The Chicago Bears have one of the best young quarterbacks in the league in Caleb Williams, though it seems like everyone in the media seems to be writing his obituary after he put together one of the finest statistical rookie seasons in recent NFL history.
Williams has an electric arm, great mobility, and a penchant for avoiding turnovers, though those who are overly critical of him seem to look past that when discussing his overall status within the league. ESPN has seemingly gone against the grain, hyping up Williams as one of the more talented quarterbacks in the league.
ESPN's Dan Orlovsky ranked quarterbacks in top 10 lists based on their excellence in seven categories. Williams found his way into three of those seven lists, showing the natural talent he has at his disposal and the upside he has in Ben Johnson's high-octane offense.
Williams' arm strength was ranked as eighth-best in the league, above names like Jordan Love, 2024 No. 2 pick Jayden Daniels, and Jared Goff. Williams ranked tenth in rushing ability and eighth in ability to make plays out of structure, ahead of fellow 2024 rookies Drake Maye and Bo Nix in that particular area.
ESPN ranks Caleb Williams high in multiple QB categories
Despite the fact that Williams played most of his rookie season with an interim head coach and a revolving door of offensive coordinators, he managed to amass 20 touchdowns against just six interceptions while setting an NFL record for consecutive passes without an interception by a rookie.
Even if you want to lean on the idea that the counting stats were more impressive than the overall film, Williams mixed in a handful of throws that no Bears quarterback since Jay Cutler has been able to pull off consistently. Williams constantly had his team in games late, but poor situational execution (read: no head coach) doomed them.
Williams will not head into 2025 with a significantly improved offensive line, a coach who was hired expressly to maximize his potential as a quarterback, and a weaker NFC North that has lost some key pieces. The ingredients for a sophomore season breakout are all in place.
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Williams may not become an MVP in Year 2, but all signs are pointing towards him eventually putting together a much more successful season than he had in 2025. Perhaps the haters will slowly start to pipe down once the touchdowns start piling up.