Caleb Williams talk should only be about end of Bears’ QB misery — not his fingernails

Caleb Williams talk should only be about end of Bears’ QB misery — not his fingernails originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

The nit-picking of Caleb Williams started long before the Bears’ pre-draft process got underway.

Some of it was in defense of Justin Fields, a quarterback who inspired hope but never realized his star potential. Changing regimes, lack of offensive support, and the inertia of organizational dysfunction forced Fields to fight uphill during the early years of his development. He showed flashes of promise, enough to cause an external debate about the Bears’ quarterback future but not enough to force general manager Ryan Poles to stick with the 25-year-old and pass on drafting a quarterback at No. 1 overall.

The pre-emptive critiques of Williams – from fans and analysts alike – continued throughout the remainder of the regular season and ramped up during the early portion of the offseason.

There was a three-interception loss to Notre Dame, which was a sign that Williams would wilt in big moments at the next level. There were 33 career fumbles in three years in college, including 16 last season. That’s a ball security issue that Fields also struggled with, so why would the Bears want to roll the dice with that again?

Of course, there was the conversation about painted nails and crying after a loss to Washington that deserves no more oxygen than to note it exists and has persisted even after the Bears traded Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a conditional 2025 sixth-round pick, forcing Williams to offer a quick social media clap back at those worried about his painted nails and the color of his phone case.

Throw in the discussion that Williams’ camp had with prospective agents about obtaining equity in franchises, and you have a smorgasbord of critiques for the presumptive No. 1 overall pick over the last six months.

But none of that should matter. As far as Bears fans, even those in the pro-Fields camp, are concerned,…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/caleb-williams-talk-only-end-191143230.html

Author : NBC Sports Chicago

Publish date : 2024-04-08 19:11:43

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