Nfl Talent Evaluators Debate What’s True About Caleb Williams’s Progress

In nan past 20 years, nan Bears person started 21 quarterbacks, which, each by itself, is telling. Look deeper, though. That database includes a Super Bowl victor (Nick Foles), a 38-year-old profession backup who sewage 1 crippled (Todd Collins), nan 2nd prime successful an NFL draught (Mitch Trubisky) and a gunslinger often photographed by paparazzi (Jay Cutler). Only 5 of those signal-callers surpassed 4,000 passing yards while playing for Chicago, and that list—Kyle Orton, Rex Grossman, Justin Fields, Trubisky and Cutler—isn’t laden pinch elite players. Cutler mightiness beryllium nan only one. He mightiness not moreover qualify, depending connected nan information modular of “elite.”

Somebody should tie those names connected a Da Bears fan’s T-shirt. They’re approaching Browns backmost territory.

So, where does existent backmost Caleb Williams fresh among them? On that list, successful narration to a mini sample size, erstwhile incorporating his immense imaginable and caller caput coach. Where does he fresh successful nan NFL backmost tiers, period?

The answer, astatine its astir basic, is nary answer. It changes each week. That’s because his progress—and Williams has made progress—is champion described arsenic uneven and slower than anticipated. Sports Illustrated said pinch 4 group who measure NFL talent and 2 folks successful Williams’s unchangeable of confidants. As mightiness beryllium expected, nan takes were mostly accordant but divided successful half, pinch nan camps divided betwixt believers and those starting to uncertainty Williams arsenic a imaginable superstar NFL quarterback.

One pro unit evaluator for an NFC team, erstwhile asked to laic retired immoderate circumstantial takeaways gleaned from Williams’s capacity successful a Week 7 triumph complete New Orleans, tapped backmost complete matter message: The Bears person a awesome defense.

Ouch! At slightest Chicago improved to 4–2 nether caller caput coach (and violative wizard) Ben Johnson pinch that victory. An perfect matchup followed past Sunday against Baltimore, its extent decimated by injuries. The Ravens’ defense entered that title classed 28th against nan pass, 26th against nan tally and 30th overall, pinch debased unit and sack rates (28th and 31st, respectively).

Williams made his 24th profession start. He had a brace of elite wideouts successful DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, an above-average moving backmost successful D’Andre Swift, and a below-average violative statement that has struggled consistently passim this 2025 season. He was besides missing a near tackle (Braxton Jones), an above-average tight extremity (Cole Kmet) and a backup moving backmost (Roschon Johnson). But Williams’s trajectory pointed upward, astatine least.

Why, then, was this 4–2 grounds billed arsenic shaky, unsustainable, a … mirage? Well, Chicago started past play pinch nan very aforesaid record. The Bears mislaid 10 consecutive games, from their seventh crippled onward. And Williams’s improvements truthful acold this play were not what astir expected from nan apical NFL draught prime pinch limb talent truthful evident that moreover casual shot fans could spot it leaping from their tv screens.

Week 8 only added to nan clamor successful Chicago, and this obscured immoderate reasonable discussions astir Williams’s development, his rapport pinch Johnson aliases really he mightiness task successful this and early seasons. Week 8 ensured logic would beryllium buried. And location were reasons for that, reasons that made sense. The champion backmost successful this crippled Sunday was Tyler “Snoop” Huntley, a coagulated backup who has started only 15 NFL games, including this past one. The Bears had won 4 straight. They did not hit nan Ravens, and did not travel particularly adjacent to winning, moreover pinch Lamar Jackson watching from nan sideline.

When it ended—in portion because of how it ended—Chicago’s streak was over, Williams and Johnson were successful a nationalist disagreement complete a circumstantial (and back-breaking) fourth-quarter play, and this was 1 header from 1 online outlet: “Caleb Williams Is Truly Awful And It Now Appears Ben Johnson Knows It.”

The much meticulous comparison of Williams should halfway connected quarterbacks specified arsenic Jared Goff, Josh Allen, Sam Darnold aliases Geno Smith. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Should anyone determine to comparison Williams to that database of Bears starters from nan past 20 years, they should understand what 2 of nan evaluators who said to SI and some of those successful his campy said, independently and consistently. There’s not overmuch to extrapolate yet, which is partially because nan Johnson-Williams research successful violative shot is only 8 games old—and partially because nan support life for elite aliases moreover starting-caliber quarterbacks has been longer successful caller seasons, pinch paths erstwhile considered disastrous abruptly being resumed.

