QB Caleb Williams, CHI (1 Viewer)

[rschroeder1]

Under ordinary circumstances, I would agree a player trying to engineer or circumvent the draft process is not really a good look.

Speaking as a Bears fan, given that Matt Eberflus had spent the previous two seasons before the '24 draft proving how spectacularly unqualified he was for a head coaching job, and the utterly visionless hire of Shane Waldron as offensive coordinator, I cannot really blame Caleb Williams or his camp for doubting the viability of the Bears as a landing spot.

The '24 Bears season includes low points that I've honestly never heard of with any other incompetent franchise, so in many ways the concerns were vindicated.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Under ordinary circumstances, I would agree a player trying to engineer or circumvent the draft process is not really a good look.

Speaking as a Bears fan, given that Matt Eberflus had spent the previous two seasons before the '24 draft proving how spectacularly unqualified he was for a head coaching job, and the utterly visionless hire of Shane Waldron as offensive coordinator, I cannot really blame Caleb Williams or his camp for doubting the viability of the Bears as a landing spot.

The '24 Bears season includes low points that I've honestly never heard of with any other incompetent franchise, so in many ways the concerns were vindicated.

I believe both things can be true.

It’s a bad look
And
The Bears were a s**tshow

But it’s no different than I felt about Archie engineering Eli’s diversion to NYG. (Said Payton earlier, my bad)

 

[Faust]

Chase Daniel
Caleb Williams not knowing how to watch film or what to watch is a complete disaster.

Let me tell you EXACTLY how you need to watch film as an NFL QB & it’s exactly what Drew Brees taught me

https://x.com/chasedaniel/status/1923070860597870886?s=61

Eberflus and Waldron left Caleb to watch film on his own with no instruction or guidance?

No wonder they were fired.

 

[Faust]

Brett Kollmann
The real story to me is that Caleb was right.

He and his dad were worried about going to the Bears because they thought Flus and Waldron were bad for his development, and they were immediately proven correct.

https://x.com/brettkollmann/status/1923137183453471089?s=61

 

[InDitkaWeTrust]

Chase Daniel
Caleb Williams not knowing how to watch film or what to watch is a complete disaster.

Let me tell you EXACTLY how you need to watch film as an NFL QB & it’s exactly what Drew Brees taught me

https://x.com/chasedaniel/status/1923070860597870886?s=61

Eberflus and Waldron left Caleb to watch film on his own with no instruction or guidance?

No wonder they were fired.

This doesn't surprise any Bears fans. By midseason, Caleb's body language around Waldron was clear that he wasn't getting the help he needed. What's shocking is that the Bears kept Waldron and Flus for as long as they did. God only knows how much better Fields would have been if we'd have ponied up and hired Dan Quinn.

 

[menobrown]

All I can say is it's a top down organizational failure to have ever hired Waldron and have him be in charge of developing the first overall pick QB. I don't blame Eberflus, even if it's who he wanted. Someone higher up should have stepped in, Poles, Warren, ownership, any and everyone should have understood the most important task at hand was properly seeing to Caleb's development and if Eberflus was in the way of that, if he insisted on Waldron or resisted Kliff, they should have just got rid of him. Guy barely kept his job the previous season, why would anyone give him any control or say on direction of your first overall pick QB?

So if you are Caleb you had every right to worried about the current staff but also to be worried about just the overall decision making of the higher ups even once you got past the current staff. Luckily for him he got Ben Johnson, but certainly understand why he had concerns.

All of this makes me recall the funny tweet from last week, that Chicago produced a Pope before they could produce a 4,000 yard passer. This kind of decision making that ever lead to hiring Waldron in the first place for a job that was just to big for him.

 

[Chaka]

Chase Daniel
Caleb Williams not knowing how to watch film or what to watch is a complete disaster.

Let me tell you EXACTLY how you need to watch film as an NFL QB & it’s exactly what Drew Brees taught me

https://x.com/chasedaniel/status/1923070860597870886?s=61

Eberflus and Waldron left Caleb to watch film on his own with no instruction or guidance?

