Veteran free agent suggested as 'mentor' for Caleb Williams in Chicago

With the first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, it's more than expected for the Chicago Bears to select Caleb Williams out of USC. The writing has been on the wall there all offseason but only became stronger when the Bears shipped Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for basically nothing.

Williams is going to need a mentor to help him in the first year of his NFL career and Matt Holder of Bleacher Report suggests that the mentor Chicago needs for Williams is Ryan Tannehill. The article was about one free agent still remaining on the market who could make sense for each team and while Holder flirted with putting a center for the Bears, he ultimately went with Tannehill.

"A center was considered here but the Bears traded for Ryan Bates last month and they tried to sign him as a restricted free agent in 2022 until Buffalo matched Chicago's offer. Clearly, Ryan Poles is a big believer in Bates and trusts that the former Bill can protect Caleb Williams, who might as well already be on the team.
So, instead of getting someone to block for Williams, Poles could add a veteran mentor for the incoming rookie. Tannehill could serve as the Bears' backup quarterback as that role is currently occupied by second-year pro Tyson Bagent."

- Matt Holder

Ryan Tannehill makes sense as a mentor for Caleb Williams

Tannehill entered the league in 2012 when the Dolphins spent a first-round pick on him. He underwhelmed during his six years in Miami and was eventually traded to the Titans where he spent the next five years of his NFL career. Tannehill revived his career in Tennessee, helping the Titans reach the AFC Championship Game in the 2019 season (his first in Nashville) and then helping them land the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs in the 2021 season.

Tannehill's time in Tennessee is over thanks to the Titans landing Will Levis in last year's draft and the veteran quarterback is still on the market. He'd be an excellent choice to help mentor Williams since he has over a decade's worth of NFL quarterback experience. It's doubtful that anyone other than Williams starts in Week 1 but Tannehill could step in if Williams struggles or gets injured.

Tannehill isn't a flashy name but he's a better backup and mentor option for Williams and the Bears than that of Tyson Bagent, who did okay last year but isn't ready for the role of mentoring a rookie yet. This could be a smart decision for Chicago ahead of adding the best quarterback in this year's draft.