League insiders rank Chicago’s "Iceman" among the elite, placing the ascending dual-threat talent ahead of divisional rivals as he prepares for a gauntlet of marquee 2026 matchups.
We know how Chicago Bears fans view Caleb Williams.
He is a beloved sports figure in the Windy City.
He definitely won over the hearts of the Bears faithful last year. He led so many fourth-quarter comebacks that he earned the nickname "Iceman."
Even if he's hit roadblocks in acquiring the trademark, he'll be known by that name for quite some time.
On Tuesday, we learned what anonymous NFL executives think about the Bears quarterback. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer shared the rankings of the top quarterbacks in the NFL.
Williams came in ninth and was ranked ahead of Green Bay Packers QB Jordan Love, who was tied for 11th with Detroit Lions gunslinger Jared Goff.
Here's what Breer had to say about Williams.
"This pick isn’t just about what he did with Ben Johnson last year, but the direction the Bears were headed as the year ended," Breer said. "And that’s why he made a jump, even with guys that left him out of the top five. 'Caleb is an awesome talent,' said one AFC offensive coordinator. “In a year or two, if he stays the course with Ben Johnson, he will be top three. His physical talent is freakish.' "Which is to say he’s good now—and should get a lot better."
The quarterbacks ahead of Williams were Drake Maye, Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes, Matthew Stafford and Josh Allen. Williams was ranked ahead of Seattle Seahawks QB Sam Darnold.
If you aren't impressed with Williams' ranking, there's some good news.
Williams is going to play a few of these guys in 2026. Aside from seeing Love and Goff twice this year, the Bears are going to play a much tougher schedule than in 2025.
The first top 10 QB the Bears face is Maye and the New England Patriots on Oct. 22. Then, the Bears have a chance to face off against the Seahawks and Darnold on Nov. 2.
Chicago was very close to meeting Darnold in the playoffs last season, but fell to the Los Angeles Rams, who have the No. 1 QB on the list, Stafford.
After that, the Bears wait a while to face another person on the list. They eventually take on Allen and the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 19, just before their meeting with the Packers on Christmas Day.
Williams and the Bears have another chance to prove themselves this year against the best quarterbacks in the league. It's not like they haven't been doubted before.