No wonder they were fired.

And no wonder Caleb didn't want to play there.

I think Bears management figured it out and, hopefully, corrected course properly with the Ben Johnson hiring.

 

[Faust]

Ben Devine
Caleb Williams has switched up his pre-snap stance, to having his left foot forward. Ben Johnson wants to maximize the quick-game, and easy “layup” passes to playmakers. #DaBears

https://x.com/chicago_nfl/status/1923429837307310532?s=61

 

[renesauz]

I remember having the top pick in one draft last year (superflex) and knowing I needed a QB. Went back and forth between Caleb and Daniels several times. My gut kept screaming Daniels, but the consensus was clearly to Williams. I don't follow college that closely, so in the end went with the consensus. obviously huuuuuge regerts there!

Hopefully this new staff can right the ship and get this kid on the right track.

 

[King of the Jungle]

I remember having the top pick in one draft last year (superflex) and knowing I needed a QB. Went back and forth between Caleb and Daniels several times. My gut kept screaming Daniels, but the consensus was clearly to Williams. I don't follow college that closely, so in the end went with the consensus. obviously huuuuuge regerts there!

Hopefully this new staff can right the ship and get this kid on the right track.

One year is too early to make a determination on who will have the better FF career. Caleb has a good cast and an offensive-minded coach, things are as about as good as it gets for a young signal caller. Now it is on him, we will see if he was worth the hype.

 

[massraider]

Now it is on him, we will see if he was worth the hype

Is it?

Doesn't Ben Johnson need to prove he's a decent coach?

 

[King of the Jungle]

Now it is on him, we will see if he was worth the hype

Is it?

Doesn't Ben Johnson need to prove he's a decent coach?

I think he has proved to be a pretty good offensive coordinator, certainly better than what Caleb had last year. They have also surrounded the guy with unlimited options, at some point…yes…it is on Caleb to perform.

 

[InDitkaWeTrust]

Now it is on him, we will see if he was worth the hype

Is it?

Doesn't Ben Johnson need to prove he's a decent coach?

Ben Johnson can't be any worse than Flus/Waldron, so we know what the coaching floor looks like already.

 

[rschroeder1]

Under ordinary circumstances, I would agree a player trying to engineer or circumvent the draft process is not really a good look.

Speaking as a Bears fan, given that Matt Eberflus had spent the previous two seasons before the '24 draft proving how spectacularly unqualified he was for a head coaching job, and the utterly visionless hire of Shane Waldron as offensive coordinator, I cannot really blame Caleb Williams or his camp for doubting the viability of the Bears as a landing spot.

The '24 Bears season includes low points that I've honestly never heard of with any other incompetent franchise, so in many ways the concerns were vindicated.

I believe both things can be true.

It’s a bad look
And
The Bears were a s**tshow

But it’s no different than I felt about Archie engineering Eli’s diversion to NYG. (Said Payton earlier, my bad)

No doubt I'm glad Caleb is a Bear, but if you look back to the '23 season, I can only say his concerns (and that of his dad) were warranted.

Whatever you think about Justin Fields, he cost the Bears 2 first round draft picks to acquire him. That's a lot to invest in one player! In '23, midway through his third season, when Fields was injured against Minnesota, the Eberflus clown show truly came to life. When Tyson Bagent entered the game against Minnesota, suddenly the playbook opened up - for the backup QB! Rollouts, bootlegs, all the play structures fans had been screaming about for Fields, suddenly those plays are installed for the backup QB.

In the ensuing weeks, all the Bears coaching staff could talk about was how excited they were to play their back-up QB, whose last start was against Colorado School of Mines. In the lead-up to the Sunday Night game Week 8 at the LA Chargers, you may recall the gushing pre-game interviews, the coaching staff going on and on about how Justin Fields, their first round pick, had so much to learn from Tyson Bagent (!!!!).

Bagent threw for 232 yards, 0 TD and 2 INT against the Chargers, for a QB rating of 62. The Bears lost 30-13, and it was worse than that as their last TD came in garbage time.

