The Chicago Bears are expected to select former USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft because he is the top quarterback prospect in this class. Although the draft card has not yet been delivered to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, what are the expectations for Williams in year one in Chicago?
Williams will surely be one of the favorites to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, but can he put together a campaign that resembles the Houston Texans’ CJ Stroud’s historic debut season in 2023? During the most recent episode of the “With the First Pick” podcast, CBS Sports NFL draft expert Ryan Wilson said he doesn’t think anyone in this class can match what Stroud has done l ‘last year ; however, former Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman does.
In fact, he thinks there’s a 95 percent chance or better that Williams could do something similar to what Stroud did — if he actually ends up in Chicago.
In 15 games played, Stroud completed 63.9% of his passes for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns and just five interceptions. His 273.9 passing yards per game led the league, as did his 1.0% interception percentage. Stroud had the highest TD-INT ratio against winning teams in NFL history, including the playoffs, and became the youngest quarterback to win a playoff game in NFL history. The Ohio State product was nothing short of remarkable, and the main reason Houston went from worst to first in the AFC South.
Williams is a better “prospect” than Stroud entering the league, but that doesn’t guarantee anything. In fact, Spielman provided a much-needed caveat to his assertion, saying Williams will only find a high level of success in year one if Chicago handles him the right way.
Stroud ended up having a very solid situation in Houston with first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. The Bears have Matt Eberflus, who was/is currently on the hot seat, and a new offensive coordinator in Shane Waldron, who comes from the Seattle Seahawks. Coaching staffs and coaching in general when it comes to game planning based on a quarterback’s strengths and making his life easier is imperative. And that’s what will decide whether Williams will experience as much immediate success as Stroud.
The 2024 NFL Draft will take place April 25-27 in Detroit. More coverage of the draft can be found at CBSSports.com, including the weekly updated draft ordinancemock drafts and one available regularly look at eligible prospects.
