Caleb Williams is set to make his NFL debut on Saturday when the Chicago Bears face off against the Buffalo Bills. Coach Matt Eberflus announced on Thursday that Williams will start in the team’s second preseason game, along with all other healthy starters.
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Caleb Williams
As the first pick in the 2024 draft, Williams has experienced a mixed training camp so far and did not play in the preseason opener against the Houston Texans on August 1, as the Bears chose to rest all starters.
While the exact playing time for the starters hasn’t been disclosed, historically, the Bears have kept their starters’ minutes limited during the early stages of the preseason. The primary goal for Williams is to continue his development and minimize offensive penalties.
Eberflus emphasized that this game will be a crucial opportunity for Williams to gain experience. “This is his first time in live action,” he said. “He’s had plenty of good reps against our top defense, so it should feel somewhat familiar. However, playing live in the pocket—being able to maneuver, escape, and deliver the ball while keeping his eyes downfield—will be a new challenge.”
The coach believes this is an ideal time for Williams to gain experience, noting that he has shown both good moments and some struggles during practice. “I told him to lean into setbacks and adversity,” Eberflus added. “Don’t shy away from them. Learn from them, improve, and grow.”
Players are eager to see how Williams performs when given the chance, despite some inconsistency during practice. One area of concern has been his mastery of the offensive cadence, which has resulted in multiple false start penalties.
“It’s his mindset that will help him navigate through the challenges we face in camp,” said Bears tight end Marcedes Lewis. “He’s shown he doesn’t lack confidence, which is impressive.”
Eberflus had initially hesitated to announce Williams as the starter due to a spate of injuries on the offensive line. However, as of Thursday, the only injured starting lineman was guard Nate Davis, who has been unavailable for much of training camp. Davis is currently listed as week-to-week.
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