Robert Griffin III issues bold Caleb Williams take after Justin Fields trade
ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III said Monday that presumed top pick Caleb Williams should "demand that the Chicago Bears do not draft him No. 1 overall."
RGIII made the wild comments in the wake of the Bears' decision to trade former 11th-overall pick Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday. Chicago will receive a 2025 sixth-round pick, which can turn into a fourth-rounder at best, depending on Fields' playing time.
"After everything that's happened with just Justin Fields, can Caleb Williams really look at that and say, 'You know what, this is the organization that has my best interests at heart and they're going to help develop me into the player that I want to become?'" Griffin III said.
The former Heisman Trophy winner added that Williams should "pull an Eli Manning." Griffin III was referring to the New York Giants legendary quarterback's situation of being drafted first overall by the then-San Diego Chargers in 2004, only to be traded hours later to the G-Men.
"Eli Manning had power in that 2004 draft and he let the Chargers know, 'Don't draft me, I don't believe in the direction that your organization is going, and I don't want to play there.' He refused to play for them, even threatened to sit out an entire season if they drafted him, and they still drafted him," Griffin III said. "If (Williams) says 'Alright, I see everything that's been going on, and now I can make the decision and say I don't think the Chicago Bears are the best place for me or my family to accomplish all the goals that we want to accomplish,' then he needs to let that be known. He does have power right now and he should exercise it if he feels like Chicago is not where he should be."
To be fair, Griffin III did give his props to Chicago, noting that up until the Fields trade, he believed Bears general manager Ryan Poles was having "an amazing offseason."
The Baylor product pointed to the additions of Pro Bowl running back D'Andre Swift and wide receiver Keenan Allen, as well as the already solid pass-catching duo of D.J. Moore and tight end Cole Kmet.
With Fields out of the picture, it's now a near-certainty that the Bears will select one of the top trio of quarterback prospects with the first overall pick in April. While they could opt for Drake Maye of Jayden Daniels, it would still be a surprise if they don't go with Williams, who should have an unusually strong opportunity to work with a competent offense in his rookie season.
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