Caleb Williams has lofty expectations on his shoulders. Maybe too lofty, as the first-rounder out of the 2024 NFL Draft was expected by many to take the Chicago Bears to the playoffs in year one. Some pundits weren't as cavalier and just predicted a winning season for the Bears, but regardless, both predictions seem far-fetched now. Williams was awful in his first debut and did something no one else has ever done.
Williams becomes the first quarterback to go No. 1 overall in the draft, throw for less than 100 yards in his debut game, and somehow still win. Every other quarterback who had similar numbers to him historically has lost in their first game ever.
It was a start that few expected, considering the aforementioned lofty expectations. He went just 14-29 for 93 yards, with no touchdowns. It was the first time that a rookie quarterback threw that many passes, had such few yards, and still won. which is frankly a miracle.
it's also further proof that finding a guy as good as C.J. Stroud is nearly impossible if you're looking. You just have to get lucky. After all, Stroud didn't go first overall in 2023 when he came out. Bryce Young did, and we'll talk about that decision later. So clearly, Stroud wasn't some no-doubt prospect. Some didn't think very highly of him.
Yet in his rookie debut, he went 28-44 for 242 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions. A much more impressive debut, and one against a much more vaunted defense. Stroud debuted against the Baltimore Ravens, a top-10 defense practically every season it seems. Williams debuted against a significantly less impressive Tennessee Titans team, one that is predicted to be a top-10 team in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.
Had Titans' quarterback Will Levis not have been a turnover machine in that game, the Bears lose.
Now, Williams has every opportunity in the world to bounce back. Unlike some quarterbacks with no real pedigree coming out of college, Williams was a star at USC and played profoundly. There's not a lot of reason to doubt him. He should be able to figure this out sooner rather than later. That is if he's everything the media and insiders have touted him to be.
Otherwise, the Bears are going to look mighty foolish for trading away former starter and current Pittsburgh Steeler Justin Fields. They traded Fields to clear space on the team to play Williams, because of how highly touted he was. Despite Fields being a young player in his own right. So it could be rather hilarious to see what happens next. If Williams doesn't even play as well as Fields, then this move will be panned for decades.