Unlike fellow rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, Caleb Williams hasn’t gotten off to a strong start with the Chicago Bears. While there are several signs that suggest the former No. 1 overall pick can develop into a superstar, the 22-year-old is still experiencing many growing pains.
Recently, after losing three games in a row in which the Bears didn’t score more than 15 points in any matchup, Chicago fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. The move reportedly came at the request of several players. After the Bears removed Waldron, Williams reportedly addressed the team to apologize for the offense’s lackluster play.
Bears rookie QB Caleb Williams actually got up in a team meeting after OC Shane Waldron was fired and APOLOGIZED for his part in the offense stalling enough where Waldron was fired. Teammates were very impressed by the accountability and his decision to do that. @NFLonFOX
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) November 17, 2024
But before the Bears made the decision to fire their offensive play-caller, they reportedly weighed a far more significant change to their scoring attack.
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Chicago Bears discussed but never came close to benching Caleb Williams
Shortly after the Chicago Bears fired Caleb Williams, reports emerged that several players on the team requested a QB change to former undrafted free agent Tyson Bagent, who operates as the backup. Now we have a bit more detail on those requests.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Bears did actually discuss benching their franchise quarterback during a meeting with “team brass and several of the team’s leaders.” However, they never actually came close to pulling the plug on their first-round QB.
Despite speculation to the contrary, the Bears did not nearly bench Williams ahead of Sunday’s game against the Packers
Instead, as sources explained, the possibility of starting Tyson Bagent over Williams was brought up in a broader context during a meeting with team brass and several of the team’s leaders prior to Tuesday’s firing of OC Shane Waldron. The idea would have been to give Williams a break for a few games, similar to what the Panthers did with Bryce Young (the 2023 No. 1 overall pick) earlier this season.
Sitting Williams was never truly considered, but part of a thorough evaluation prior to Waldron’s dismissal.
Yet, if the Bears had actually benched Williams, it reportedly would have been similar to the Carolina Panthers’ approach with Bryce Young, benching him for just a few games in hopes of Williams regaining his confidence later on.
While the Bears ultimately decided against benching their starting quarterback, now new offensive coordinator Thomas Brown intends to simplify the offense while going back to the basics. Perhaps if Williams doesn’t have to think so much pre-snap, he’ll be able to process information quicker post-snap. Ideally, it will lead to better results, but patience remains the key with their prized rookie.
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