When the Chicago Bears face off against the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday in London, it will be an exciting quarterback matchup between two first-overall picks: the Jacksonville Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence and Chicago Bears rookie Caleb Williams. It could also be a glimpse into the Bears' future if they aren't careful.
The Bears should see the Jags quarterback situation as a cautionary tale. Essentially, it's what the Bears shouldn't do with Williams.
Lawrence was drafted first overall in 2021 as the savior of the struggling franchise. Since then, the number one overall pick out of Clemson simply hasn't lived up to expectations.
His first head coach Urban Meyer, didn't last a full season and went back to commentating on college football games. After a dismal rookie season, Lawrence bounced back a bit with head coach Doug Pederson, a known quarterback whisperer who can get the best out of any quarterback. There was some early success, including a comeback victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card of the 2022 playoffs.
But five weeks into his fourth season with the Jags, the team has faltered and looks like they will need to fight tooth-and-nail for a chance at a playoff berth after starting 1-4. If the Jags can't turn it around, Lawrence could be introduced to his third head coach in five years this winter.
The Bears can learn from the Jaguars' mistakes with Trevor Lawrence.
Remember Lawrence's college career? Losing was a rarity for the Clemson star. What happened? The facts are that the Jaguars never built a team around Lawrence. Yes, they have a few pieces, but they never made a blockbuster signing or trade to pair Lawrence with a top talent at wide receiver. Besides signing Christian Kirk to a contract that was so huge it reset the wide receiver market, the Jags haven't given Lawrence much.
Back to the Bears: They need to learn from the Jaguars' mistakes and ensure Williams always has a team capable of winning. Williams was supposed to be the final piece of the three-year rebuild Matt Eberflus and Ryan Poles started in 2022. They can't let Williams down.