Caleb Williams’ preseason debut outshined rest of rookie class

Chicago Bears fans are enjoying the wonderful afterglow of quarterback Caleb Williams’ impressive preseason debut against the Buffalo Bills, where he completed 4-of-7 passes for 95 yards while adding 13 yards on the ground. He was as good as advertised, which, if you recall, had him pegged as a generational quarterback.

He looked the part against Buffalo. For the first time in my lifetime, the Bears have a quarterback who looks like he’s in total control in the pocket, even when it’s collapsing around him. There was no panic in Caleb Williams’ eyes or feet, and it’s why he manipulated and commanded the Bills defense to do as he wished.

And this isn’t just Bears bias. The folks over at CBS Sports ranked the top preseason debuts from the 2024 rookie class, and Caleb Williams was, again, No. 1 overall.

“The No. 1 overall selection did not make an appearance in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game but he did start this week against the Bills,” CBS Sports Josh Edwards wrote. “Williams played 18 snaps on Saturday. Chicago did a good job of moving the pocket for him and allowing him to make throws in space. He showed good arm strength drilling a pass to D.J. Moore, who had sat down in tight coverage. In last week’s ‘Hard Knocks,” Williams worked on sliding and put those drills to the test against the Bills.”