The Chicago Bears are widely expected to take USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick of the NFL Draft later this month, which could spell trouble for the Green Bay Packers in the NFC North.
Williams is considered a generational talent by some, and with the Bears having a plethora of weapons offensively, he could be a smashing success in his rookie campaign.
Former Packers wide receiver and current Fox Sports analyst James Jones has high hopes for Williams in Year 1 and thinks the young signal-caller should be able to get Chicago three or four more wins than last year. That would likely mean a playoff appearance.
Jones mentions all of the acquisitions the Bears made during the offseason, particularly on the offensive side of the ball by bringing in pieces like wide out Keenan Allen, running back D’Andre Swift and tight end Gerald Everett.
That’s in addition to what Chicago already had, which includes receiver DJ Moore and tight end Cole Kmet. It also includes a solid offensive line, as Jones specified.
Jones also notes that the Bears’ defense was terrific during the second half of 2023 and should be a force again next season.
He goes on to say that Williams does not even necessarily need to play spectacularly well to get Chicago to the postseason. Just take care of the football and limit mistakes, and the team should be alright.
It’s certainly a great situation for a first-year quarterback.
Let’s remember that the Bears didn’t get the No. 1 pick because they were the worst team in football this past season; they got it because they landed it in a trade with the Carolina Panthers last spring (which, ironically, featured Chicago trading its own No. 1 selection to the Panthers).
The Bears went 7-10 this past year and went 7-6 after an 0-4 start, so they were respectable. They did that with an inconsistent Justin Fields and with Tyson Bagent even making four starts under center, and as Jones says, Williams should be better than both Fields and Bagent.
We’ll see if Caleb Williams is able to deliver the goods in the Windy City in 2024.
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