“Let’s Get Ready”: Caleb Williams Shares Initial Reaction to Bears Trading Justin Fields Away From Chicago

For the first time, USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams spilled the beans on the Chicago Bears trading away Justin Fields. Being the No. 1 prospect of the 2024 NFL Draft and on the verge of making ties with the Bears, it was clear for Williams to share his thoughts about Fields. 

However, like everybody else, the news of the quarterback being traded away shocked Williams. Even though there are a lot of speculations about the USC quarterback being Fields’ replacement, there prevails a faulty logic. 

Fields’ trading news struck Williams like a firebolt

Ryan Poles’ Bears dropped a bombshell and pulled the trigger on Saturday, March 16. It was still four days before Williams’ Pro Day in Los Angeles and three weeks until he visited Halas Hall. Chicago sent Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers on the condition of receiving a 2025 sixth-round pick. The No. 1 draft prospect was taken aback by this move, as he shared his feelings in an interview with Ryan Clark. While Williams was driving to West Hollywood for a business meeting, his phone almost exploded. He said, “I end up calling a couple people and was just like, ‘Welp, we know where their mind and heart is at in this instance… Let’s prepare and get ready and handle things accordingly… In that moment, it was kind of like, ‘Wow.'”

Williams confessed his concern, “Because I didn’t do my top-30 visit yet. They didn’t have my medicals and things like that.” However, the quarterback left behind a positive impression among the Chicago officials during his top-30 visit, confirming that Williams will now sail on Poles’ boat. However, according to analysis, it would be a mistake to consider Williams to be Field’s replacement. 

Williams vs. Fields debate in details

The first three seasons of Field’s performance have been plagued by inconsistency. Even though Poles’ squad held high aspirations for Williams, diving deep into his performance records can give specific, clear pictures. The USC quarterback’s poor second-half play in the last season is often overlooked regarding his moments of brilliance in 2022. 

If we consider the latest season, Fields has made substantial progress in the latter part of the last season, while Williams’ performance witnessed regression. The quarterback who will now be a part of the Steelers has made genuine progress in fixing his footwork and improving his upper body mechanics. With further investigation, analysts came up with the fact that Fields is a notch higher in terms of footwork than Williams. 

Besides, the Trojans quarterback employed a simplified offense known for one-used concepts, whereas the second half of 2023 witnessed the former Bears’ quarterback implementing good decisions while delivering accurate throws.    

However, what struck me about Williams to Chicago officials is his leadership and ability to unite people. Being a star quarterback in the NIL era, he has a grounded nature and owns the passion and intelligence required for the game. Even though the Bears’ intention to draft Williams is crystal clear, April 25 is when they will turn their vision into reality.