Caleb Williams stat could give Bears fans flashbacks of Justin Fields

The 2024 NFL Draft began with the Chicago Bears on the clock, but it was more of a formality than anything else. It was clear exactly which name they would scribble onto their draft selection card: USC quarterback Caleb Williams. The 22-year-old quarterback became Chicago’s first No. 1 overall pick in 77 years.

During his two seasons at USC, Williams captivated the football world with his dynamic ability to sling the ball to any part of the field from a variety of arm angles. With Williams, the Bears may have found their first franchise quarterback since Sid Luckman helped George Halas revolutionize the forward pass in the 1940s.

Williams has been touted as a generational talent, but the transition to the professional level isn't an easy one. Plenty of talented quarterbacks who navigated through the collegiate level with relative ease have floundered at the professional level. After all, this isn't the first time Chicago has gotten excited about a quarterback prospect.

There was plenty of excitement when the Bears selected quarterback Justin Fields in the 2021 NFL Draft. The Ohio State quarterback appeared to possess the physical gifts and accuracy to thrive in the NFL, but the collegiate success never translated to the professional level, and his potential never materialized.

Caleb Williams and Justin Fields have been similar in one statistical category

Throughout the Bears preseason, Williams has flashed the same playmaking ability that he became known for in Southern California. The electric performances have brought hope to Chicago, but the USC quarterback has been similar to Fields in one particular statistic: average time to throw.

Fields has seen the highest average time to throw this preseason among 73 qualified quarterbacks, according to Pro Football Focus. Williams has taken an average of 3.68 seconds to throw, which trails only Fields.

The average time to throw statistic measures how long a quarterback takes to pass the ball after the snap. In some cases, the statistic can be misleading. Quarterbacks who have a tendency to scramble or run will generally have a higher number, while quarterbacks who throw a lot of screens will post a lower time. In other instances, however, the statistic can be enlightening.

Despite all of Williams' success in college, there were concerns about his tendency to hold onto the ball for far too long. His average time to throw was 3.16 seconds, the sixth-longest among quarterbacks with 200 pass attempts in 2023, according to PFF.

Williams' high time to throw can likely be attributed to his penchant for attempting out-of-structure plays. Those miraculous plays often lead Williams to make highlight plays, such as his incredible pass to wide receiver Rome Odunze in the preseason, but they can also lead to disaster. Williams had a 21.9 percent pressure-to-sack rate and took 35 sacks in 2023, 11th-most in the FBS. He will have to find the right balance between attempting miracles and choosing to avoid negative plays.

It's a balance that Fields could never find. The former Bears quarterback had the highest time to throw (3.23 seconds) in the NFL during the 2023 season. The slow processing speed explains why Fields was sacked 99 times since the start of the 2022 season.

Fields sporadically flashed athletic talent and playmaking ability, but his flaws were glaring. He wasn't capable of quickly processing information or anticipating open windows, which led him to hold onto the ball too long. Fields posted an abysmal completion percentage and found himself jettisoned to the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason.

Williams has already shown accuracy, precision and footwork that Fields seemed to lack. More importantly, Williams has shown the Bears something that Fields never did: the ability to operate an NFL offense with efficiency.

Although the Bears have gotten excited about rookie quarterbacks before, this time certainly feels different. This time, Chicago has provided their rookie quarterback with a full arsenal of offensive weapons and plenty of support as he gets acclimated to the NFL.