Kurt Warner believes Caleb Williams is playing the best football of his NFL career, but not because of the spectacular throws. The Hall of Famer sees a different quarterback emerging under Ben Johnson, and an injury might have something to do with it.
For years, the Chicago Bears have watched quarterbacks make extraordinary plays while struggling with throws that should be routine. Williams arrived with the ability to do just about anything with a football. Nobody questioned that.
The bigger question was whether he could consistently operate from the pocket without turning every third down into an adventure.
Kurt Warner thinks he's finally getting there.
During Tuesday's appearance on 104.3 The Score's Spiegel & Holmes Show, Warner discussed Williams' performance in Chicago's 30-24 win over New England. It was his second consecutive game with more than 300 passing yards and no interceptions.
Warner liked the numbers. He was more impressed with how Williams produced them.
Kurt Warner sees major improvement in Caleb Williams
Warner pointed to Williams' growing comfort inside the pocket, particularly when the Bears face difficult third downs.
"I think he's done, you know, the best job he's done in his career NFL wise doing that these last couple weeks," Warner said.
That's quite an endorsement from a Hall of Fame quarterback.
Warner also credited Chicago's offensive line for handling a New England defensive front he expected to cause problems. He specifically mentioned Williams' throw to Rome Odunze on an in-breaking route.
But his larger observation concerned something Williams struggled with previously.
Last season, Williams frequently looked for opportunities outside the pocket. Sometimes those decisions produced remarkable plays. Other times, he abandoned throws that were available within the offense.
Warner believes Johnson is helping change that approach.
Did Caleb Williams' injury accidentally teach him something?
The most interesting part of Warner's interview came when the conversation turned to Williams' hamstring injury.
Could being temporarily limited as a runner have helped him become more comfortable standing in the pocket?
Warner didn't dismiss the possibility.
He recalled his own playing days, when coaches created what they called the "kill Kurt drill." Warner had developed a habit of escaping the pocket, so the exercise forced him to stay put and make throws.
He wondered whether Williams' injury accomplished something similar.
Without the same freedom to scramble, Williams may have been forced to trust his reads and let plays develop.
Warner wasn't claiming the injury caused his improvement. But the theory makes sense given what Chicago has seen recently.
Ben Johnson may be getting exactly what he wanted
Warner isn't asking Williams to abandon the plays that make him special.
He suggested 3 or 4 extraordinary plays per game would be plenty, provided Williams handles everything else from the pocket.
That's the difference between having a quarterback who can rescue a broken offense and one who can consistently run a functioning offense.
Williams still has plenty to prove. Two impressive performances won't settle every question about his development.
But Warner sees something that wasn't consistently there before.
For a Bears franchise that has spent years searching for stability at quarterback, that's a pretty encouraging assessment.
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