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Caleb Williams was heralded as the future of the Chicago Bears when he was selected first overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Yet, after two turbulent games, some NFL analysts are calling for the rookie quarterback to take a seat, citing concerns that his current struggles could do more harm than good to his long-term development.
Caleb Williams' mistakes could get worse
CBS Sports analyst Mike Renner is among those voicing concerns.
He believes that Chicago should consider benching Williams, much like the Carolina Panthers did with Bryce Young following his own tough start this season.
Renner pointed to the psychological toll that constant pressure can have on a young quarterback.
"If you're doing 15 hits a game for 17 games, you're just mentally going to be kind of in a position where Bryce Young was, where you may not even know it, but you're subconsciously playing the position to try to avoid those hits without doing what it takes to avoid those hits,"Renner said.
Williams has certainly faced his share of challenges.
In Week 2's loss to the Houston Texans, the rookie was under relentless pressure, being blitzed on nearly 42% of his dropbacks.
Despite some positive takeaways from the game, including an improved rhythm in the ing game, Williams' two interceptions stood out as costly mistakes.
Renner, however, expressed concern that Williams is not improving on some of the areas that were flagged as weaknesses coming out of USC.
"Benching him is a tough pill to swallow. But I don't think he's developing good habits," Renner remarked.
"It's like he's not getting better at the things we said he needed to get better on from USC to the NFL. He's probably getting worse at it."
Williams vows to avoid the same mistakes
The rookie acknowledged his errors, saying, "Obviously, I had the two stupid mistakes that won't happen again."
Williams also commented on how the team has made progress in communication between games, though it still wasn't enough to avoid the Texans' aggressive defensive approach.
"It starts with communication,"Williams said, noting how adjustments during the game will be key as they prepare for future opponents who may use similar tactics.
Despite the mounting pressure, both literally and figuratively, Williams remains determined to adapt to the speed and complexity of NFL defenses.
While he its his signature playmaking ability from USC hasn't translated smoothly yet, he's confident that he can overcome the early hurdles.
"Just play your game and play the way we need to play within the offense and be efficient,"Williams emphasized.
"Make less mistakes and don't make the same ones over and over."
As the Bears prepare to face the Indianapolis Colts, Williams will need to apply the lessons learned from Week 2 to help reverse his fortunes.
The team and fans alike are hoping for a smoother ride ahead, however, the Bears' coaching staff may soon face a difficult decision about how best to nurture their rookie quarterback's growth.