In the same game, Rodney Harrison on the NBC set was launching into Justin Fields for wearing sunglasses on the sidelines, claiming Fields was far more interested in looking "cool" than learning from Tyson Bagent, whatever that is supposed to mean. Fields lives with epilepsy, and he wears special sunglasses to deal with the many bright LED lights in modern NFL stadiums, so that he doesn't suffer a seizure during the game.

In response to this absurdity, Matt Eberflus said nothing. The rest of the Bears coaching staff said nothing.

I've watched so much incompetence as a 39-year-old Bears fan that nothing should really surprise me, but this was perhaps the most mind-blowing example of incompetence I think I've ever seen from an NFL team.

With that in mind...I cannot fault Caleb Williams for hesitating joining a team that looked at all this insanity and said to itself, "Let's run it back for another year with the most important draft pick in franchise history."

 

[icehouse]

I get that view but devil's advocate was he wrong? Bears were a dumpster fire last year.

Yeah, I can see that but it still comes off as very entitled and arrogant & kinda rubs me the wrong way. Maybe I’m a different generation.

I don't think it's either. I see a family trying to exert as much control as they can in a situation. They are coming into a league that clearly has a CBA that highly favors ownership, because players before them couldn't unify and fight for a better one. If it's not entitled and arrogant for owners to exert their control then why do we have that view of players trying to do the same thing? Especially in this case, where the team had been bad at developing QB's, the coaching in place was bad, etc? Looks like they tried to get him to a place that could develop QB's and wanted more $$. That's bad?

If he had the leverage to play another sport like Elway then maybe he could have gotten what he wanted. But I don't view him poorly for trying to put himself in the best situation.

 

[Chaka]

I get that view but devil's advocate was he wrong? Bears were a dumpster fire last year.

Yeah, I can see that but it still comes off as very entitled and arrogant & kinda rubs me the wrong way. Maybe I’m a different generation.

I don't think it's either. I see a family trying to exert as much control as they can in a situation. They are coming into a league that clearly has a CBA that highly favors ownership, because players before them couldn't unify and fight for a better one. If it's not entitled and arrogant for owners to exert their control then why do we have that view of players trying to do the same thing? Especially in this case, where the team had been bad at developing QB's, the coaching in place was bad, etc? Looks like they tried to get him to a place that could develop QB's and wanted more $$. That's bad?

If he had the leverage to play another sport like Elway then maybe he could have gotten what he wanted. But I don't view him poorly for trying to put himself in the best situation.

Amen.

 

[Chaos34]

I remember having the top pick in one draft last year (superflex) and knowing I needed a QB. Went back and forth between Caleb and Daniels several times. My gut kept screaming Daniels, but the consensus was clearly to Williams.

I don't remember it this way. In over 100 best balls my approach was to wait for Daniels to go then take Caleb. He was my 2nd most owned player and rarely did he go before Daniels. Also, in a managed league I consider expert level (a couple fbg staffers and staffers from other sites) , Daniels went to Bloom before Stroud, Love, Goff, Purdy and Rodgers. I took Caleb after that.

Having so much Caleb exposure last year, I watched every down, even entire games on all 22. I'm staying away this year. In the RSP Waldman had high praise for Caleb not scrambling and "fighting to stay in the pocket" so plays could develop despite his horrible OL. Fighting to stay in the pocket caused a ton of sacks last year. There's a difference dodging college pressure and NFL pressure. Consider the Bagent post above. He was rolling and scrambling where Fields was fighting for the pocket. It wasn't just play calling. Sean Payton said something interesting regarding Nix maturity in the pocket. He said he blames most sacks on the quarterback. Nix, Purdy and Daniels get the heck out of there when it breaks down. Caleb fights to stay in there. It doesn't work and it might be in his DNA.

I was wrong about him last year and I might be wrong this year, but I think he could flat out bust and I was big fan of his game at USC.

