Power ranking every NFL quarterback situation going into training camp
By Nick Villano
16. Chicago Bears
Projected Starter: Caleb Williams
The Chicago Bears are not the quintessential “took a quarterback first overall” team. Caleb Williams is supremely talented, and he was a necessary upgrade over Justin Fields (even if Fields seemed like a starting-caliber quarterback). However, the Bears didn’t get this pick because they were the worst team in the NFL. They got Caleb Williams because they made a smart trade with the Carolina Panthers when they weren't convinced by the QBs at the top of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Now, the Bears were able to take Williams and Rome Odunze. That could be a fantastic one-two punch for years to come. On top of that, they still have DJ Moore, and they traded for Keenan Allen this offseason. This was a team that was on the upswing that’s now able to cash in on a few years of talent collection.
Williams has more elite talents than we can count. His arm strength is superior. He sees plays developing way before things actually take place. He has decent foot speed, which is a must in today’s NFL. Williams has all the tools to succeed at the NFL level. Our biggest worry is another year with Matt Eberflus as the head coach, but that’s for another list at another time.
Behind Williams will be a competition between Tyson Bagent and Brett Rypien. Bagent had a spark last season, replacing an injured Fields, but it was so short. However, it’s arguably more than Rypien had, who was given starts with two different franchises. We wouldn’t be surprised if the Bears go backup shopping when cuts start happening.