The Chicago Bears have a quarterback worth talking about in Caleb Williams, and opposing NFL coaches shared their thoughts on the signal-caller at the NFL's annual league meeting.
There is no shortage of discussion when it pertains to Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams.
Just scroll through social media, and you will eventually come across one of his incredible throws from this past season, or, most recently, the news about the Bears' quarterback attempting to trademark the nickname "Ice Man" will inevitably appear.
He's all over the place, and that's something Bears fans will have to get used to. Williams' appearance on social media is also not viewed negatively, which usually hasn't been the case with the quarterback position in Chicago.
It's not just the Bears organization and its fan base that recognize the perception shift, but opposing coaches do as well.
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay has faced the Williams for two straight seasons. In Williams' rookie year, the Bears' quarterback lead his team to four scoring drives and threw one touchdown in the Bears' 24-18 victory at Soldier Field. Most recently, Williams faced McVay's Rams in the Divisional Round -- a matchup that went to overtime after Williams' late-game touchdown throw to Cole Kmet. The Rams' defense intercepted Williams three times and won, 20-17.
At the NFL's annual league meeting, the Rams' head coach had nothing but respect for Williams.
"He's a stud," McVay said. "You know, I think even just preparing for him, watching the crunch-time throws, I think he did a great job. You know, Ben (Johnson) does an excellent job, you know, putting a lot of pressure on defenses, but he's doing a lot of different things pre-snap, which takes a lot of coordination and, you know, challenging parts for the quarterback. Then the things that are so impressive are when things go off schedule.
I mean I couldn't believe what I witnessed on that fourth down and four. It's one of the most incredible plays that I've ever seen, but, you know, it seems like he lights up and he's at his best at the most important moments. You can tell there's a belief that his teammates have in him. ..."
Former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator and now current Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley also had a similar sentiment about Williams when he spoke to reporters at the NFL annual league meeting.
"I just think what Caleb did at the end of the games and his ability to make off-schedule plays was incredible," Hafley said. "I mean, that's just me being honest. At the end of games, when he had to make off-schedule plays and somehow pull it off, he did. So, he got better throughout the season. I think he's a really good quarterback that's only going to get better."
Williams has faced Hafley's defenses five times in the last two seasons and has a 3-2 record, including the wild card game when Williams threw for 361 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in Chicago's 31-27 win.
The Bears have a quarterback who is worth talking about, and Williams has the opportunity to make even more noise this upcoming season as he continues to develop and learn the intricacies of Johnson's offense.