They say that no price can be paid to acquire a franchise quarterback on any team. Someone tried to put a price tag on Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, but would it be worth it for them?
ESPN senior NFL writer Bill Barnwell attempted this task with his latest article, looking at each NFL team and the trade value of certain players on their teams. Barnwell said that only one player on the Bears has a value of two or more first-round picks: Williams. For now, at least.
"The Bears wouldn't have taken anything close to this for him a year ago, but that was then. He struggled through a dismal rookie season, and while it's fair to chalk up some of his woes to an underwhelming scheme and seemingly uninterested playmakers, he deserves plenty of the blame for what went wrong. Indulging the worst elements of his game most weeks and eventually losing his confidence, Williams wasn't reliably creating within the offense, and his attempts to improvise often proved disastrous.
And yet, he was the consensus first overall pick and a potential superstar quarterback prospect. While Williams has essentially wasted a year of a bargain rookie contract, he's still on a team-friendly deal for up to four more years. If new coach Ben Johnson does everything Bears fans are expecting with Williams this season -- and he is willing to rein in his hero-ball tendencies -- he could be back toward the untouchables in 2026. If not, something will have gone very wrong in Chicago."
Is Williams worth that price for the Bears to mortgage the future?
The truth is, this scenario would never happen. Johnson was brought into Chicago to develop Williams and help him become the franchise quarterback everyone believes he can be. Last year's coaching staff was not the right people for the job.
Last year, Williams showed off his potential after 3,541 yards and 20 touchdowns to six interceptions. His 10 fumbles and 68 sacks don't look great, but he had a struggling offensive line and inconsistent running game along with inconsistent wide receiver play to be at the level he needed to.
Johnson has been working with Williams on some of the struggles he had a season ago, including holding onto the football for too long and his body language when things go wrong. While the performance on the field leaves something to be desired at training camp, Williams is at least trending in the right direction.
There's no doubt some NFL teams would give up at least two first-round picks in the NFL Draft to try to get Williams, but no team is bold enough to do it right now. The interesting part is the future and whether he still holds that same trade value in 2026 and beyond.
Read more: One play at Bears training camp shows Caleb Williams still has that "it" factor
This season will reveal the answer. The potential is there, but a trade scenario with Williams might come sooner than some think if Williams can't improve his play under Johnson's already proven great offensive system.