 

[Mitchie]

I remember having the top pick in one draft last year (superflex) and knowing I needed a QB. Went back and forth between Caleb and Daniels several times. My gut kept screaming Daniels, but the consensus was clearly to Williams.

I don't remember it this way. In over 100 best balls my approach was to wait for Daniels to go then take Caleb. He was my 2nd most owned player and rarely did he go before Daniels. Also, in a managed league I consider expert level (a couple fbg staffers and staffers from other sites) , Daniels went to Bloom before Stroud, Love, Goff, Purdy and Rodgers. I took Caleb after that.

Having so much Caleb exposure last year, I watched every down, even entire games on all 22. I'm staying away this year. In the RSP Waldman had high praise for Caleb not scrambling and "fighting to stay in the pocket" so plays could develop despite his horrible OL. Fighting to stay in the pocket caused a ton of sacks last year. There's a difference dodging college pressure and NFL pressure. Consider the Bagent post above. He was rolling and scrambling where Fields was fighting for the pocket. It wasn't just play calling. Sean Payton said something interesting regarding Nix maturity in the pocket. He said he blames most sacks on the quarterback. Nix, Purdy and Daniels get the heck out of there when it breaks down. Caleb fights to stay in there. It doesn't work and it might be in his DNA.

I was wrong about him last year and I might be wrong this year, but I think he could flat out bust and I was big fan of his game at USC.

He's talking about rookie drafts. Caleb was ahead of Daniels in almost everyone's rankings. Taking Daniels ahead of him would've been pretty ballsy.

 

[renesauz]

I remember having the top pick in one draft last year (superflex) and knowing I needed a QB. Went back and forth between Caleb and Daniels several times. My gut kept screaming Daniels, but the consensus was clearly to Williams.

I don't remember it this way. In over 100 best balls my approach was to wait for Daniels to go then take Caleb. He was my 2nd most owned player and rarely did he go before Daniels. Also, in a managed league I consider expert level (a couple fbg staffers and staffers from other sites) , Daniels went to Bloom before Stroud, Love, Goff, Purdy and Rodgers. I took Caleb after that.

Having so much Caleb exposure last year, I watched every down, even entire games on all 22. I'm staying away this year. In the RSP Waldman had high praise for Caleb not scrambling and "fighting to stay in the pocket" so plays could develop despite his horrible OL. Fighting to stay in the pocket caused a ton of sacks last year. There's a difference dodging college pressure and NFL pressure. Consider the Bagent post above. He was rolling and scrambling where Fields was fighting for the pocket. It wasn't just play calling. Sean Payton said something interesting regarding Nix maturity in the pocket. He said he blames most sacks on the quarterback. Nix, Purdy and Daniels get the heck out of there when it breaks down. Caleb fights to stay in there. It doesn't work and it might be in his DNA.

I was wrong about him last year and I might be wrong this year, but I think he could flat out bust and I was big fan of his game at USC.

He's talking about rookie drafts. Caleb was ahead of Daniels in almost everyone's rankings. Taking Daniels ahead of him would've been pretty ballsy.

Correct. I don't rmember a single dynasty league where Daniels went higher...and several of my leagues are larger multi copy leagues...ALL the Williams copies went ahead of any Daniels copy

 

[pinkstapler]

I get that view but devil's advocate was he wrong? Bears were a dumpster fire last year.

Yeah, I can see that but it still comes off as very entitled and arrogant & kinda rubs me the wrong way. Maybe I’m a different generation.

I don't think it's either. I see a family trying to exert as much control as they can in a situation. They are coming into a league that clearly has a CBA that highly favors ownership, because players before them couldn't unify and fight for a better one. If it's not entitled and arrogant for owners to exert their control then why do we have that view of players trying to do the same thing? Especially in this case, where the team had been bad at developing QB's, the coaching in place was bad, etc? Looks like they tried to get him to a place that could develop QB's and wanted more $$. That's bad?

If he had the leverage to play another sport like Elway then maybe he could have gotten what he wanted. But I don't view him poorly for trying to put himself in the best situation.

