Given his status as the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, it would stand to reason that Caleb Williams would feel the weight of the franchise that drafted him on his shoulders on a daily basis. And when you consider the team that drafted him — the Chicago Bears, who are starved for a superstar-caliber quarterback — it would make even more sense that pressure would be ever-present.
Wait, did you say ‘Pressure?’ Yeah, Caleb Williams has never heard of it.
“Pressure’s not a thing for me,” Williams said on ESPN 1000’s Waddle & Silvy show on July 31. “I don’t think of it that way. It’s not my job to care what the outside noise is and things like that. My job is take care of everything in here and go out there and play. Pressure is a privilege, but you know the situation that I’m at. I don’t think I have pressure.”
Now I must admit, assuming Caleb Williams is being genuine when he says something like this, I wish I could take this approach in my life. But from the sounds of it, I’m feeling more pressure typing away at this article than the second-year quarterback of the Chicago Bears feels at his job, and frankly, that just doesn’t make sense to me… especially given how last season went, and again, how long Bears fans have been waiting for a franchise quarterback.
In his rookie season, Williams underperformed based on preseason expectations. How much of this is actually his fault is up for debate, though we’ll likely get a clearer answer at some point this season now that head coach Ben Johnson, three new starters on the offensive line, and a handful of high upside young pass-catchers have joined the team. Caleb may not be feeling the pressure, but this revamped supporting cast should be able to carry some of the burden.
Ben Johnson Sees Early Improvement With Caleb Williams
Just because Caleb Williams doesn’t feel pressure — or so he says — it doesn’t mean that he’s not holding himself to an incredibly high standard. Williams came to the NFL with a long list of things he hoped to accomplish in the NFL, including winning eight Super Bowls, surpassing Tom Brady’s record in the process.
On the practice field, Caleb Williams holds himself to a high standard too, and new Bears head coach Ben Johnson sees it. He sees the improvements Williams has made as well.
“He’s as hard on himself as I’m being on him, and he’s disappointed when we’re not spitting the plays out in the huddle the way we should or we’re not taking the proper drop or our eyes aren’t in the right place,” Johnson said, per Courtney Cronin of ESPN. “He’s getting to that point where it’s more self-correction, and we’re off and running from there. I’m really excited about where he’s at mentally.”
For the Ben Johnson to say something like this, especially after the first few days of training camp when most reports coming out of Lake Forest were that the Bears offense — and Williams in particular — was having all sorts of issues, it shows that the 23-year-old signal caller is making steady improvements, soaking in everything that Johnson, offensive coordinator Declan Doyle and this entirely new coaching staff has been putting on him.
That’s where not feeling any pressure comes in handy.
New-Look Offensive Line Hopes to Limit QB Pressures
After a season in which the Bears allowed the most sacks in the NFL, it was expected that Chicago would make major changes across an offensive line that, based on either lack of talent or coaching malpractice, was arguably the worst in the NFL last season.
With Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman and Jonah Jackson — who has missed a handful of practices due to a leg injury and is currently listed as day-to-day — in the picture, Williams should feel significantly less pressure from opposing defenses than he did last season.
There are still questions that need to be answered along the offensive line, though. Can this group, which will have at least three new starters, be able to gel quickly enough? Maybe even more importantly, who will be starting at left tackle when the Bears host the Minnesota Vikings in the opening Monday Night Football game of the season?
Incumbent starter Braxton Jones was viewed to have the leg up heading into training camp, but he’s clearly vulnerable. Both Ozzy Trapilo and Kiran Amegadjie have been getting first-team reps, and reportedly holding their own.
In the end, the best man will win the job, and hopefully he’ll do his part in ensuring Caleb Williams stays upright far more often than he did last season.
Pressure? Yeah, Caleb Williams Has Never Heard Of It