Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has one game left of his rookie season. The Bears are 4-12 and will face the Green Bay Packers to close out the season. Most notably, the former USC Trojans quarterback has been sacked a league-leading 67 times during the year, and the Bears have lost 459 yards through sacks.
Though it is easy to put the blame on the offensive line when a quarterback is sacked so often, Williams chose to take accountability. While speaking to the media, Williams defended his offensive line.
“Like I said the, and I don’t misjudge words, the stupid connotation behind my offensive line being bad is not the truth. I’ve taken a good amount of sacks that have been my fault,” Williams said. “The connotation behind my offensive line has been annoying and frustrating because they work their tail off to go out there. Whether guys are fighting injuries. Whether guys can’t play and we have other guys stepping up. . . . I’ve taken sacks, yes. A good amount have been on me.”
The former first overall pick is one to always try to make the play. At times, that does result in him holding the ball for too long as Williams will continue to run and look for the open man. It has worked numerous times throughout the season, but it is also what has caused him to be sacked so many times.
Williams is not just the most sacked player in the league but in the history of the Chicago Bears. He is the second most-sacked rookie in NFL history, with David Carr holding the record by being sacked 76 times.
Though Williams is taking the blame, that does not take away from the poor offensive line play either. The pass protection has remained a weakness for the Bears. The constant rotation of starters makes it challenging for a team. Looking to improve the line should be a priority for the Bears in the offseason.
Playing through multiple coaching changes has not helped either. The Bears fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron in November. Not long after, Chicago coach Matt Eberflus was also let go. The constant coaching changes make it hard for players to adjust.
Chicago is on the hunt for a new head coach, with Kliff Kingsbury and Ben Johnson being two offensive-minded coaches potentially being eyed for the position. Whoever the Bears hire, they will look to bring out the potential of the 2024 number-one draft pick and provide stability to the team.