Details Leaked From Bears’ First Interview With Caleb Williams
The Chicago Bears are about to make one of the momentous decisions of the past decade in franchise history. They hold the #1 overall pick. It appears to be a strong quarterback class. With questions persisting about Justin Fields, this feels like the opportune time to make a change. The tricky part is selecting the right player. GM Ryan Poles understands it can’t be only about talent. He must find somebody with the mental toughness to handle playing in Chicago. For two months, almost every expert felt that quarterback was Caleb Williams.
For three years he has lit up scoreboards for USC and Oklahoma, showcasing unique ability as a passer. Many have compared him to the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers. The tape shows plenty of examples of why. However, Poles knows he needed to get comfortable with the person before any decision was made. That process began at the scouting combine. Albert Breer of the MMQB revealed details of the first meeting between the team and the potential #1 pick.
It appears things went about as well as one could hope.
“On Wednesday night at 10:40 p.m. (the second-to-last window of the night), Chicago had its formal interview with Williams in the suites of Lucas Oil Stadium. Poles was joined by the five people who are the point men in the Williams evaluations process: head coach Matt Eberflus, offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, pass-game coordinator Thomas Brown, assistant GM Ian Cunningham and team president Kevin Warren.
What they saw from Williams in that setting was an easy confidence, a player who was very comfortable in his own skin and not concerned much with what other people thought of him. That last part is key, because the Bears have tried to drill down on making sure the person they pick first can handle the pressure and spotlight of the Chicago market.
Williams checked that box. The next one came Friday night, when the Bears brass got a chance to sit down and meet with the quarterback’s team, as a precursor to the 30 visit.”
The next step for the Bears and Caleb Williams is clear.
Breer stated the team had hoped to meet with the quarterback again almost immediately after the combine. However, the logistics of shuffling him from California to Chicago and back for his pro day on March 20th felt hectic. So the two sides compromised to hold the private workout right after the pro day. There he will undergo a physical, a full workout, and deep interviews with Poles, Eberflus and the coaching staff. That will be where the Bears reach their final decision on if Williams is indeed their guy.
Don’t forget they will be doing the same with the other quarterbacks as well. Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, and J.J. McCarthy are all still in play. Maybe they can make a strong enough impression in their own private meetings to change thing. Yet as of right now, Caleb Williams is the leader in the clubhouse. He cleared the first hurdle with ease. Nothing has occurred to derail the momentum building for him to become the #1 pick, and the Bears being the team to make it.