Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall choice, is the quarterback the Chicago Bears are counting on to lead them into a new era of championship-caliber football in the Windy City.
Considered a generational prospect at the position, Williams joins an offence that boasts a solid receiving corps after D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, and Rome Odunze—all first-round picks—arrived in the last two offseasons. There may not be a more prolific or dynamic group of receivers in the entire league.
Though excitement about Williams’ potential is growing, one league executive believes there is just one thing standing in Williams’ way of bringing the Bears back to the promised land.
An NFC executive informed me recently, under the condition of anonymity so as to talk openly about a player on another club, “Caleb should be really good as a rookie.” When the offensive line falters, he can produce. Will the offensive line hold up in front of him is the biggest question and the only true concern.
It’s clear that general manager Ryan Poles and the Bears don’t care too much about the offensive line because they chose to take Odunze with the ninth overall pick instead of going with Williams and one of the best offensive tackles available in this year’s draft class.
To the executive’s point, however, Braxton Jones of the Bears and Darnell Write of the team are ranked No. 31 and No. 32, respectively, for the upcoming season by Pro Football Focus.
Similarly, according to PFF’s rankings for the 2023 season, the Bears’ offensive line came in 21st place in the league.
As the Bears’ swing tackle in 2024, veteran tackle Matt Pryor should offer some veteran consistency. However, the offensive line may be the one thing that limits the Bears’ potential and the output of Williams and his exciting supporting group.
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