The tides are turning in Chicago. Or at least, that's what Chicago Bears fans are hoping for. The arrival of Caleb Williams in the Windy City has turned a lot of heads. Chicago has seen a lot of struggles in the last few years, so fans are hoping that Williams will be the catalyst for their success.
The training camp is a rookie's first experience of NFL action. While it's just practice and players are not going at 100%, it's a good preview of how an NFL defense moves for a quarterback. How is Williams doing in his first NFL training camp? Well, Bears WR Keenan Allen shared his thoughts, per Nick Schultz.
“I thought he was great,” Allen told reporters. “Today, we were real solid. He called the plays way better than he was in OTAs. He felt confident in the plays and what he was doing. There was no timidness from him today.”
Quarterbacks always have the hardest job adjusting to the professional scene. Williams is no different. The Bears rookie might be one of the most hyped-up prospects in the league, but he's still a quarterback. Playing QB in college is way different than playing in the NFL. The OTAs and training camps are a good way to introduce the NFL defense to Williams.
Williams will have arguably the best wide receiver group the Bears have fielded in years. Allen was an offseason addition to the roster. He will be joining DJ Moore and rookie Rome Odunze in Chicago. Williams will have all the tools he needs to succeed in the league.
How good will the Allen-Williams connection be?
How well Williams meshes with his new receivers may determine the ceiling of this squad. Allen and Moore are veterans that have experienced highs and lows. Allen, in particular, has played with an elite quarterback in Justin Herbert. How has Allen adjusted to a rookie quarterback?
Well, Allen's approach is to be Williams' best friend. The Bears receiver is trying to give constructive feedback to the rookie in his first year.
“He’s the quarterback,” Allen said of Williams. “At the end of the day, it all runs through him. I can see things how I see them. I can be an asshole about it, but that’s not me. That’s not the way I learn the game, that’s not the way I play the game.
“I cater to the quarterback,” Allen continued. “I’m trying to be his best friend and stuff like that. As long as I get to the spots that he likes at the timing that he likes, we’ll be fine.”
The Bears are going to be a dark horse in next year's playoff race. They already have an elite defense that kept most of their pieces. It's up to the offense to cash in on the defense's efforts and score on their drives.
It will be interesting to see how Williams develops in the NFL. There's a lot of pressure on him to succeed due to different factors. Can he do it?