Think it speaks to Calebs character that he mostly kept it all in house too. This wasn't a Deion/Shedeur approach of playing it out in the national media. Other than a one off blurb or two with 0 sources to accredit anything to; nothing concrete from Caleb or his father causing waves or trying to embarrass any organizations pre-draft. Also, reading between the lines, it seemed Caleb was able to keep some of his father's crazy in check (including the horrid idea of playing in the UFL for a year).

 

[Faust]

Caleb Williams addresses book excerpt, says he loves being a Bear

 

[Faust]

Clay Harbor
Caleb Williams had a very nice practice. Hit some big throws and we got to see his legs in move the ball period scrambling for some 1st downs. Nice growth from day 1 to 2. #DaBears #Bears

https://x.com/clayharbs82/status/1930342680044671104?s=61

 

[Faust]

Why film study is key for Bears QB Caleb Williams

 

[jm192]

I'm very bullish. I've got him ranked as my QB9. I think he's got top 5 upside.

I missed it during the season, but he had 489 rushing yards. Even with that many rushing yards, he had 0 TD's. Surely we should see a few more this coming season.

Goff has been a QB1 the past few seasons, and I definitely believe Ben Johnson has helped with that. Caleb certainly has the weapons to succeed as well.

 

[FarFromHome]

First time dipping my toe in this thread so I don't know the overall temperature of him. I see a top 10 finish. I see him taking a big step. We are about to see what a good offensive coach means for a young QB. Imo

 

[Chaka]

First time dipping my toe in this thread so I don't know the overall temperature of him. I see a top 10 finish. I see him taking a big step. We are about to see what a good offensive coach means for a young QB. Imo

Yeah. I think with Ben Johnson as the HC the temperature around him is going to continue to rise throughout the off-season and, by the time the Labor Day drafters, like me, get an opportunity he's going to be over drafted.

 

[FarFromHome]

First time dipping my toe in this thread so I don't know the overall temperature of him. I see a top 10 finish. I see him taking a big step. We are about to see what a good offensive coach means for a young QB. Imo

Yeah. I think with Ben Johnson as the HC the temperature around him is going to continue to rise throughout the off-season and, by the time the Labor Day drafters, like me, get an opportunity he's going to be over drafted.

Yep. I was actually surprised to see fantasypros has him at #12. Once the off-season buzz of his new diet and how he is clicking with Ben he will be drafted in the top ten.

 

[RGIII will lead the way]

I took him 2.05. 9th QB off the board in a startup SF dynasty league about 3 weeks ago.

 

[InDitkaWeTrust]

I'm very bullish. I've got him ranked as my QB9. I think he's got top 5 upside.

I missed it during the season, but he had 489 rushing yards. Even with that many rushing yards, he had 0 TD's. Surely we should see a few more this coming season.

Goff has been a QB1 the past few seasons, and I definitely believe Ben Johnson has helped with that. Caleb certainly has the weapons to succeed as well.

As a Bears fan, I don't remember seeing any planned goal line runs for Caleb. Just another reason Waldron was terrible. He'd rather have a backup OL run at the 1 than his fleet footed QB.

 

[Big Nate]

First time dipping my toe in this thread so I don't know the overall temperature of him. I see a top 10 finish. I see him taking a big step. We are about to see what a good offensive coach means for a young QB. Imo

I'm with you on this. For once he has a good coach but there is A LOT of work to do on this offense. It will be a learning curve for all of them, There is a lot of nuance and layers to the DET offense that will take time to run effectively and efficiently in CHI. Caleb has to take a step forward but so do the rest of the players. Can't have DJM sitting by himself on the sidelines not wanting to go in, or not running routes during a play and jogging off the field like nothing happened.

The potential is through the roof for this offense but they have a lot to work on. I think they can be successful but it will take a lot of work.

 

[massraider]

I'm the only guy who wonders how smart Ben Johnson is without ARSB. LaPorta, Gibbs, and Jameson?

