The Chicago Bears backup quarterback situation raises questions

After drafting USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick, everything seems to be going great on the surface for the Chicago Bears. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. If Williams goes down, the Bears could have a tough time competing.

When most teams draft a rookie quarterback, they typically have a bridge quarterback in place to ensure their transition to the NFL is smooth. This isn't the case for the Bears.

Besides Williams, who is pretty much the de facto starting quarterback at this point, the remaining quarterbacks on the roster are Tyson Bagent, Brett Rypien and Austin Reed, according to ESPN. While both Bagent and Rypien have solid experience as backups, bringing in a more seasoned veteran would have made more sense for a team trying to win the NFC North for the first time since 2018.

What makes this so troubling is that if Williams were to go down with an injury or struggle, the team wouldn't be left with a whole lot of options. Perhaps the Bears are all right with Bagent's performance last year when he filled in for an injured Justin Fields. However, if the Bears wanted to play their cards right, they should've signed a seasoned veteran.

This way, they could usher start the first few games of the season until Williams is ready, let the rookie play and then be ready on the sideline if he's needed.

The Bears better hope Cale Williams stays healthy.

To some extent, all successful teams in the NFL do this. Look at our dreaded rivals: the Green Bay Packers. Aaron Rodgers learned behind Brett Favre. And Jordan Love learned behind Rodgers. It's looking like it worked out pretty well for them.

Maybe the Bears want Williams to learn through experience. He'll get under center every Sunday and lead the team as best a rookie of a franchise that has never had a quarterback pass for 4,000 yards in a season can.

The Bears should've had a solid backup option in place for Williams. The Bears might pay for this mistake in the long run if Williams regresses.