For those optimistic Chicago sports fans, the much meticulous comparisons should halfway connected Jared Goff, Josh Allen, Sam Darnold aliases Geno Smith. Each was slapped pinch nan dreaded “bust” label. And each became thing more, though to varying degrees—Goff and Allen, now perennial MVP candidates; Darnold, playing for illustration 1 successful his first play pinch nan Seahawks; Smith, struggling successful Las Vegas but aft demonstrating his starter bona fides for years.

That those concerned pinch Williams’s expertise scope for “bust” before those comparisons says much astir our media scenery than it does astir his on-field play. Which doesn’t invalidate nan evident concerns—he holds nan shot excessively long, often runs excessively soon and is excessively inaccurate compared to quarterbacks who triumph consistently successful nan NFL.

Those who narrowly specify Williams arsenic nary much than his flaws spot nary much than that successful his future. And yet, arsenic 1 scout successful Chicago’s section told SI, “You can’t disregard his limb talent, which is exceptional.” Williams, this scout added, was taught to clasp this very trait astatine each level of shot earlier this one. And, erstwhile nan Bears drafted him successful 2024, nan business he entered wasn’t perfect for his development. It wasn’t satisfactory, even.

Johnson was expected to hole that, to elevate Williams into different Goff, whom Johnson coached successful Detroit to awesome acclaim for both. But Williams isn’t a veteran, for illustration Goff, erstwhile nan Rams traded him to nan Lions successful 2021. To judge nan process pinch Goff could beryllium replicated pinch Williams successful not moreover half a season, fto unsocial beryllium completed by Week 8, is to judge successful fiction.

One personification who knows Williams good points to nan “little signs” of progress: much buy-in, much check-downs taken, improved diagnosing of defenses, and, for individual plays aliases drives but not consistently, glimpses of nan greatness agelong expected from him. Now, this personification says, nan backmost pinch elite talent is joined to an elite coach.

“You can’t disregard his limb talent, which is exceptional.”

For better, for illustration each marriages, and for worse. “It’s not going to hap overnight,” this personification says. “Just because you overgarment your fingernails reddish doesn’t mean you don’t person drive, tenacity, productivity and f---ing talent—or that you don’t want to beryllium great. The bottommost statement is: The difference-maker is awesome coaching.”

Speaking specifically of Johnson’s tenure pinch Goff successful Detroit, this personification adds, “What drove [him] to win pinch Goff was to beryllium group wrong, erstwhile nary 1 [else] believed. And it’s nary different than what’s driving him now.”

This illustration speaks to nan broader, shifting world of nan incubation process for prized quarterbacks. Williams is already portion of immoderate trends, for illustration nan accent connected opening improvement astatine earlier ages. He played for different colleges. And he played good capable to earn a longer runway, which, successful astir places, is baked into that benignant of lofty draught status, which applies to Allen (seventh, 2018), Darnold (third, 2018) and Goff (first, 2016), especially. They’re blessed and cursed for being selected that high, blessed pinch clip to beryllium their value. Cursed pinch inevitably menacing nationalist guidance borne from increasing arsenic players connected world stages.

The captious element, this personification says, is little analyzable than astir believe. “Do they stay unfastened to coaching?” If so, past nan blasted formed their measurement tin shift, because they’ve proven they’ve near “cesspools.” And because their improvement often started earlier and was enacted successful greater depth, pinch precision and method prioritized, galore “busts” request different situations and different coaches successful which they can thrive.

Is that Williams? Nobody tin reply that yet. Not pinch a consecutive face. But to affix immoderate antagonistic explanation to him aft 24 full games—and only 8 nether Johnson’s tutelage—would beryllium arsenic foolish.

Williams takes longer, connected average, to propulsion a pass, than immoderate different starting backmost successful pro football—his average, per Pro Football Focus: 3.23 seconds. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

What’s true about Williams and nan offense

All things tin beryllium true—more than one, astatine least.

True: Entering Week 8, Johnson emphasized reddish area scoring and fundamentals arsenic areas successful which nan Bears needed to improve.

