Bear Digest

Skill set Caleb Williams already owns that most QBs only dream about

The Bears might need to get Caleb Williams up to speed on operating an offense under Ben Johnson but some talent he already possesses can't be taught.
Gene Chamberlain|
Caleb Williams goes through stretching at Halas Hall in training camp.
Caleb Williams goes through stretching at Halas Hall in training camp. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

There's no reason to doubt what Case Keenum says when it comes to talking about late-game scoring drives.

The man only authored the Minneapolis Miracle in 2017, so he knows something about it.

At least he's certain he knows about it. Some people keep coming up and asking him about it.

SHARPEST PLAYER IN THE BEARS QB ROOM MIGHT NOT BE CALEB WILLIAMS

"That's what most people ask me about. ‘Were you the one, (or) was it (former Vikings QB) Kirk Cousins?’ " Keenum laughed. "No, it was me. I just made sure to tell them that it was me and not Kirk."

The two-minute drill has epitomized professional football over the years. The sport morphed that way.

"It's fun," Keenum said. "You’ve got to have time and downs, then you have to give somebody a chance.”

For that reason, the Bears remain encouraged about Caleb Williams. They see his greatest talent as one not easily acquired. In fact, Justin Fields was downright terrible at it. Williams has a knack for playing well in two-minute drives and making things happen when all appears lost.

It showed a few times even amid the disfunction permeating Halas Hall under the former coaching regime.

“Two-minute drill for a quarterback–one, I think a majority of games in this league come down to one possession, and that is what's so fun," Keenum said. "This league is so similar when it comes to a lot of the talent level. Then when it comes down to a game, the great ones, they want the ball in their hands.

"You can tell Caleb wants the ball in his hands in those moments. Two-minute is a drill where you can rely on guts and instincts, your past training and like we talked about earlier, just the fire of competition, who's the competitor. There’re certain guys when the lights turn on, that switch just flips and he's got that switch where he can turn it on. I can't wait to watch it at Soldier Field and all over the league this year.”

Williams authored the late drive to the game-winning Cairo Santos field goal against Green Bay. He had a miracle comeback against Minnesota that was blunted in overtime. He even staged a late-game comeback against the Commanders in the Fail Mary game before the Bears defense threw away the work he did.

What the Bears think makes Williams especially dangerous at game's end is his ability to extend plays. He has had that on display throughout training camp during two-minute drills and has become better and better at it as his knowledge of the offense expanded.

"That's what you watched at USC; his ability to evade, the arm talent, things like that," Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle said.

Williams put this on display with a touchdown throw by improvising a TD throw to Cole Kmet to end two-minute Saturday.

"We're in a situation there late in the game, that we're simulating that he’s able to evade the rush, he finds his way outside of the right and find Cole in the back right corner," Doyle said. "I think it shows his competitiveness.

"The best thing he does is the unscripted stuff, the two-minute stuff, where he's able to go out and really play and show the competitiveness that that makes him who he is.”

What they're trying to teach Williams is to play within structure if at all possible because most of the game gets played in that manner. They don't want to take that ability to create away because it can win games when everything else fails, and that is not an ability all QBs have.

When you have one with it, it's better off nurtured.

Doyle said Williams has been coached elsewhere in offenses that allowed this to happen.

“Those are the offenses that he's played in," Doyle said. "They're a little more open. I think he's comfortable there and that's really where his next step as we keep progressing is the game management of some of the other stuff that he hasn't been asked to do in the past.

"His competitiveness comes out in those two-minute situations. That's where he has an edge. He's not going to allow you to sack him. He's going to evade; he's going to do things that you can't really teach at times.”

For now, though, Williams needs to get down the part he doesn't know because it's the complete quarterback who has the best chance to stand out in the league.

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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.