Caleb Williams must adapt quickly to the NFL’s speed to thrive as the Bears’ quarterback
For quarterbacks, though, it’s all about speed. They face blitzers and pass rushers who can sprint 40 yards in just 4.5 seconds. Injuries are a real risk, so a quarterback has to focus on getting the ball out quickly.
Caleb Williams, the Bears’ quarterback, needs to learn this fast. The college strategies he used won’t cut it in the NFL. As the Bears look for a new head coach, it’s crucial that whoever steps in helps Williams adapt to this new pace.
Right now, he’s a bit slow in recognizing when to throw. He led the league in sacks taken, which is partly due to the Bears’ struggling offensive line. But a good quarterback should be able to adjust to that. It’s simple: throw the ball or get hit.
This season, it took him an average of 2.92 seconds to release the ball, which is among the slowest in the league. He might have thought his moves from college would work, but NFL defenders are much faster.
In his first game against the Titans, he tried to evade a tackle and ended up losing 19 yards. That’s not just a bad play; it’s demoralizing for the whole team.
In overtime against the Vikings, he scrambled for a yard but then took a 12-yard sack, leading to a loss. Throwing the ball away can sometimes be a better option than getting sacked.
Williams did throw only six interceptions, which is impressive, but he also took 68 sacks. In comparison, Peyton Manning had a rough rookie season with 28 interceptions but was sacked only 22 times. Manning took risks to avoid losing yards.
This playoff season has shown mixed results for rookie quarterbacks. Some, like Bo Nix, struggled, while others, like Jayden Daniels, seem to grasp the speed of the game better.
Williams’ passer rating is decent, but he needs to improve quickly. At just 23, he has time to learn, but he needs the right support to speed up his game.
