couple of months, their franchise has made a complete roster turnaround by means of free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft. But the centerpiece and sole reason for all of these moves undoubtedly have to do with their No. 1 overall pick, Caleb Williams.
It’s interesting just how the Bears wound up with Williams in the first place. Chicago was never supposed to be in the position they were in with this year’s draft. Under a previous regime, they had believed they found their quarterback in Ohio State’s Justin Fields with the No. 11 overall pick. Fields had his moments, but if not for last year’s draft, he might still be the starting quarterback for the Bears.
The Bears weren’t in need of a quarterback last year, or at least didn’t think enough of last year’s draft class to draft one, so in came calling the Carolina Panthers, who the Bears traded the No. 1 pick to in exchange for their first-round pick in 2024. The Panthers’ awful season led to the Bears’ fortunes, who drafted one of the best prospect quarterbacks in years with Williams in this year’s draft. What’s more, the Bears then took their own No. 9 draft pick and added to Williams’ arsenal by selecting Washington’s Rome Odunze, one of the top three receivers in the draft.
Under Ryan Poles, who was hired in January of 2022, the Bears look to finally be embarking on his vision for the team, as his fingerprints are finally starting to show. He’s just made his first major move that makes or breaks a general manager, that being drafting a potential franchise quarterback. The question now is, does Poles have everything needed to make Williams the success he’s projected to be?
The Bears have given Caleb Williams plenty of offensive weapons
In the entire history of the Bears franchise, offensive productivity has never been the name of their game. Only twice since 2013 have the Bears finished in the top ten in scoring offense (2013, 2018). While that may not happen this year with so many new pieces, it could easily happen over the next couple of seasons.
Outside the addition of Odunze, through free agency, the Bears added running back D’Andre Swift and offensive line depth in center Coleman Shelton and tackle Matt Pryor. They also traded for Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen to go alongside DJ Moore. That’s not even mentioning significant upgrades to the defense in safety Kevin Byard and cornerback Jaylon Johnson.
Though there are still some needed pieces to be added, this might be the most well-rounded roster in decades for the Bears. But all in all, this still revolves around Williams, and there is one major concern for him that deals directly with the current roster.
The Bears lack veteran quarterback room, leadership within the team
Not everything can be a perfect welcoming for a rookie quarterback as he enters the league. But having some veteran leadership, outside of a talented roster, would be ideal. Looking at the current Bears roster, Williams might not have a lot of that in his first season.
“Caleb is going to a locker room where you’re wondering who is the vet that is gonna tell him that he is screwing up,” Williams’ quarterback coach, Kerry Joseph, said, as was reported by The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman and Kevin Fishbain. “Who is the vet that will give him confidence for doing something right? Who is that for him? It is about the room. It’s about your peers — what they’re saying, what they’re seeing, what they’ve seen, stories they can tell.”
As of right now, besides Williams, the only other quarterbacks on the Bears’ roster are Brett Rypien and Tyson Bagent. Rypien, who was signed during free agency, has been in the league since 2020, while Bagent was signed by the Bears as an undrafted free agent last year. Together, the two have played in a combined 15 games, with a 4-4 record with eight total starts. In Bagent’s four starts from last season in replacement of Fields, he threw for 859 yards, three touchdowns, six interceptions, with a 65.7 completion percentage.
“I was looking to see, who are they bringing in for (Williams), who is that veteran?” Joseph continued. “I don’t care if it’s Jameis Winston, whoever. Somebody who has been in there and done it, and can say, ‘Hey, Caleb. Hey, man, come over here.’ That’s what you’re hoping to see that they’re not making the same mistake again that they made with Justin. It’s critical, man, that a young quarterback has the right type of example, the right peers, the right room to have success early. Brett Rypien may be an awesome guy, but will Caleb Williams respect him? I don’t know. He might, but who will be that guy for him that can say, ‘Hey, Caleb, you’re screwing up, man. Hey, Caleb, I get here at 6 in the morning. Where were you?’”
This has to be something to keep an eye on throughout the 2024 season and just how it could affect Williams’ progression into becoming an NFL quarterback. Some of the greats we’ve seen over time have walked into much better situations than this when they began their NFL careers. Patrick Mahomes not only had Andy Reid, but he also got to sit behind Alex Smith for a year. Tom Brady had Bill Belichick and Drew Bledsoe. What does Williams have? A defensive-minded coach on the hot seat and a young roster with no identified veteran leadership.
The job that Poles has done can’t go unrecognized as he attempts to completely change the identity of a franchise, but his work may still be ahead of him.
More must-reads:
- Veteran NFL safety will either play for this team or retire in 2024
- Greg Olsen offers broadcasting advice to Tom Brady
- The 'Super Bowl starting QBs' quiz
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