A great deal has been revealed this offseason regarding the Chicago Bears' and Caleb Williams' activities before and after the 2024 NFL Draft. Now, a new element has been brought into the fold.
The Athletic's Alec Lewis wrote about Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy and his preparation for his first season as the full-time starter. One aspect of the article that caught many people's attention was quarterback coach Greg Holcomb sharing a story with Lewis about his interaction with Bears general manager Ryan Poles and his apparent interest in McCarthy before the 2024 NFL Draft.
"Still sipping a hot coffee at Starbucks, Holcomb recalls another moment from the offseason. He was hosting a quarterbacks camp for middle-school-aged boys, and one of the attendees was Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles. During a changeover at the camp, Holcomb approached Poles and introduced himself. They found their way to the subject of McCarthy.
'He was talking about how much they (the Bears) loved J.J.,' Holcomb said. 'And said to me, ‘I don’t think people realize how close we were to possibly taking him.’ Obviously, they love (No. 1 pick) Caleb (Williams), but I thought that was interesting.'"
Makes fans wonder what if the Bears went with McCarthy instead of Williams
A lot has been made about Williams before the draft, with his father not wanting him to play for Chicago, as well as the disastrous 2024 season. The stories were that no coach would watch film with Williams, which has been refuted by a former head coach Matt Eberflus. It all ended with Williams taking a league-high 68 sacks, having three different play callers, two head coaches, and a 5-12 record.
Moving past 2024, it seems the Bears are in a much better spot, with Williams having a more favorable situation around him, thanks to Ben Johnson as the new head coach, a rebuilt offensive line, and new young weapons to throw to. The stars are aligned for Williams to be the next great NFL quarterback.
What if that was McCarthy instead of Williams?
It's hard to tell how it would have turned out, as McCarthy hasn't played much outside of one preseason game. His torn meniscus kept him off the field for all of 2024.
There's plenty to like about McCarthy, as he's a proven winner, but Williams has the potential to be special. Williams' mechanics in the pocket and the way he can run it, if he needs to separate himself from the rest of the quarterbacks in the 2024 class. Yes, he's not perfect with how he can hold on to the ball for too long, but every young quarterback needs time to develop.
Read more: What was once a liability has become a position of strength for Bears
Bears fans would like to think that Poles made the right call selecting Williams over McCarthy. The Week 1 showdown between the Vikings and Bears will be a good indicator of that.