 

[Joe Bryant]

I'm the only guy who wonders how smart Ben Johnson is without ARSB. LaPorta, Gibbs, and Jameson?

Nope.

 

[IHEARTFF]

I'm the only guy who wonders how smart Ben Johnson is without ARSB. LaPorta, Gibbs, and Jameson?

Nope.

You guys don't think DJ Moore, Odunze, Loveland, Burden is a mega-talented group of pass catchers?

 

[King of the Jungle]

I'm the only guy who wonders how smart Ben Johnson is without ARSB. LaPorta, Gibbs, and Jameson?

Nope.

You guys don't think DJ Moore, Odunze, Loveland, Burden is a mega-talented group of pass catchers?

I think one thing that may get overlooked is all of those Lions were hand picked and Ben had a relationship with them from the get-go. The Lion’s offense didn’t boom overnight either. Mashing a new unit of players and expecting them to be a perfect match to your system which is new to them takes some time, especially with a second year quarterback who is still trying to find his way. I do not think anyone doubts the talent potential there, but will players buy-in and will the young quarterback acclimate to the new system in place remain to be seen.

 

[darksideofoz]

The Bears still suck.

This endures and is also a fun polka song to tailgate party to at Lambeau.

ETA: I do have Caleb in one of my keeper leagues, and I'm probably going to keep him and try to get rid of Jordan Love.

 

[massraider]

You guys don't think DJ Moore, Odunze, Loveland, Burden is a mega-talented group of pass catchers?

I like every name on this list, but only one is a proven good player.

Johnsons resume is really really thin.

 

[IHEARTFF]

You guys don't think DJ Moore, Odunze, Loveland, Burden is a mega-talented group of pass catchers?

I like every name on this list, but only one is a proven good player.

Johnsons resume is really really thin.

Proven, agreed. We'll see how it goes. I'm optimistic.

 

[Big Nate]

I'm the only guy who wonders how smart Ben Johnson is without ARSB. LaPorta, Gibbs, and Jameson?

Nope.

You guys don't think DJ Moore, Odunze, Loveland, Burden is a mega-talented group of pass catchers?

Both are valid points - Johnson had exceptional talent to work with.

I think that is why they drafted Burden and Loveland to help get them there. Are they at that point now? No but I think that is the direction the are heading. Time for Odunze to step up and for DJM to stop pouting and buy-in to the new coaching staff. Probably much easier to do now that the failures of the past are gone.

 

[Big Nate]

You guys don't think DJ Moore, Odunze, Loveland, Burden is a mega-talented group of pass catchers?

I like every name on this list, but only one is a proven good player.

Johnsons resume is really really thin.

That last statement isn't quite true. Johnson does have to prove he can do it with a new team but this team isn't set up quite like DET "yet". Can they get there? We will see but it might take some time. Johnson no question helped build that offense to what it is today - it was very successful - but it did take a few years to develop and get there.

I think that last statement leaves what Johnson did a bit thin...

 

[Chaka]

I'm the only guy who wonders how smart Ben Johnson is without ARSB. LaPorta, Gibbs, and Jameson?

In his first season as OC he put together the #5 scoring & #4 yardage offense with only one of those guys.

 

[massraider]

In his first season as OC he put together the #5 scoring & #4 yardage offense with only one of those guys.

Does that mean you have no doubts?

A lot of coaches have looked good with one team.

I have no reason to think he will fail. He was the OC in DET when they were good for a few years. That is the end of his coaching resume. I think he is more of an uknown quantity.

 

[InDitkaWeTrust]

In his first season as OC he put together the #5 scoring & #4 yardage offense with only one of those guys.

Does that mean you have no doubts?

A lot of coaches have looked good with one team.

I have no reason to think he will fail. He was the OC in DET when they were good for a few years. That is the end of his coaching resume. I think he is more of an uknown quantity.

On the offensive side of the ball, I disagree. I think he's very much a known quantity there. Will he be a good HC with all the admin duties and all the other trappings of being the HC? Who knows. I think most coordinators/assistants have limited understanding of that role until they are put in that position and it is an extremely demanding role. I think Johnson (and the Bears front office) has put himself in a position to succeed with a good mix of coaches surrounding him. There's a lot of experience on staff as well as some youthful exuberance.

