According to one observer, Caleb Williams, the rookie quarterback for the Chicago Bears, won’t have a long learning curve and will start putting up good numbers right away.
ESPN’s Mike Clay unveiled his five predicted rookie leaders in a number of statistical categories on Tuesday. Williams, the first overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, is expected to lead all rookie quarterbacks in passing, with 3,532 yards and 23 touchdowns in 15 starts.
This is a bit of a unique class in that there is hope that some of these quarterbacks may perform at a higher statistical level than the average rookie thanks to the supporting cast and scheme surrounding them, according to Clay. “Among those are Williams and [QB J.J. McCarthy of the Minnesota Vikings], who will have access to strong offensive playmakers in Chicago and Minnesota.
Improved receiving corps should help Williams. In the off-season, Chicago selected Rome Odunze with the ninth overall pick and added wide receiver Keenan Allen, a six-time Pro Bowler. WR D.J. Moore, a prominent player for the Bears, had already finished ninth in the league in terms of touchdown catches (8 in 17 games) the previous season. Garrett Podell of CBS Sports ranked the Bears wide receiver trios as the second-best in the league for 2024, behind only the Houston Texans. Podell mentioned that Odunze was named to the first team of the 2023 Washington Washington All-Americans, and that Moore and Allen had surpassed 1,200 receiving yards in 2023.
The Bears have never been good at developing rookie quarterbacks, but they have Williams surrounded by terrific playmakers who should help him succeed. The 2022 Heisman winner has the best Offensive Rookie of the Year odds (+150) according to FanDuel as of Tuesday.
