The first three selections in last year’s draft were all quarterbacks. USC’s Caleb Williams, LSU’s Jayden Daniels, and North Carolina’s Drake Maye went to the Bears, Commanders, and Patriots, respectively. Williams was seemingly under the microscope on a weekly basis. He started all 17 games, and Chicago was unable to escape the NFC North basement.
The 2022 Heisman winner hit on 62.5 percent of his throws for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He was sacked a league-high 68 times, fumbled 10 times, and lost five of those drops. He ran for 489 yards, but did not reach the end zone.
Jayden Daniels won’t be resting on his laurels
While Williams endured a trying debut campaign, the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner was nothing short of sensational. Daniels completed 69.0 of his passes for 3,568 yards and 25 scores. He also ran for 891 yards and six touchdowns. He committed just nine turnovers in 17 regular-season contests (all interceptions), and he helped the Washington Commanders rebound from a 4-13 showing and last-place finish in the NFC East in '23 to 12-5, a playoff berth, and eventually an appearance in the NFC Championship Game.
The 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year appeared on a recent edition of the Gruden Goes Long podcast. He talked to Super Bowl champion head coach Jon Gruden about his approach to the upcoming campaign. It was sound advice from the 24-year-old performer, and it could apply to any player in any sport.
“You’re always trying to find little ways to get better,” said Daniels. “For me, it’s like, ‘Last year was last year, that’s great.’ But it’s a whole new year now. I still got to go out there, I’ve gotta prove myself to my teammates, the organization, each and every day that I’m getting better.
“When it’s time to prepare and when those games come, I’ve got to know that, ‘Hey, how can I eliminate some tendencies?’ Stuff like that, because that’s the big thing. Coaches are always trying to find tendencies of what this player is going to do so they can anticipate and hopefully get you in that situation.”
One thing that stood out about Daniels is that in 20 overall contests, he did not lose a fumble. He put the ball on the ground only five times (3 of those in a Week 1 loss at Tampa). In those 20 games, he threw a total of 30 TD passes and was picked off only 10 times—including an interception in the NFC title game loss to Philadelphia.
This offseason, Chicago hired a new head coach in former Lions’ offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. There’s also a new-look offensive line in the Windy City. Perhaps Williams and the Bears can do what Daniels and the Commanders did in 2024 this upcoming season.