 

[Chaka]

In his first season as OC he put together the #5 scoring & #4 yardage offense with only one of those guys.

Does that mean you have no doubts?

A lot of coaches have looked good with one team.

I have no reason to think he will fail. He was the OC in DET when they were good for a few years. That is the end of his coaching resume. I think he is more of an uknown quantity.

There are very few coaches that I don't have some doubts about. I have plenty of doubts about Detroit without Johnson. He didn't just happen to be good when he was there, they were objectively bad before he took over as the OC and they were pretty much top 5 in scoring, yardage, rushing and passing.

This is Johnson's 14th season coaching in the NFL, his trajectory is pretty standard and his resume is stronger than a lot of other coaching hires.

I absolutely have doubts about Chicago but they are centered around the quality of the offensive line this season.

 

[Bronco Billy]

Williams has a very real problem that limits his potential in the NFL, and it’s one Johnson can’t fix. His processing speed is terrible. It is a flaw that was readily apparent in college and the speed and ability of NFL Ds really exposes it. I’m skeptical of how effective he’ll be throughout his career because of it.

 

[Chreesto]

Williams has a very real problem that limits his potential in the NFL, and it’s one Johnson can’t fix. His processing speed is terrible. It is a flaw that was readily apparent in college and the speed and ability of NFL Ds really exposes it. I’m skeptical of how effective he’ll be throughout his career because of it.

Now that is interesting. I didn't see that last year, although at times he felt like he was overthinking, constrained by the system, and moving on from reads that were actually open. If what you are saying is true, then I don't think there is much that can be done. I am curious why you think that, though, because prominent analysts have made the opposite point. On a podcast last month Nate Tice said he though Caleb could be an elite processor. My knowledge on the subject is that of a layman; I definitely thought I could see limitations in Justin Field's processing that I don't see in Caleb's, but I could certainly be wrong.

 

[Big Nate]

Williams has a very real problem that limits his potential in the NFL, and it’s one Johnson can’t fix. His processing speed is terrible. It is a flaw that was readily apparent in college and the speed and ability of NFL Ds really exposes it. I’m skeptical of how effective he’ll be throughout his career because of it.

Now that is interesting. I didn't see that last year, although at times he felt like he was overthinking, constrained by the system, and moving on from reads that were actually open. If what you are saying is true, then I don't think there is much that can be done. I am curious why you think that, though, because prominent analysts have made the opposite point. On a podcast last month Nate Tice said he though Caleb could be an elite processor. My knowledge on the subject is that of a layman; I definitely thought I could see limitations in Justin Field's processing that I don't see in Caleb's, but I could certainly be wrong.

I listened to a podcast where they were saying the CHI offense last year did not have set drop backs for the plays they were running. It made the timing all messed up for the receivers.

Johnson's offense will be night and day better.

 

[Bronco Billy]

Williams has a very real problem that limits his potential in the NFL, and it’s one Johnson can’t fix. His processing speed is terrible. It is a flaw that was readily apparent in college and the speed and ability of NFL Ds really exposes it. I’m skeptical of how effective he’ll be throughout his career because of it.

Now that is interesting. I didn't see that last year, although at times he felt like he was overthinking, constrained by the system, and moving on from reads that were actually open. If what you are saying is true, then I don't think there is much that can be done. I am curious why you think that, though, because prominent analysts have made the opposite point. On a podcast last month Nate Tice said he though Caleb could be an elite processor. My knowledge on the subject is that of a layman; I definitely thought I could see limitations in Justin Field's processing that I don't see in Caleb's, but I could certainly be wrong.

