Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams not untouchable in potential trade?

The Chicago Bears thought for sure they were getting their franchise quarterback when they selected Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick of the NFL draft last year. But there are some who already feel like Williams may not be the bona fide, generational talent many thought he was coming out of USC.

So, is there a chance the Bears would ever actually consider trading Williams? Well, while ESPN's Bill Barnwell didn't go as far to say that Chicago could move him, he doesn't necessarily think the 23-year-old is untouchable at this point.

In a piece where Barnwell listed the trade value for each team's biggest stars, he had the Bears asking for two first-round picks and more for Williams, but he added some interesting context.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) dances before the game against the Los Angeles Rams. | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

"For now. The Bears wouldn't have taken anything close to this for him a year ago, but that was then," Barnwell wrote. "He struggled through a dismal rookie season, and while it's fair to chalk up some of his woes to an underwhelming scheme and seemingly uninterested playmakers, he deserves plenty of the blame for what went wrong. Indulging the worst elements of his game most weeks and eventually losing his confidence, Williams wasn't reliably creating within the offense, and his attempts to improvise often proved disastrous."

Williams has fallen under harsh scrutiny for his questionable body language and his overall attitude during his rookie campaign, and while him being sacked 68 times is definitely an indictment on Chicago's offensive line, he also clearly wasn't getting rid of the ball quickly enough.

That being said, the Washington, D.C. native still managed to throw for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 2024, so he definitely had a solid first year in the league.

"If new coach Ben Johnson does everything Bears fans are expecting with Williams this season -- and he is willing to rein in his hero-ball tendencies -- he could be back toward the untouchables in 2026," Barnwell wrote.

So that does mean that Barnwell doesn't necessarily feel that Williams is "untouchable" right now? It certainly seems like it.

Williams has a whole lot of people to prove wrong this fall. We'll see if he is able to take that next step forward.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) passes the ball against the Seattle Seahawks. | Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

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