By Chicago Bears standards, Caleb Williams had a phenomenal rookie season as the team’s starting quarterback. The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner threw for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
Williams did so in a season where he worked with three offensive coordinators and two head coaches. The Bears hope new head coach Ben Johnson will better develop Williams into what general manager Ryan Poles envisioned when he selected the USC standout with the first pick.
The Chicago Bears would have taken Jayden Daniels?
ESPN‘s Courtney Cronin suggested an optimistic scenario where Johnson might not be in Chicago if the Bears had selected Jayden Daniels instead. In a 2024 redraft, Cronin argued the Bears should have selected Daniels over Williams because of his success in making the NFC Championship Game.
“This was a tough one because the Bears love Williams, and if Daniels played with the Bears’ struggling offensive line and interim coaching staff, this pick might be reversed,” Cronin wrote. “But Daniels took a four-win team to the NFC Championship Game, turning in one of the best seasons ever by a rookie quarterback. He finished fourth in Total QBR (70.5); Williams ranked 28th (46.8)”
Caleb Williams going No. 2 to the Washington Commanders
John Keim thinks Williams would have been the top quarterback on the board for the Washington Commanders with Daniels gone, barely beating out Drake Maye.
“Before the draft, Washington had Daniels as its No. 1 quarterback and toggled between Williams and J.J. McCarthy as its No. 2 rated passer,” Keim wrote. “But it’s hard to pass on Williams. While Daniels’ self-driven ways are key to his success, the Commanders created a strong infrastructure for a rookie quarterback, which would give Williams a better chance to thrive with his former USC assistant coach Kliff Kingsbury as his NFL coordinator.”
Fortunately for Williams, his rookie season will not define his long-term legacy in the league. CJ Stroud appeared light-years better than Bryce Young after 2023. However, the gap between Stroud and Young is much smaller after January.
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