Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams Ranked Too High or Too Low In NFL Quarterback Tiers?

While the ranking may be harsh to some, it’s fair at this juncture. The middle tier of NFL quarterbacks is deeper than it’s ever been, and one could make the argument that the upper tier is as well. Williams is unquestionably talented and has shown that capability in spurts, but it’s not illogical to have him behind some players who may not be as talented, but have been proven for longer. 

"You don't develop that trust unless you spend a lot of time together," Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson said. "For whatever reason, if you do that in the room with all the other quarterbacks, sometimes you can get a little defensive, whereas when it's one-on-one, the truth can come out and no one's feelings are going to get hurt, and each person can speak the truth."

Johnson is known for his robotic-like focus and attention to detail. As Williams continues to hone in on that attentiveness, having a coach who has developed high-level quarterbacks in the past can be a major asset to the second-year gunslinger. According to Johnson, Williams is more than living up to that task this offseason and getting better at the finer details of the game. 

"He's been very attentive," Johnson said. "He's been very detailed in terms of the meetings. He's taking great notes. He's asking excellent questions. The more we're out on the grass together, we're figuring out what we can put in the morning and what we can execute later on in the afternoon.”

“And so that's been the part of it so far, because for everybody there's a saturation level that we've got to find what that point is so that as coaches, we don't ask too much out of any player over the course of the season. We've got to be able to download a game plan and execute it. So, it's been a healthy process right now,” Johnson said. 

The Bears quarterback was developed by USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley, known for producing NFL quarterbacks, but Williams entered the league with a more defensive-minded coach in Matt Eberflus.

Williams will face struggles as he continues to progress in live game action, but with Johnson at the helm, those periods should be short-lived, not carrying on for weeks at a time like they did at times last season. The upgraded rosters will also afford Williams some wiggle room that he hasn’t been afforded so far in his young career. The onus will still be on him, but he won’t be tasked with making every play as he develops.

By the end of the season, it wouldn’t be surprising if Williams flips these rankings on their head and becomes a quarterback firmly in the conversation of the upper-middle tier, and not the lower end.