Chicago Bears fans are hoping to see quarterback Caleb Williams make his debut in next week's Hall of Fame preseason game against the Houston Texans, but according to head coach Matt Eberflus, there's a chance the first overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft won't play.
Similarly, there's a chance he will play.
Bottom line? The Bears have no idea if No. 18 will suit up or not.
"We’ve talked about it, had lengthy conversations about it during that personnel meeting," Eberflus said Thursday. "Had it with the coordinators before that. Been talking to Ryan. So, we’ll make a good decision here soon."
Bears are back at training camp today
— Just Another Year Chicago: Bears (@OfficialJAYCHI) July 25, 2024
That means we get more Caleb Williams content 🔥pic.twitter.com/bzlg6ZD4P7
I understand the concern about injuries in meaningless preseason contests, but the approach with rookies is a bit different. Experience matters for first-year players, and getting reps in summer scrimmages helps. It's especially true for quarterbacks, who need as much on-field exposure as possible to get comfortable with the speed and pacing of the NFL.
I expect we'll see Caleb Williams for at least one or two series next Thursday night. It'll be a bummer if we don't.