Week 7's Thursday Night Football matchup between the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots featured the NFL's future quarterback.
Caleb Williams and Drake Maye traded haymakers all night at Soldier Field, but the Bears’ quarterback outplayed the competition, finishing 22 of 33 for 308 passing yards and two touchdowns. Maye also had an impressive game, finishing 24 of 31 for 321 passing yards, two touchdowns, and a red zone interception.
For football fans, it doesn’t get much better watching two young quarterbacks go at primetime.
Of course, everyone knows Williams and Maye were both selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. Williams went No. 1 overall, and Maye was selected No. 3 overall.
SI's Albert Breer asked NFL execs and coaches which player they'd rather take: Williams or Maye. Breer got 17 responses from six general managers, five offensive coordinators, four assistant GMs, a VP of player personnel, and a pass-game coordinator. Once Breer got his responses, the verdict came back: 12 people favored Williams and five favored Maye.
Caleb Williams is the preferred quarterback of choice over Drake Maye
Key selling points for the NFL execs and coaches in choosing Williams are his high ceiling and ability to perform in clutch moments. Some decision-makers leaned toward Williams because he's difficult to prepare for.
One assistant general manager told Breer that “You call a perfect D and still get beat, just like Josh [Allen] and [Patrick] Mahomes.”
For the few who chose Maye, the Patriots’ quarterback's “personality and sustainability” stood out. One offensive coordinator noted that Maye appears “a little ahead” of Williams when operating the pocket and getting through progressions.
According to Pro Football Focus, Williams has completed 67 of 79 attempts for 703 yards and three touchdowns when he is kept clean. Maye, by contrast, has completed 99 of 136 passes for nine touchdowns, but he's thrown five interceptions when kept clean.
Both quarterbacks have excelled this season, but Williams has kept the ball out of harm's way.
Breer also asked NFL evaluators whether Williams and Maye are the two best quarterbacks from the past six draft classes. Breer said most agreed, but a couple of experts highlighted Houston's C.J. Stroud and San Francisco's Brock Purdy as players they would consider. Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick in 2024, also would be in contention if he could stay healthy.
Read more: Ben Johnson has perfect shot at breaking Seahawks' historic defense in Week 8
Bottom line: the Bears have a quarterback who is highly respected in the league and someone teams would want to build around. That's unfamiliar territory for Chicago, but the organization will embrace Williams at quarterback.
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