Caleb Williams Officially Goes #1 To Bears. Here’s How It Makes NFL History
Everybody knew it was coming. The only thing left was to appease the television cameras. After a long wait, the Chicago Bears finally brought it home. USC quarterback Caleb Williams became the #1 overall pick in the draft, fulfilling a plan by GM Ryan Poles that began a year ago when he traded that same pick to the Carolina Panthers. That package yielded D.J. Moore, Darnell Wright, Tyrique Stevenson, and now the most coveted quarterback prospect many claim to have seen in years. It is hard not to get excited about that.
What makes this moment even bigger is the amount of history it makes. The Bears become the 19th team in NFL history to select a quarterback #1 overall. This also marks the first time since 1947 that the organization has selected any player at that spot. The only two times they’ve done it were both running backs. That should tell you how long it’s been. The last time they did was in an era where it was acceptable to take running backs that high. Maybe this is finally the moment when the Bears enter the modern age.
Caleb Williams is about to battle an ugly history.
The Bears have by far the worst quarterback legacy of any franchise. They’ve had dozens of starters just in the past 30 years. Every 1st round pick they’ve made in the Super Bowl era encountered some form of disappointment. Jim McMahon couldn’t stay healthy. Jim Harbaugh was decent but got exposed in the playoffs. Cade McNown was a massive flop. Rex Grossman suffered injury problems and was never a high-end talent. Mitch Trubisky was inexperienced. Justin Fields lacked the processing ability. It was always one thing or another.
This might be the best situation the Bears have put together for any quarterback they’ve drafted. Caleb Williams will have D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen as wide receivers and Cole Kmet at tight end. The offensive line returns four of five starters. Matt Eberflus runs a talented and effective defense. New offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has proven experience and a good track record with quarterbacks of Williams’ play style. Nobody can say the Bears have neglected the infrastructure necessary to help him thrive.
Now the fun begins.