Caleb Williams hasn't yet lived up to the hype of a No. 1 overall pick as quarterback for the Chicago Bears.
That draft status should give him plenty more time, but there isn't a universal consensus that his job is safe.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler speculated in a new article out Wednesday that there's a scenario where backup QB Tyson Bagent gets real action this season.
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Here's what Fowler wrote:
"What if the Bears' Caleb Williams doesn't find his footing in Ben Johnson's timing-and-rhythm passing game by, say, Week 10? I think Williams showed positive signs in Sunday's loss in Detroit. But the feeling coming out of Bears camp was that, despite Williams' otherworldly talent, the offense was a bit crisper with Tyson Bagent running the huddle. Is Johnson willing to be patient here? I think so. And Williams' immense talent is a commodity worth betting on. But these coaches feel pressure to win -- three-year grace periods no longer exist -- and Johnson didn't draft Williams. Just thinking out loud."
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Bagent is a great story, from a Division II school, and originally from a community with little money. When Bagent got a contract extension this offseason, he broke down in tears at his press conference.
But it'd be an indictment of the Bears' front office if Williams is benched at any point in his second season for Bagent.
Frankly, it's up to Williams to prove he belongs on the field. He has flashy moments and then ugly moments.
The Bears need to see more of the good stuff to continue counting on him. A benching would be shocking, but if Fowler has any inkling that it's not impossible, then it's a situation worth watching.
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