Bears ‘Not Building Around Caleb Williams the Right Way’ Puts Chicago’s Comeback in Jeopardy, Says Ex-Broncos Guard

The Chicago Bears are starting a new chapter with Caleb Williams, whom they picked first overall in the 2024 NFL draft. This selection was made possible by a trade with the Carolina Panthers, which was orchestrated by Bears’ general manager Ryan Poles the previous year.

Now the Bears are facing criticism for not building their team around their new quarterback in the right way. Mark Schlereth, a former guard for the Denver Broncos, shared his thoughts on this issue during an episode of the Stinkin’ Truth Podcast.

In the conversation, Mark said that the Chicago Bears have taken steps to address their needs. They drafted Caleb Williams, acquired Rome Odunze, traded for DJ Moore, and brought in DeAndre Swift as a running back. He acknowledged that the Bears have a roster full of talent and have invested in several players through the draft but they haven’t built the team around their star quarterback. Mike then asked Schlereth on the podcast, “So you think the Bears are not building around Caleb Williams the right way? They aren’t investing in the right?”

Mark replied in the negative while stating, “They aren’t investing the right… How many… DJ Moore is a like a legit number one receiver. I think Keenan Allen is a number one legit receiver. How many legit big time… I think their tight end is a big-time player. How many of those guys do you need? How many balls you can get each one of those dudes? At some point, you got to put your fingers in the dirt, cleats in the grass and you got to kick somebody’s ass. Can you do that?” Mark Schlereth’s comment reflects skepticism about the Chicago Bears’ strategy in building their team around Caleb Williams as people have high hopes for the young draft pick.

“You got to be able to protect your quarterback, otherwise you know the same thing that’s happened the last two years going to happen this year,” explained the former Broncos guard. This lack of strategy, according to Schlereth, may end up working against the Bears.

However, Chris Simms, who played in the NFL for seven years and later worked with Bill Belichick at the New England Patriots, has high hopes for Caleb Williams.

Chris Simms praises Caleb Williams’ talent

Simms shared his thoughts on his podcast, Unbuttoned. He said, “I look at him as being a natural. Being a ‘Chosen One’ type of guy. He’s been in an offense in his college career where it was on his shoulders, and he was asked to read the field and check and do things at the line of scrimmage. He’s very mature for a quarterback, as far as the play is concerned.”

Williams has a lot of potential and comes into the NFL with a strong reputation. During his college career at USC and Oklahoma, he proved himself to be one of the best players, even winning the Heisman Trophy in 2022. However, this means there will be a lot of pressure on him to perform well quickly and match the high expectations.

Simms believes Williams has the talent and the right attitude to succeed but acknowledges that it might take some time to adjust from college football to the NFL. With time, Caleb Williams is expected to prove why he was chosen as the first overall pick and live up to the high expectations set for him.