When I watch him, I see a guy who needs to see his guy open before he throws the ball. That’s a processing issue and explains why it take so long for him to get the ball out. The quick processing QBs are throwing the ball before their receiver is open. They see the coverage, they see their receiver’s leverage, and the image of where the receiver will be and the advantage they will have triggers a fire response in their head and they throw to that spot. It’s a pretty sophisticated process that is part football IQ, part imagination (envisioning what is going to happen before it happens), part confidence and part quick reaction timing. QBs who have this skill will put the ball in the air before their receiver cuts or turns their head.

QBs who are late processors wait until the receiver gets to where they are supposed to be before they throw and that allows D players to read the receiver’s action, look at the QB’s eyes, and engage their recovery speed. The ball is always coming out late. That’s what I see when I watch Williams and it’s been a problem going back years.

 

[General Malaise]

Williams has a very real problem that limits his potential in the NFL, and it’s one Johnson can’t fix. His processing speed is terrible. It is a flaw that was readily apparent in college and the speed and ability of NFL Ds really exposes it. I’m skeptical of how effective he’ll be throughout his career because of it.

Now that is interesting. I didn't see that last year, although at times he felt like he was overthinking, constrained by the system, and moving on from reads that were actually open. If what you are saying is true, then I don't think there is much that can be done. I am curious why you think that, though, because prominent analysts have made the opposite point. On a podcast last month Nate Tice said he though Caleb could be an elite processor. My knowledge on the subject is that of a layman; I definitely thought I could see limitations in Justin Field's processing that I don't see in Caleb's, but I could certainly be wrong.

When I watch him, I see a guy who needs to see his guy open before he throws the ball. That’s a processing issue and explains why it take so long for him to get the ball out. The quick processing QBs are throwing the ball before their receiver is open. They see the coverage, they see their receiver’s leverage, and the image of where the receiver will be and the advantage they will have triggers a fire response in their head and they throw to that spot. It’s a pretty sophisticated process that is part football IQ, part imagination (envisioning what is going to happen before it happens), part confidence and part quick reaction timing. QBs who have this skill will put the ball in the air before their receiver cuts or turns their head.

QBs who are late processors wait until the receiver gets to where they are supposed to be before they throw and that allows D players to read the receiver’s action, look at the QB’s eyes, and engage their recovery speed. The ball is always coming out late. That’s what I see when I watch Williams and it’s been a problem going back years.

I don't know that it goes back years. Here's a couple of clips from Albert Breer and Joe Klatt talking about Caleb before the draft. I don't hear them criticizing his processing pre-draft and I don't recall that being the knock on him in the Pac12 (which I watched a lot of before it died).

Kurt Warner also very complimentary of Caleb's ability to process and read, comparing him to Mahomes.

There were a few games where Williams looked great - just look at his game log, it had some real gems. It had some real stinkers, but it also had some glimpses into why he was taken #1. What hurts him the most (IMO) is that the guy taken behind him looks like a future HOF QB and looked that way the second he took his first NFL snap. So there's going to be a lot of looking around at what they COULD HAVE HAD if the Bears went with Daniels. But absent that, you know what Caleb's year looked like? A rookie QB trying to find footing in the NFL. Some good, some horrible, some WTF. But they fired his coaches (the ones who didn't prepare him at all) and didn't give him a ton of help in the run game or the blocking.

We'll see; I'm bullish on the kid's future. He was HIM in college in 2023 (and broke hearts leaving OU in 2022). He struggled his final year (as did the entire Trojan team) and had an uneven rookie year. Not ready to write the book on him quite yet.

 

[massraider]

My knowledge on the subject is that of a layman

Don't sweat it. The experts on processing speeds are splitting time between astrology and chiropractor school.

Not an exact science, if you know what I am saying.

Signed, Mac Jones and Bryce Young, two first-ballot Processing Speed Hall of Famers.

 

[Gally]

I see a guy who needs to see his guy open before he throws the ball.

If you are talking about last year I believe this could be a by-product of them drilling into to not turn the ball over. I think he held up on risky throws to avoid interceptions and it was another reason why he wasn't up to par. Being too careful is almost as bad as being too reckless. I am not sure what can be taken from last year with the coaching staff he dealt with at the beginning.