Former QB rips Bears pass catchers for unimpressive preseason performance

Expectations for the Chicago Bears offense are as high as they've ever been. After suffering through middling seasons with underwhelming quarterbacks, Chicago jettisoned Justin Fields and selected USC's Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Unlike previous years, the Bears have built a solid foundation around their rookie quarterback. After acquiring wide receiver D.J. Moore in a trade with the Carolina Panthers last season, the Bears took an aggressive approach to improving their offense this offseason. As Williams navigates through his rookie season, he will have the assistance of veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen, rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze, and running back D'Andre Swift.

Williams got an opportunity to showcase his talent in Chicago's second preseason game on Saturday. The rookie quarterback provided the fans at Soldier Field with a glimpse of the magical plays he's capable of making while leading the team to a 27-3 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Former NFL QB criticized Bears receivers for poor route-running

Football analyst J.T. O'Sullivan reviewed Williams' dazzling performance with a film breakdown on "The QB School." O'Sullivan, who developed a wealth of knowledge during his nine years in the NFL, was impressed with Williams but didn't seem too happy with the lackluster performance of Chicago's skill position players.

O'Sullivan critiqued a play call on the Bears opening drive that was meant to get the ball to Allen in the flat. O'Sullivan said the play "sucks" and is "outdated" before criticizing Allen's route for being slow.

"We're going to start to have to think about having a real conversation here," O'Sullivan said of Allen's route. "It's just not fast, man. ... It's so slow. If I didn't know, I would say it's a hybrid tight end. None of it looks twitchy, none of it looks quick."

On a third-and-10 later in the quarter, Williams threw the ball away after Allen stopped midway through his sail route. O'Sullivan pointed out Allen's route-running mastery, but criticized the veteran wide receiver for his poor release and the way he attacked outside leverage. The worst part, O'Sullivan said, is that he stopped.

O'Sullivan wasn't happy with Moore on the same play. Moore failed to gain any separation on an in route from the opposite perimeter of the formation, and O'Sullivan said he "doesn't look like a No. 1 wide receiver." O'Sullivan criticized Moore again later in the game, when the wideout ran a quick slant with a poor cut into the route. Moore was unable to get any separation and the cornerback knocked away the ball for an incompletion. O'Sullivan said "this route sucks" while pointing out that "it's outstanding from Caleb."

O'Sullivan's more scathing criticism came on a third-and-five in the first quarter. Bears tight end Gerald Everett ran a short option route from a bunch formation, but he sat down two yards shy of the first down marker.

"[He] must catch [the] ball for a first down," Everett said. "Can't have black holes of third-down efficiency from a veteran guy. ... How do you run this route and not get a first down? Just weird, zero IQ. ... Look how slow that route is from [Everett]."

Even rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze wasn't free from some constructive criticism. The rookie stepped out of bounds in the back of the end zone, negating a magical highlight reel play from Williams.

Not everything was bad, however. O'Sullivan applauded Williams throughout the breakdown, especially when the rookie quarterback scrambled out of the pocket and contorted his body to through a 45-yard pass to Odunze in the second quarter.

O'Sullivan has been doing film breakdowns on "The QB School" for years, and he has remained objective about what the tape shows him. It's unlikely his criticisms come from any anti-Chicago agenda, and the Bears wide receivers may be something to keep an eye on as the regular season begins.