Chicago Bears fans are worried about Caleb Williams

If the Chicago Bears land the top spot in the 2024 NFL Draft, there has been an overwhelming expectation that USC’s Caleb Williams would be drafted to be the team’s next starting quarterback.

However, the certainty that was at the beginning of the football season may not be the certainty that it is now.

USC has lost three consecutive games after their 38-20 loss to UCLA on Saturday afternoon and it first should be mentioned that despite the Trojans’ struggles, Williams has continued to show why he likely will be the top selection in the draft next Spring.

There is no doubt that Williams’ ability to improvise is what makes his highlight-reel mesmerizing but improvisation is not necessarily something you can count on at the NFL level but the throw that Williams made to Brendan Rice for the touchdown will be one of the best throws any quarterback will make this season.

The concern that is beginning to creep in for Williams is how he conducts himself off the field. The Trojans’ loss to UCLA on Saturday marked the fifth loss in six games for the team and after the game on Saturday, Williams elected not to talk to the media.

As NFL teams evaluate every aspect of a quarterback, Williams deciding not to talk to the media after a loss likely will not sit well with some teams.

For better or worse, the quarterback is the face of the team. While Justin Fields has had struggles in the first three years of his career, he has never shied away from speaking with the media or talking through his perspective. Instances like what occurred yesterday for Williams show that there still is a gap between what he can get away with at USC and what will be expected from him as a starting quarterback in the NFL.

Sure, there could be a belief that the team that drafts Williams will be able to coach in terms of how to handle the media but for a Bears team that has never had a franchise quarterback, that may be a difficult ask.