Caleb Williams’ early NFL performance has the Patrick Mahomes comparisons rolling in, but the No. 1 pick and Chicago Bears rookie quarterback has his own thoughts on that.
Williams, a former USC star, showed off his mobility and arm as he went 6–13 for 75 yards plus a seven-yard rushing touchdown at Soldier Field. He impressed the crowd of 59,829 with a 45-yard pass to wide receiver Rome Odunze and another deep ball that drew a penalty against the Bengals.
“We’re going to be explosive,” Williams said of himself and Odunze in the postgame press conference. “We’re two rooks, but we’re trying to catch up to the old guys as fast as we can to make sure that we’re right there on par with them to be able to be efficient, function, go out there and be explosive, be on the same page and win games. That’s ultimately what we’re here to do.”
Chicago drafted Odunze with the No. 9 pick in the NFL Draft out of Washington where he had a stellar career of 214 receptions for 3,272 yards and 24 touchdowns. Williams wowed scouts all the more at USC amid 10,082 yards passing and 93 touchdowns plus another 966 yards rushing and 27 touchdowns.
Williams’s skill sets have translated to the NFL thus far in the small sample size of preseason action with his athleticism and big plays. He has room for improvement though amid his 50 percent completion rate and 8.5 yards per completion average in 43 snaps thus far.
“I’ve been trying to get a little bit better with balancing that and taking what they give me, taking what the defense gives me, whether it’s a run for yardage or quick pass in front of me,” Williams said. “It’s always a constant battle to do things like that. You just continue to get better at those situations.”
Bears head coach Matt Eberflus likewise acknowledged areas for growth. Eberflus has the responsibility of developing Williams after the Bears moved on from former first-round pick Justin Fields when the No. 1 pick landed in their lap from a prior trade with the Carolina Panthers.
“I thought [Williams’s] flow of the game was really nice. I thought his disposition, when he had a little adversity on the sideline, was excellent. Him working with the players, body demeanor never changed. He was always there working through the next one.”
Unlike Mahomes, Williams is poised to start as a rookie. Mahomes sat for a year behind Alex Smith with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2017 before the three-time Super Bowl champion’s career took off.
Similar to Mahomes, Williams has a dynamic young receiver in Odunze to help him thrive, much like Mahomes had in Hill for the start. Hill played for the Chiefs during Mahomes’s first four seasons as a starter before joining the Miami Dolphins.
“Having a guy like that that was drafted with me, we’re only going to keep growing and keep building this connection,” Williams said of Odunze.
