Caleb Williams on leading as a rookie: ‘You gotta learn how to follow first’

Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said there is “no conversation” on who will be the starting quarterback in Chicago next season.

It appears that the organization sees a longtime leader No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams, who took the field in a Chicago Bears uniform for the first time during rookie minicamp on Friday.

“To be a great leader, you gotta learn how to follow first,” Williams said after his first practice. “Right now, I’m following all the vets. I’m following all the coaches. I’m listening, having both ears open and my mouth shut. When I learn everything, when I learn the ways of how we do it with the culture, then you can start taking the lead. Then you can start taking the helm of all of it and taking next steps.

“For right now though, I’m listening more than I’m speaking and talking.”

As Williams adjusts to the NFL level, the Bears are doing all they can to help him succeed. On top of giving him the playbook before the draft, they’ve also put some talent in place around him. Adding to what they have in place in. wideout D.J. Moore and tight end Cole Kmet, the Bears went and signed both running back D’Andre Swift and acquired receiver Keenan Allen from the Los Angeles Chargers earlier this offseason.

Moore, who recorded a career high 1,364 yards in his first season with the Bears last season, has already had some 1-on-1 work with Williams since he’s been in Chicago.

“Anticipation is there,” Moore said of Williams, via NBC Sports Chicago. “You can tell that he’s expecting us to be open at a certain time. That’s gonna be one of the things that’s better. Just gotta be on the same page with him going forward. It’s just gonna take some time. Maybe it’s gonna be fast, or it might take some time. But I’m hoping it’s fast.”

The Bears also selected former Washington receiver Rome Odunze with the No. 9 overall pick alongside Williams, who are expected to get to know each other very quickly in Chicago.

Williams wrapped up his collegiate career having thrown for 10,082 yards, 93 touchdowns and 14 interceptions on 66.9% passing across one season at Oklahoma and two at USC. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2022 after throwing for 4,537 yards and 42 touchdowns and rushing for 382 yards and 10 scores. If one thing is for sure — he’s succeeded everywhere he has gone. For the Bears, that expectation remains the same as Williams begins his rookie offseason.