While Caleb Williams is a top-tier quarterback, it seems the Chicago Bears‘ offensive game plan isn’t optimized for his strengths. Following their recent struggles, the rookie has sent a clear message to the coaching staff about their current situation.
Prior to the 2024 NFL Draft, it was no secret what the Bears would do with the 1st overall pick. The NFC North franchise has long lacked a remarkable quarterback, with no signal-caller in team history ever surpassing the 4,000-yard passing mark in a single season.
With the first pick, the Bears selected Caleb Williams, widely regarded by scouts as a generational talent. Expectations were sky-high, but Williams has yet to fully meet them.
Caleb Williams addresses the Bears’ offensive struggles
When Caleb Williams joined the Chicago Bears, hopes were high for a transformative season. However, questions lingered about whether Matt Eberflus’ offensive scheme would suit the rookie quarterback. So far, it appears the system and Williams are not an ideal match.
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The Bears’ history at quarterback remains uninspiring, with no player ever surpassing 4,000 passing yards in a season. Williams aims to break that trend, but as things stand, it may not happen this year.
Shane Waldron served as the Bears’ offensive coordinator until November 12. After his departure, Thomas Brown took over play-calling duties during last Sunday’s game against the Packers, resulting in noticeable offensive improvement.
Despite their loss to Green Bay, the Bears showed promise offensively. Caleb Williams threw for 231 yards and added 70 rushing yards. The team dominated time of possession and converted 9 of 16 third downs—progress Williams has acknowledged and praised.
Quarterback Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears looks on against the Indianapolis Colts during the second half of the game at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 22, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
“I wouldn’t say they simplified,” Williams said, via the team’s website. “We didn’t reinvent the wheel for those three or four days that Thomas became the offensive coordinator and play caller. I think the decisiveness, all of that came from our meetings and how we’re going to do things. It came from being able to get play calls in faster and being able to get up there and not feel like you’re rushed or not feel like you need to hurry up and get the ball snapped. All of these small things—details of routes, details of the blocking, details of the path of running backs and how we’re going to do things—I think that led into all of what happened last week. We didn’t come out with the win, but how we played efficiently and physically, that leads into it.”
Can Caleb Williams reach 4,000 passing yards this season?
With seven games remaining, Caleb Williams still has a chance to break the 4,000-yard barrier, a feat no Bears quarterback has ever achieved.
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Currently, Williams has thrown for 2,016 yards, leaving him 1,984 yards shy of the milestone. To reach it, he would need to average 284 passing yards in each of the seven matches left. While challenging, it remains within reach if the Bears’ offense continues to improve.
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