Steelers use an interesting tactic to prepare for Caleb Williams' escapability

Caleb Williams has quickly developed into the league's most aggravating quarterback for opposing defenses to defend against. They get their hands on him often, but rarely bring him down. He's only been sacked 16 times through the first ten games after being brought down a league-high 68 times during his rookie season.

He was lauded for his improvisation skills coming out of USC last year, but struggled to adapt to the speed of the NFL when it came to avoiding sacks. He had moments where he would shake loose of defenders' grasp last season, but had many more where he created messy pockets for himself that he couldn't get out of.

He's improved that area of his game immensely from year one to year two, though. He's pulled a rabbit out of his hat on countless occasions, and opposing defenses are starting to take notice.

108 seconds of Caleb Williams avoiding sacks pic.twitter.com/pSj4ZyiwU0
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) November 18, 2025

Teams are now coming up with new ways to try to limit his escapability.

Mason Rudolph and Will Howard don't exactly possess an adequate skill set to recreate the issues that Williams causes opposing defenses. The Steelers knew this, so they signed QB/WR John Rhys Plumlee to their practice squad this week.

The Steelers added QB/WR John Rhys Plumlee to their practice squad this week to mimic Caleb Williams escape ability.

Pretty cool teams are preparing for Caleb like this.pic.twitter.com/Gw93mdJuqv
— Dave (@dave_bfr) November 19, 2025

Plumlee went undrafted out of the University of Central Florida last season. He turned heads at the Big 12 Pro Day, where he ran a 4.54-second 40-yard dash, 6.96-second three-cone drill, and jumped 36.5 inches in the vertical jump. While he didn't get invited to the NFL Scouting Combine (where his numbers would've all ranked inside the top two amongst QBs in his class), he did get an invite to Pittsburgh's training camp after signing an undrafted free agent contract with the team.

He was also later selected by the United Football League's Arlington Renegades with the third-overall pick in the UFL Draft. However, he passed up on the opportunity to pursue a career in the NFL.

Plumlee was eventually released during the Steelers' final roster cutdown ahead of the '24 season and landed on the Jaguars' practice squad thereafter. He also spent time on Seattle's practice squad (as a receiver) before returning for a short stint with Pittsburgh earlier this month. He's back again, and it's solely for the purpose of defending against Williams.

The Bears' front office invested heavily in the offensive line this offseason, with three established starters being added to the interior. They understood the importance of protecting their prized investment, and the revamped line is paying major dividends this season.

Midway through the season, Bears Offensive line rankings:

- Drew Dalman is 3rd among C's with an 81.5 Grade
- Darnell Wright is 3rd among RT's with a 79.2 Grade
- Joe Thuney is 7th among LG's with a 72.7 Grade
- Jonah Jackson is 10th among RG's with a 70.6 Grade
- Braxton Jones… pic.twitter.com/fCvA6Uxhee
— Adam Mason (@adamhmason) November 12, 2025

Williams, himself, also recognizes the importance of keeping his jersey clean. I don't want to be one of those guys in year six where I'm one of the highest sacked [QBs] ever," Williams said after the Week Eight loss against Baltimore. "I think it's just us all being on the same page, and the other part on my side is being more comfortable and confident within the offense."

The improved play in the sack department is undoubtedly one of the most stark differences between last year and this one. His sack percentage is down from 10.79% to 4.69%. The proof is in the pudding.

How long a QB extends the play after pressure arrives (runs, sacks, throws included) and their total pressure to sack rate pic.twitter.com/CMvNTcDRjs
— Jrfortgang (@throwthedamball) October 29, 2025

Williams puts on a Houdini act in the backfield week in and week out. I don't know how far he's going to take the Bears this year, but I know it's going to be must-see TV whenever he steps foot onto the field.

The Steelers seemingly possess the same belief.

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