Not since Odell Beckham's infamous scuffle has a net been given so much attention after an unfortunate Chicago Bears video was shared. For those who may have missed it, Williams misses a target net on three straight throws, with the last one sailing completely away from the net. Not only did the ball not find the mark, but it also missed the target completely.
Predictably, pundits and fans have wildly overreacted to the video. Williams gives it a bit more fuel, throwing his arms and whirling around in complete frustration. The final throw that missed the net left Bears fans plenty of reason to wonder in what direction the franchise is heading.
It is the time of year when fans and pundits are hungry for anything resembling news and won't hesitate to overreact. This is the case here; despite having legitimate concerns, this is far from a meaningful rep. Williams has quarterbacked at a high level in NFL games in his rookie season. While the consistency wasn't where it needed to be, this means far more than a few missed camp throws. Another factor in this is the new offensive system and the mounting pressure around the young quarterback.
Fans and Pundits Continue to Turn up the Heat on Bears QB Caleb Williams
With that said, Williams is under incredible pressure and needs to take a step forward in the next weeks. This has nothing to do with the infamous video, but understand where Williams is in his career right now. At USC, the quarterback thrived in making plays with his legs and playing off-book. This can work at times in the league, as we've seen with Aaron Rodgers and some of the league's more skilled manipulators. However, Williams first needs to learn to run an offense consistently.
It doesn't help matters that Jayden Daniels took the Commanders to the NFC title game in year one, or that Bo Nix led the Broncos to the playoffs. This turns up the heat not only on Williams, but on J.J. McCarthy, Drake Maye, and Michael Penix as well. This has a chance to be a historic draft class, and much of this hinges on the continued development of the Bears' quarterback.
Confidence is everything in this league, and Williams needs to string together some great reps to have the needed energy and attitude heading into the regular season. This is not based on the video of missing a net, but understanding the expectations and looking back at where Williams fell short a season ago. No question, the pressure on the quarterback continues to mount.