Products You May Like
Why didn’t the Bears bring in a veteran quarterback for Caleb Williams? Matt Eberflus responds originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
An interesting wrinkle in the Bears‘ growing, uber-talented roster is their quarterback room — as a whole.
As it stands, it’s incredibly young. Between Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent, Brett Rypien and Austin Reed, the Bears have seven total years of NFL experience in the room, for inarguably the team’s most important position.
Some wonder why the Bears didn’t bring in a veteran quarterback to compete and/or help teach Williams as he goes through the growing pains of his rookie season. But head coach Matt Eberflus says it’s a testament to their faith in Williams’ abilities.
“That’s just confidence in him,” Eberflus told Kay Adams on the “Up And Adams Show.” “Knowing his abilities, knowing what kind of person he is, what kind of teammate he is. The job’s not too big for him. Again, he’s got a lot to learn. This is the NFL and there’s a learning curve to this and it’s a process.”
The confidence in Williams is justified. His arduous journey to the NFL is well-documented, especially his and his father’s training plan from a young age with the long-term goal of getting him to the NFL. That proved successful, as Williams is widely considered a generational talent and was the No. 1 pick to the Bears in the 2024 NFL Draft.
But he’s not invincible. He’s had his fair share of miscommunications, errors and rookie flubs in training camp. During Thursday’s practice, the Bears’ offense struggled for a second consecutive day, as Williams threw two interceptions.
MORE: Bears training camp observations: Caleb Williams throws two picks on another rocky day
And, as aforementioned, the Bears have a lot of inexperience behind him. Bagent just completed his rookie season that saw him show flashes of success with a 2-2 record under center. Rypien looked strong during the Hall of Fame preseason game, also, completing 11-of-15 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns.
Maybe that’s it. The Bears have the ultimate confidence in the talent behind Williams, never mind the fact that they don’t have a surplus of experience in the room. Still, the decision not to target a veteran quarterback is confusing.
But Eberflus asserts it’s a collective effort required to help support Williams under center.
“We all have to play well around him,” Eberflus said. “That’s the big thing I’ve been telling all the vets. The defense has got to play well, the kicking game’s gotta be sound, our protectors gotta protect, the catchers gotta catch and run and we gotta really play well around him; because he is a rookie and it’s the first time he’s going through this.
“We got a really good blend and a good mix of young guys and veterans. And we gotta play well around him.”
Click here to follow the Under Center Podcast.
This embedded content is not available in your region.