Midway through their season, the Chicago Bears are encountering a few obstacles. They’ve dropped consecutive games, including one lost on a Hail Mary from the Washington Commanders and another in a lopsided defeat to the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday.
Caleb Williams, the Bears’ franchise quarterback and former Heisman winner, appears to be struggling with the challenges of his rookie year. Over the past two weeks, Williams has completed fewer than half of his passes, putting him among the lowest in the league for completion percentage this season.
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN’s NFL Draft expert, recently appeared on ESPN Radio to share why he isn’t overly concerned about Williams’ performance. “We’ve seen him look great… The rookies are going to have their ups and their downs,” Kiper said on Wednesday morning.
It’s important to remember that Williams is being compared to other rookie quarterbacks as well. When Jayden Daniels has the Commanders playing like Super Bowl contenders, it inevitably leads to unfair comparisons for Williams.
Kiper pointed out that every situation is unique. He recalled how John Elway and Dan Marino began their careers. Elway’s rookie year was slow, yet he went on to become a multi-time champion, while Marino’s career didn’t follow the same trajectory.
Currently, Williams has only played eight games in the NFL and is working with a team that has struggled with quarterback play for years. Both the fan base and analysts should exercise patience with him. If Williams can learn from his mistakes, the Bears could greatly benefit in the future.