Caleb Williams’ Two-Word Cocky Response to Bears’ GM Ryan Poles’ Requirements Speaks Volumes

Earlier last month at the NFL Combine, the Chicago Bears’ General Manager, Ryan Poles, made a statement about the Bears’ two buckets of QB prototypes. Poles said, “…. There’s artists and then there’s surgeons. So within that group, you can kind of see who’s the artist that’s really creative, doesn’t draw within the lines. Where there’s more of surgeons who are like your typical Brady and Peyton. Kind of branch them out of those buckets and go for them…” This sparked a debate about which bucket Caleb Williams belonged to. However, Poles even admitted that he noticed similarities between Patrick Mahomes and Williams. 

In a recent conversation with Colin Cowherd on the ‘The Herd with Colin Cowherd’ show, the No. 1 NFL prospect addressed this with just two words, encapsulating his confidence and versatility. Sharing a clip from Cowherd and Williams’ interaction, Greg Bragg Jr.’s tweet, the 22-year-old QB was asked, when he hears criticism that he freelances a bit, what would he want to say to them, “Was it fair criticism or was it more offensive line erosion?” Caleb Williams answered with a smile immediately, “I can do both.”

During the NFL Combine conference, CHGO’s Greg Braggs Jr. asked Williams about the artist vs. surgeon comparison. The QB explained that there were times when he needed to be both. He said, “I like to think that when it’s time to be surgical, it’s time to be surgical. There’s been many games where it gets late in the game and I’ve ran or scrambled and threw a crazy pass. That’s being the artist, the magician. And there’s been times where even I hurt my hamstring and couldn’t run, I sat in the pocket the whole time the rest of the game and delivered the ball.” 

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It’s interesting to see how the 22-year-old QB pictures himself. It’s his unique talent that has carried him through his college career and now the expected 1st overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Even though Williams seems to be confident about competing with Mahomes, the latter has an added advantage.

Too much pressure on Caleb Williams because of Patrick Mahomes?

Since Ryan Poles was with the Kansas City Chiefs when they drafted Mahomes in 2017, he could observe him closely. Now with Caleb in the scene, Poles mentioned at the NFL Scouting Combine that he noticed similarities between them and said, “There’s pieces that are similar. Obviously, the one that stands out to everyone is just different arm angles. That’s a unique trait, not a lot of guys can do that.”

Before entering the Kansas City Chiefs Mahomes had the opportunity to sit behind Alex Smith for a year. Unfortunately, for Williams, he will not be able to have the chance of undergoing a similar transitional period if he enters the Chicago Bears. Now that the Bears are all set to trade away Justin Fields, chances reign supreme for the quarterback to step into the starting role once he gets drafted.

In that case, Williams will not have much time to equip himself with the new landscape. For him, being a rookie, the complexity of professional defenses can put undue pressure on him. As an example for Williams, Bryce Young’s case is similar. The current starting quarterback of the Alabama Crimson Tide has been a highly touted NFL prospect who is under tremendous pressure that might lead the Carolina Panthers to let go of him after the 2024 season.

Traveling back in time, in the 2017 draft, the Bears selected Mitch Trubisky as the first quarterback. Despite having some promising early performances, including a Pro Bowl in 2018, he failed to match his counterpart, Mahomes. Hence, a lot of expectations are wound around Williams to witness whether he walks the same path as Young and Trubisky or creates a history of his own, beating Mahomes.  

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