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Bears vs. Panthers: Caleb Williams Won't Wear a Checkdown Charlie Disguise

Bears QB promises to be true to himself and the team that drafted him even if all of the talk in the offseason has been about taking the safe throws.
Gene Chamberlain|
Caleb Willliams, Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson (left) and Cole Bennett cheer on the Cubs against the Milwaukee Brewers,
Caleb Willliams, Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson (left) and Cole Bennett cheer on the Cubs against the Milwaukee Brewers, | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Chicago Bears

Caleb Williams says he had to wear a disguise to avoid a mob scene when he went to a concert last week on his day off,

"I had a mask on, some glasses and it was dark, so it was cool," Williams laughed.

It's just how things have gone for Williams since he became an icon in Chicago by being drafted after Ryan Poles engineered the 2023 trade for the 2024 first overall draft pick with this week's season-opening opponent, Carolina. He's wildly successful and one of the captains again for a young, rising offense.

"Big appreciation," Williams said about the team and city. "Obviously them making that choice (trade) and that decision looking into the future and getting some of the guys that we have, including myself, being able to be here and being able to be at this historical franchise and things like that, it's unbeatable."

Williams won't be disguising anything in the opener, and this has to be a major relief to Bears fans everywhere. All summer and spring the talk from Ben Johnson and the coaching staff had been about getting Williams to be more accurate with his passes and improve his completion percentage.

They think they've seen great progress, but this begs the question, were they going too far with it?

After all, Williams didn't lead those seven fourth-quarter comebacks last year by dumping it off to backs. Having him wear a Checkdown Charlie disguise this season would seem to defeat the purpose of that cannon arm.

Enough with the checkdown talk

Could Johnson and the Bears be coaching the big plays out of their quarterback? It seems unlikely because Johnson coached Jared Goff and he maintained that desire to throw it downfield when necessary while obtaining the proper discipline in the offense.

Williams thinks he is more accurate heading into Sunday's opener against the Panthers, but that desire for big plays remains.

"I think throughout my whole career I’ve always been an explosive play guy, so controlling that is more myself," Williams said. (Coach) gives me the reads, he gives me possibly where the ball should go in these coverages and this route’s off in this coverage and all that.

"So it’s just being able to recognize. It’s being able to get to the guys. If there’s a shot, take it. If not, get down to the checkdowns. But I’ve always been a shot taker.”

The shot taker by nature

This has to be a relief to Bears fans who have seen two coaches remove great strengths from previous first-round picks. Matt Nagy didn't want Mitchell Trubisky using his legs too much when he obviously had that talent. Matt Eberflus wanted Justin Fields to do more of what Johnson said he wanted to see from Williams, and go through his progression to the short receiver for easier yards.

Neither succeeded, but Williams has something working his way neither of those quarterbacks had. It's Johnson himself. His play designs make it possible for the big gain from even a checkdown. Catch and run is the hallmark of the passing game he had in Detroit and what the Bears have been striving to duplicate.

"He's doing all the things that good quarterbacks do," Johnson said. "So he's going the right way. I know we talk about him every session we get. Guys, he's had a really good camp and I'm really looking forward to seeing how it comes together for him 17-plus games this year."

No more talk about checkdowns. It's time for the Bears QB to be more accurate, but to rev up the big-play machine again.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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