JUST IN: Chicago Bears: Ex-NFL scout blasts Caleb Williams, says he isn’t ready for the NFL

The Chicago Bears must make a crucial choice. They must choose between trading the #1 pick for a plethora of draft picks and pursuing Justin Fields, or using it on USC quarterback Caleb Williams. This choice has the potential to drastically change the team’s trajectory and either save general manager Ryan Poles’ career or turn him into a hero.

Williams is seen by some as a “generational” player who has the ability to significantly improve the Bears’ offence. He is the Heisman Trophy winner for 2022. Nonetheless, some people wish to continue working with Fields. Although there were occasional brilliant moments in Fields, they were far too rare.

But with the pick traded, Chicago can get a treasure trove of picks and possibly a valuable experienced player. Perhaps Fields would play much better if there was an abundance of talent surrounding him.

There is much for the Chicago Bears to consider. An ex-NFL scout has now offered his opinion. He asserts that Caleb Williams is not prepared for the NFL and that he is not the generational talent that some believe him to be.
Views regarding the Bears’ quarterback dilemma are abundant. Everyone with an interest in the NFL wants to add their two cents. Some people think that if Poles trade the pick, he can’t resist the enormous payout. With the first choice in the previous year’s draft, he succeeded. In the end, he obtained DJ Moore, the first pick in this year’s draft, Tyrique Stevenson, Darnell Wright, and a 2025 second-round pick.

Some believe that Poles can obtain even more because of the excitement surrounding Williams.

However, there are some who believe that Williams’ skill is too great for Poles to ignore. They believe that opportunities like these don’t come along very often. In the same sentence as Williams, names like Patrick Mahomes and Peyton Manning appear. In addition, the Bears can trade their #9 pick in order to obtain additional picks.

Making this choice will have a significant impact on the franchise’s future success for years to come. Everyone has an opinion, but until Poles make a decision, none of us really knows anything. But some people have greater connections than others, and as a result, their opinions are far more informed than those of an average fan.

Here’s a comment from a former NFL scout. Daniel Kelly worked with the New York Jets as a scout for four years. In addition, he wrote the book Whatever It Takes, which follows a fan who succeeds in the NFL. He held a strong, unfavourable impression about Williams.

Kelly examined Williams for the previous two seasons. He voiced his thoughts and was unreservedly critical.

“On the spectrum, he’s far more similar to Johnny Manziel than Patrick Mahomes. With all due deference and tact, that’s what I would say if I were a scout attending the pre-draft sessions.

Right before our eyes, Caleb Williams had a mental collapse and started sobbing uncontrollably in his mother’s arms. He’s the most psychologically vulnerable guy I’ve ever examined, quarterback or not, in my opinion as a former NFL Scout.

By his own admission, he has little experience overcoming adversity.”

– Daniel Kelly
Williams may be compared to former Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, however it would be overly harsh to draw comparisons between him and Manziel. Kelly continued by saying that over the final six weeks of the season, he used poor body language and tone. The Trojans were clearly not going to challenge for the Pac-12 championship.

Kelly observed that Williams appeared distant. Let’s see, a quarterback that seems distant, has terrible body language, and speaks in an unpleasant tone. Where else have we seen that? That’s right—Cutler!

Although it is just one person’s opinion, USC backup quarterback Miller Moss made some remarks following his team’s thrilling upset victory over Louisville in the Holiday Bowl. Williams stayed out of the game to prevent an injury. In a bowl game, Moss set a school record with six touchdown passes. But he made a comment following the game that might be interpreted as disparaging Williams.

“I believe that the team is more important than myself. Basically, the focus is on working as a team. No personal taste, no ego. Moving forward, we should concentrate on our team’s bonding together since that is the most important thing.”

– Miller Moss
The Trojans had a dismal season in 2023, finishing 8-5 overall and 5-4 in their league. Williams had a disappointing season despite leading his team to an 8-1 conference record and an overall record of 11-3. Finally, he won the Heisman. There were numerous setbacks for him over the season.

The episode where he sobbed to his mother revealed a great deal. He is expected to be the head of the Type-A group. It did not look good. Williams clarified his actions by stating that he was never in a 7–5 situation, as Kelly mentioned. When he plays for a team like the Bears in 2023 that opens the season 0–4, how will he respond?

As the season went on and USC started to lose games, Williams appeared to be psychologically failing. Despite having 30 touchdown passes throughout the season, just 9 of them came in the last 7 games. Furthermore, he scored 15 touchdown passes (roughly half of them) against San Jose State (6), Colorado (6), and Nevada (5). Against any other club, he had no more than three touchdown throws. Lastly, while he participated, his team’s record against ranked college teams was 2-9.