Caleb Williams didn’t play much, but he’ll have Chicago buzzing for the next week.
Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, got his first preseason snaps for the Chicago Bears on Saturday afternoon. The Bears didn’t play him much, but he made a few plays that will be replayed over and over in Chicago before the Bears’ next preseason game. In just a quarter, all of his skills were on display.
On third-and-12 on Chicago’s first drive, Williams released his first pass. He had plenty of time, stepped into a throw and in windy conditions, hit a laser to D.J. Moore for 12 yards and the first down. Moore was well covered fairly well but Williams hit him anyway. That kept the drive alive.
Then came some trickery. Williams was under pressure so he shoved a no-look pass across his body, almost like a point guard in the lane, to D’Andre Swift. Swift took off for 42 yards. Even though the play looked like a designed screen, Williams is known for his ability to improvise and make creative plays when everything breaks down around him.
Then on Chicago’s second drive, Williams let loose a rocket to Cole Kmet. Rolling right, Williams threw slightly across his body and it was an absolute fastball to the tight end for a first down. We don’t know what Williams will be as an NFL quarterback, but that throw alone shows that not many players have more arm strength.
Then later in the drive Williams scrambled and got a first down by running it. He smartly got into a slide before he could get hit.
And that’s the Williams package. He can use his arm strength and work from the pocket, or on the move. He also has the innate ability to make plays out of practically nothing. He has the athleticism to add value with his legs too. It’s foolish to make too many proclamations on a quarter of preseason play, but it was also exciting to see Williams flash his talent on an NFL field for the first time.
Williams didn’t play in last week’s Hall of Fame Game, which made Saturday his NFL preseason debut. NFL Network chose to broadcast the first snaps from the top overall pick. Everyone, not just Bears fans, want to see the former Heisman Trophy winner in an NFL setting. And he delivered some fun moments.
It wasn’t perfect. Williams almost threw an interception on Chicago’s second drive, throwing to a receiver who was fully covered. The pass was knocked down and incomplete but an illegal contact penalty by the Bills wiped that play out and gave the Bears a first down. He also had a couple of catchable passes that were dropped by Kmet and Moore. Williams also threw too far to Rome Odunze in the end zone on a third down, which ended up being Williams’ last play on Saturday. The offense isn’t fully functional, nor does anyone expect that in the first preseason game.
The important part was Williams did more than enough to show why he was the first pick of the NFL Draft. Bears fans will be impatiently counting down the days until the regular season, when Williams’ highlights will count.
