Caleb Williams struggles to protect the ball
© Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
One of the knocks on Fields’ play during his time with the Chicago Bears was his ball security. There were too many times when he played loose with the ball and this resulted in him fumbling the ball. Additionally, he threw too many interceptions and plays that should have resulted in interceptions.
Williams has some of the same concerns. In his profile of Williams, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had this to say (subscription required).
Holds the ball loose from his body, and ball security is a major concern (in the pocket and as a ball carrier) — 16 of his 33 career fumbles came in 2023… guilty of bypassing singles and doubles as he searches for home runs and asks too much of his offensive line (240 of his dropbacks the last two seasons lasted 4-plus seconds) … can get stuck on reads too long, and eyes need to be more efficient and manipulative … partially responsible for being sacked 84 times over the last three years, including 35 times in 2023 … hastily abandons his passing mechanics…
One can try to explain away Williams’ horrible ball-protection in 2023. The USC offense was not as strong as it was the previous season. Williams felt the pressure to be Superman and he tried to do too much. That just continued once the team was out of playoff competition.
However, if that is the case, what will happen if the Chicago Bears struggle? Will he try to do too much or will he quit, like some felt he did once the playoffs were out?
If Williams struggles out of the gate to run Waldron’s offense effectively, and he tries to put on his Superman cape again, that could result in disastrous results. If the defense doesn’t become the elite unit many expect, the 2024 season could be another long, frustrating one for Chicago Bears fans.
For More Great Chicago Sports Content
Follow us on Twitter at @chicitysports23 for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Chicago sports news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE
