Chicago Bears 2024 training camp is here, with rookies reporting Tuesday and veterans soon to follow. First-round picks Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze are under contract, and without any off-field drama to distract attention from what happens on the practice field, all eyes will be on Williams and his every move.
This isn't the first time a Bears rookie quarterback will be the main storyline in training camp, but it's certainly the first time a quarterback like Caleb Williams will be in a Bears uniform. He's been pegged as a generational prospect, and with that scouting report comes an expectation for immediate success, even in summer practices.
Chicago Bears fans are all too familiar with local beat reporters dissecting and nitpicking every training camp throw of quarterbacks past. Justin Fields and Mitch Trubisky didn't stand a chance against the hoard of headline hunters. But maybe that's because they didn't stand a chance against NFL defenses, either. Beat writers report what they see on the field (although we all know there are a few who like playing the heel). Fields and Trubisky's summer inconsistencies were well-documented, and they ended up being a predictor of how their careers would unfold in Chicago.
Issues with center exchange for #Bears QB Mitch Trubisky in spring carry into camp. 3 of his 6 snaps in first team drills fell on ground.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) July 29, 2017
If Caleb Williams has a bad practice or two or even a bad week, it isn't time to panic. It doesn't mean his Bears career will end like Fields' and Trubisky's did. Rookies are expected to struggle well into the regular season, not just training camp. So, don't hyperventilate if a certain reporter or two blast Williams for an interception-filled team session. Don't dry-heave if the media critiques Williams' early decision-making. Instead, embrace those reports; we're supposed to read them. Remember: Williams is a rookie.
But this doesn't mean you shouldn't have any expectations for the first overall pick. He's not just any rookie. He's the first overall pick, and plenty of respected NFL Draft analysts compared him to Andrew Luck well before GM Ryan Poles called his name.
I certainly have expectations for Caleb Williams this summer. I expect to read about him slicing up the Chicago Bears' starting defense; I expect to read about him connecting with DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, and Rome Odunze on touchdowns; I expect to read about how quickly he's learned Shane Waldron's offense.
It doesn't mean I don't expect Williams to make mistakes or have bad days. I do. I want him to learn valuable lessons when games aren't on the line, to test his limits against a loaded Bears' secondary. In order to learn those lessons and know those limits, mistakes are a must.
The next few weeks will be a roller coaster of emotions for Chicago Bears fans. The Caleb Williams training camp highs will be incredible. The lows will be devastating. That's how Bears fans fan during this time of year, and it's what makes this fanbase the best in the world.
Here's the most important thing to remember: fan your way. Don't let reporters tell you how you should interpret Caleb Williams' training camp performances. Instead, keep an open mind. Don't ignore the bad days; don't dismiss the good days. Marry them together for your training camp takeaways (shameless plug: you can share them in our comments section!).
I, for one, am holding Williams to a high standard this summer, even if I know he won't be perfect. Perfection isn't the goal. Consistency is. And as long as Caleb Williams is consistently making plays, even in the midst of some mistakes, the 2024 regular season will kick off with the excitement and juice that we all deserve.
