ESPN doesn't believe Caleb Williams will break this Bears record in 2024

This Chicago Bears team has more hope than the franchise has had in a very long time, and it all hinges on the future play of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.

The Bears were able to get their hands on the best college quarterback prospect that's come out in roughly a decade, thus Chicago has a substantial amount of hope and promise.

As long as the Bears have been around, of course, they have yet to see a quarterback pass for 4,000 yards in a season. In addition, Chicago has never had a quarterback throw 30 touchdowns in a season. And, if ESPN's Mike Clay is to be correct with his latest projections, the Bears will have to continue waiting for those records to be broken.

According to Clay, this is what Williams' rookie season is projected to see him produce:

Caleb Williams' projected 2024 passing totals:
331/512
3,538 yards
23 touchdowns
13 interceptions

Based on D.J. Moore's comments, Caleb Williams will prove Mike Clay wrong

One of Williams' top targets, D.J. Moore, recently told the media he believes it is going to be a "race to 1,000 (yards)" this season, between he, Keenan Allen and rookie Rome Odunze. According to Clay, only Moore will finish the 2024 season with over 1,000 receiving yards.

Clay has both Allen and Odunze over the 800-yard mark, but coming up short of 1,000.

Why shouldn't Williams be believed to break 4,000 passing yards and 30 touchdowns?

Let's be honest. The media has had a vendetta against the Bears and their quarterback play for as long as most can remember. If Williams is truly the best rookie quarterback to come out in a decade, why is it too much to believe he will break two single-season records in Year 1?

After all, Justin Herbert threw for 4,336 yards and 31 touchdowns his rookie season back in 2020. Joe Burrow's rookie year was cut short due to injury, but in his second season, Burrow passed for over 4,600 yards and 34 touchdowns. Just last year, C.J. Stroud threw for over 4,100 yards.

We're saying Williams is a better prospect than those guys, right? In that case, don't be surprised if Clay's projections end up being way off. Williams is set up for far more success than Stroud was last year and has the best wide receiver trio in football. If he doesn't break that pair of records, he'll sure get close to it.