The Needed Lift Caleb Williams Can Give His Own Defense

The Bears defense might get the best of Caleb Williams at OTAs while he's still learning the offense but he'll be providing a valuable service to them that many other QBs can't.

Caleb Williams not only can make the Bears offense better at practice but also has a chance to sharpen the skills of his own defense. / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

While Caleb Williams tries to understand a new offense and gets beat by a bunch of hooting and crowing Bears secondary players in practice 7-on-7, he's also doing something positive.

Believe it or not, even when Williams is having some initial trouble in practice, he is helping to make the Bears defense better by testing them with his extended play ability.

It's something the Bears defense is going to need to put up with this season to a far greater extent than last year and many other seasons. So it's a positive that they will be able to face a player like this in practice at training camp, OTAs and minicamp.

Caleb Williams running the football pic.twitter.com/QOm9JASQZM

— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) March 18, 2024

Williams' legs and arm together mean defensive backs can't take parts of downs off in practice. It will be this way for the defense against many opponents this season.

“Definitely," defensive coordinator Eric Washington said. "His ability to make off-schedule plays is well documented and that's a nightmare for defensive coordinators. It's a nightmare when you decide to rush four, and especially if you decide to send a fifth or sixth guy.

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"You have to be really good in the back end and you have to get the guy down."

Consider who the Bears face:

• Will Levis, Tennessee

• C.J. Stroud, Houston

• Jayden Daniels, Washington

• Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville

• Kyler Murray, Arizona

• Drake Maye, New England

• Brock Purdy, San Francisco

• Geno Smith, Seattle

• Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis

• J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota

• Jordan Love, Green Bay

The top 5 NFL teams to watch, according to @jasonrmcintyre:

1. 49ers
2. Chargers
3. Cowboys
4. Colts
5. Bears pic.twitter.com/aw71KXTt5d

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) May 24, 2024

The list goes on and on for the Bears this year of young quarterbacks or even veteran QBs, who can move. Some are excellent runners.

Richardson had 136 yards rushing and four touchdowns in only four games before his season-ending injury. Young had 253 yards rushing. Stroud doesn't run much but can and had 167 yards rushing. Lawrence is one of the better running QBs in the league.

Daniels runs like Justin Fields.

Anyone doubting Drake Maye’s athleticism hasn’t watched a second of him play over the past two seasons.

And look - someone taught him how to slide… pic.twitter.com/VXCH2gPIAa

— Mark Tyler(Hogs Haven) (@Tiller56) March 23, 2024

Love had 247 yards and four TDs rushing last year but usually moves to throw.

The Bears are going to need to be ready defensively to handle scrambling or moving quarterbacks, so Williams is perfect to test them in training camp.

"We actually work mobile quarterback fundamentals because it’s a high-risk, high-reward propisiton and this young man can really extend plays," Washington said. "He can hurt you if he's allowed to get out of the pocket and break down the coverage in that way.

Jayden Daniels 2023 running highlights pic.twitter.com/Bsdse0PMmh

— obvlon (@obvlon) April 21, 2024

"It will be a good test for us and good practice for us with some of the quarterbacks that we will see throughout the year."

So even when they're chortling and laughing about beating the rookie on a given play in practice, and the Bears defense definitely does this, they can also be glad he has the skills to challenge them and prepare them for facing an onslaught of mobile modern passers.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven