Everyone thought Caleb Williams was the next great NFL quarterback. Three weeks into the season, Jayden Daniels is making him look like a mistake.
Heisman Trophy winners Williams and Daniels were taken first and second, respectively, in the 2024 NFL Draft. Williams spent two years being as close to a mortal lock for the first overall pick as you can get, while Daniels did what he did (read: be impressive) out of the same spotlight.
Three weeks into the season, the Bears, hapless as ever, have three offensive touchdowns in three games, with “upgrade” Williams looking like every other USC quarterback the last 20 years and the discarded Justin Fields doing well in Pittsburgh. Of course, Chicago’s QB track record is among the worst in league history.
Daniels, on the other hand, is out here making Washington look like they might have gotten it right for the first time since Doug Williams and Mark Rypien.
Is there any chance Chicago and GM Ryan Poles are second-guessing their No. 1 pick?
For me, Daniels is thriving and Williams is struggling for two main reasons: coaching and attitude.
Coaching
When comparing the two coaching staffs in Chicago and Washington, the Commanders’ current regime has much more NFL experience.
The Dan Quinn administration is now in office. For a notable cabinet member, Quinn brought in former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury for his offensive coordinator. Of course, Kingsbury had a brief NFL playing career as Tom Brady’s backup.
One aspect that stands out for Washington’s offense this season is their deliberate intention and zeal. Not only does the entire unit express positive body language, but the Commanders looked truly motivated on the field—that is a testament to respectable coaching.
The Commanders just produced a dazzling performance on Monday Night Football, stealing a road win against the Cincinnati Bengals. Jayden Daniels was laser sharp, completing 21 of 23 (91.3%) pass attempts with two touchdowns. Additionally, his completion percentage was the highest mark for a rookie (with at least 20 attempts) in any NFL game. Compare that to Williams, a player with five turnovers in three contests.
Back in the Midway, Williams is under Bears head coach Matt Eberflus. A former defensive standout who played for Nick Saban at Toledo, Eberflus does not specialize in developing quarterbacks (see Justin Fields). Ideally, Chicago should have added someone who does.
After Luke Getsy was fired in Chicago, offensive coordinator Shane Waldron — formerly with the Seattle Seahawks — doesn’t move the needle for me in this situation. Nor does Waldron seem to be moving the ball for Williams and the offense.
Waldron has held many roles around the NFL, but his time as a coordinator is limited. Considering all that comes with a Heisman-winning No. 1 quarterback, was Waldron really the best choice for this position?
Again, Williams and “Da Bears” have been inefficient on offense. In Chicago’s lone win (vs. Tennessee) this year, the Bears failed to score a single offensive touchdown. Overall, Williams has produced a 2-4 TD-INT ratio on 59.3% passing in 2024. His 26.8 QBR is third-worst in the NFL. Eventually, something drastic will have to change with that situation.
Attitude
Williams was the darling of college football after fabulous seasons for the Oklahoma Sooners and USC Trojans. Throughout his CFB career, he made his name via the broken play. Williams consistently connected on show-stopping throws in improbable circumstances, but that is a dangerous way to operate on Sundays. This is the NFL. Quarterbacks must know how long to hold onto the football.
Despite his nickname, Williams must understand that he doesn’t need to be Superman anymore. That is one of the most challenging ways to win games. In the pros, you need to operate cohesively. Teams that put their fate on one player’s back often fall short, especially in the postseason (think Brock Purdy vs. Trevor Lawrence).
Williams obviously has elite arm talent. His abilities have given him tremendous confidence, especially in clutch moments. Still, confidence is the food of the wiseman and liquor of the fool. He’ll need to trust his teammates and start making the conservative plays when necessary. Also, Williams must improve his pocket presence; he’s already suffered 11 NFL sacks (third-most).
Caleb, it is fine to throw the ball away sometimes.
Conversely, Jayden Daniels (67.9 QBR) and the Commanders have kept their offense on schedule in 2024. Yet to commit an NFL turnover, the young quarterback from LSU has shown maturity as a passer. Also, Daniels has been very effective on the ground. He’s rushed for 171 total yards and three scores over his first three games. Daniels seems willing to do whatever is needed, when it is needed. Genuinely, has Williams given Chicago that same impression?
Daniels comes off as much more coachable than Williams. That is apparent in their on-field play, as Daniels is diligently and properly running an offensive system. This includes aspects like getting the football delivered on time and to the intended spot, which is more effective than “hero ball” at this level.
The Bears and Commanders both made considerable offseason efforts to make a complementary arrival situation for their respective rookie signal-callers. However, coaching and attitude determines so much in the NFL. From where things sit, Daniels appears to be in a much more favorable spot with Quinn and Kingsbury compared to Williams with Eberflus and Waldron.
Betting Market Movement
For the first time all year, Caleb Williams (+650) is no longer the Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook. Just one day after Washington’s primetime win in Cincy, Jayden Daniels holds that spot, yielding +150 odds to win OROY.
Interestingly, DraftKings still has the Bears (+3500) listed with shorter odds to win the NFC compared to Washington (+4000).