The Chicago Bears have struggled to find a champion QB since Hall of Famer Sid Luckman played for them in the 1940s. Over the years, neither of the Bears’ QBs has been able to complete 4000 yards in a single season. But that drought is likely to end. Caleb Williams joined the Bears as their No.1 overall draft pick in 2024.

Playing his first snaps for the Bears against the Buffalo Bills, Williams kickstarted his NFL career in style. Leading the Bears on the count of field goals, the rookie was 4-of-7 for 95 yards. Adding to those numbers, the Bears QB also amassed a 101.8 passer rating that could have been even better if not for two dropped passes. On the back of those sublime performances, the Bears ran away with the match, finishing 33-6 over the Bills.

After the match, Bears HC Matt Eberflus was quick to praise the rookie: “It’s good for him. It’s the fruits of his labor. He’s been working his tail off for 15 practices and then even before that all through the summer.” Well, this is not the first time Eberflus has expressed his views on Williams. Speaking with Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Eberflus mentions his first thought on seeing Williams on USC pro day, “He’s an outstanding young man, and everything looks great in terms of his personality, his character, his football knowledge.”

Williams was a different beast altogether during his days, starting for the USC Trojans. Racking up 4,537 passing yards, 42 TDs, and 5 interceptions, Williams was declared the winner of the 2022 Heisman Trophy. Although his next season was equally better, with a 68.6 passing percentage and 30 TDs, he was eventually beaten to the Heisman Trophy by LSU QB Jayden Daniels.

Nonetheless, Chicago seems to have found its missing piece in the offense, which has skilled players at every position. With RB D’Andre Swift, WR D.J. Moore, and TE Cole Kmet, Williams could guide the Bears to their first playoff appearance since 2020. Mentioning his importance, Eberflus wasn’t the only person who heaped praise for the Bears QB. WR D.J. Moore joined in to express his thoughts about the rookie.

Caleb Williams termed ‘Outstanding’ after pre-season debut

D.J. Moore, who is coming off a sensational season playing for the Bears, recorded his best career numbers last season. With 96 receptions, 1,364 yards, and 8 TDs, Moore led the Bears offense from the front. Therefore, by seeing the performance of the new Bears QB, Caleb Williams, Moore, summed up his views in one word, “Outstanding.” Although Williams had his own share of amazing moments on the pitch, he managed to link up with DJ Moore quite a few times.

At one point, Williams converted a long third down with a pass to Moore while completing another to D’Andre Swift, which turned into a 42-yard gain. However, for D.J., his best one yet was a 26-yard thunderous throw to Cole Kmet, to which the receiver said, “second to none.” Well, the Bears WR didn’t stop there in praising the qualities of Williams on the ball. Demonstrating Williams’s pocket awareness, Moore stated, “He went out there on the rollout that I dropped, and it was a perfect ball.” 

This came after Williams showed his ability to find Moore for a 12-yard gain. Judging by his teammates’ comments on the QB, Williams has already gained their confidence. But it remains to be seen whether the No.1 draft pick in the 2024 NFL season can live up to his hype while guiding his team to its first Super Bowl appearance since the 2006 NFL season.