USC QB, potential Chicago Bears pick Caleb Williams ends speculation, declares for 2024 NFL Draft
Chicago Bears fire Getsy, 4 other staff members
The Chicago Bear plan to discuss the major staffing changes made Wednesday including the firing of OC Luke Getsy. Quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko, wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert, running backs coach Omar Young and assistant tight ends coach Tim Zetts were terminated as well.
CHICAGO, Ill. - On the last day, Caleb Williams ended the speculation. You're up, Chicago Bears
Williams, the Heisman Trophy winner at USC and the highly regarded quarterback assumed to go No. 1 overall, announced on social media he has declared for the 2024 NFL Draft on Monday, which is the final day underclassmen are allowed to declare for the draft.
It wasn't a major shock to see Williams enter the draft after he sat out the 2023 Holiday Bowl against No. 19 Louisville. Although his wait until the final day did raise eyebrows, it was always expected to declare for the draft.
Williams' status as the projected No. 1 overall pick isn't as widely debated as last year's draft when the decision came down to Ohio State's CJ Stroud and Alabama's Bryce Young. While there are more quarterbacks worthy of a top-10 pick this season in Williams, North Carolina's Drake Maye, LSU's Jayden Daniel and Michael Penix Jr., Williams is consistently rated as the best of the bunch.
Williams was a standout at USC across two seasons. He completed 68.6 percent of his passes for 3,633 yards, 30 touchdowns and five interceptions in 12 games in 2023. In 2022, he completed 66.6 percent of his passes for 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns and five interceptions in 14 games. In his college career, Williams threw 93 touchdowns, 14 interceptions and 10,082 yards in three seasons between Oklahoma and USC.
Now, the Bears will start their evaluation process.
Matt Eberflus, Ryan Poles and the soon-to-be-named offensive coordinator will evaluate Williams and the rest of the 2024 quarterback class heavily to decide if the franchise wants to stick with two-year starter Justin Fields or move on.
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Charting the Chicago Bears quarterback options after Wednesday's press conference
As the Chicago Bears embark into the offseason, the focus will have to shift to the quarterback, and heavily. Based on what GM Ryan Poles said Wednesday, there are a few potential outcomes the Bears could be looking at when it comes to their QB in 2024.
Poles said last week the Bears would need to be "blown away" by a quarterback prospect to move on from Fields, which was the same sentiment as he said last season before trading the No. 1 overall pick to the Carolina Panthers for a haul of draft capital and wide receiver DJ Moore. However, considering Williams' play-making ability, production at the college level and the chance to reset at the quarterback position, it seems more likely Poles would be blown away this offseason.
Whatever the decision will be for the Bears, the clock has started ticking.