Also true: Against nan Ravens, Chicago scored connected 1 of its 3 reddish area opportunities and amassed 11 penalties for 79 yards.

True: Williams cannot beryllium considered, rationally, arsenic thing adjacent a “bust.” Not yet.

Also true: In immoderate games this season, Williams has already shown glimpses of nan early that each progressive judge is possible. In Week 2, astatine Detroit, amid a 52–21 face-stomp by nan Lions, Williams made difficult throws and intolerable throws without deviating overmuch from Johnson’s crippled plan. He deployed his athleticism successful nan correct spots. Johnson, speaking to reporters afterward, noted “a number of plays” wherever Williams’s eyes were positioned incorrectly aliases he held onto nan shot excessively long. Johnson besides said, “I did spot important growth.”

True, amid important growth, Williams takes longer, connected average, to propulsion a pass, than immoderate different starter successful pro football—his average, per Pro Football Focus: 3.23 seconds.

Week 8 brought much of nan same, competing truths acquainted to anyone who develops shot players. They’re basal for that very development, and they’re besides ne'er guaranteed.

True: The Bears drove down nan section against that banged-up, putrid Ravens defense connected some of Chicago’s first 2 drives, netting six points mixed from some drives down nan field.

True: The discourtesy mounted different thrust conscionable earlier nan half, starring to a missed section goal.

Also true, II: Part of really Chicago reached nan outer-end of its section extremity scope was Williams’s nifty 22-yard scramble up nan field.

Also true, III: An intentional grounding telephone against him—one of 2 from Sunday—cost nan Bears 10 yards, 1 down and forced Johnson to usage his last first-half timeout (to debar nan 10-second runoff). This meant a 58-yard attempt, alternatively than a 48-yard 1 that could person been closer, if not for this circumstantial penalty.

True: Despite those promising drives stalling precisely wherever nan Bears coach said his squad needs to stall acold little often, Williams fashioned Chicago’s champion thrust of nan time precocious successful nan 3rd quarter. Swift was running. Odunze was wiggling up nan correct sideline. Swift’s touchdown trim Baltimore’s lead to 16–13, despite everything else.

Also true: The Bears’ adjacent possession began pinch a mendacious commencement and a stuffed tally play. There’s gotta beryllium a metaphor successful there. Williams followed that series by forcing a walk into coverage, which cornerback Nate Wiggins undercut and snagged.

Which is wherever Week 8 for Chicago grew much complicated. In nan aftermath, Williams described his publication arsenic good—favorite target this year, Odunze; nan propulsion itself was not acold capable successful beforehand of nan wideout. Johnson, describing nan aforesaid sequence, wondered aloud whether a deeper tally done Williams’s progression would person netted a amended action for that throw.

True: Quarterbacks and those who telephone plays for offenses disagree astir circumstantial throws each complete nan convention each azygous week.

Also true: Many coaches who spot existent advancement wouldn’t blast a second-year backmost for illustration that publicly, adjacent aliases not.

One Williams confidant connected nan backmost and coach Ben Johnson: “This is group trying to not return accountability and blasted [him]. You person to wed nan correct coach pinch nan correct subordinate [for the] magic to happen.” / David Banks-Imagn Images

This Sunday, nan Bears will recreation to Cincinnati to look nan Joe Flacco–led Bengals. The truth that immoderate folks are already considering if Williams tin flourish down nan road, distant from Chicago, does not speak highly of his advancement frankincense far. Nor does nan only grant Williams has won recently—GQ’s Most Stylish Football Player of 2025 successful a fan-voted title connected GQ’s Instagram page. Nor does what Drake Maye is doing successful New England aliases what Jayden Daniels has done successful Washington. Nor does this, from Johnson, aft nan Ravens debacle: “I really put it connected nan leaders location successful that locker room to get this vessel going nan correct direction.”

One Williams confidant sees 2 realities. Neither is precisely bountiful, astatine present, but nan quality is immense. “This is group trying to not return accountability and blasted [him]. You person to wed nan correct coach pinch nan correct subordinate [for the] magic to happen.”

This confidant assesses nan calculus, he hopes, for amended days ahead. “Ben whitethorn beryllium flexing connected group and that s---, but he’s gonna fig retired really to get that kid playing astatine a precocious level. And they’ll beryllium nan past ones laughing.”

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