NFL Veteran Blatantly Calls Caleb Williams the Worst First-Round Quarterback Ever

Expectations were sky-high for Caleb Williams after being drafted No. 1 in the 2024 draft. However, his time with the Chicago Bears hasn’t been great, as he has managed to scrape together just four victories so far. After another defeat this week, this time against the struggling Patriots, it was the final straw for former NFL wide receiver-turned-analyst James Jones.

During his appearance on ‘The Facility,’ Jones pulled no punches while expressing his thoughts on the rookie’s performance. Discussing the Bears’ 19-3 loss where Williams posted his lowest QBR yet at 13.6, Jones said:

“Right now, as we stand, he’s the worst first-round quarterback, and that’s just the honest truth about it… Caleb Williams looked bad out there.”

The former Super Bowl winner also mentioned the common excuses often used for Williams’ performance. Such as the receivers not getting open or the O-line failing to provide enough protection. Jones argued that while these issues might hold some truth, there are times when the quarterback has the chance to make simple plays, yet he fails to do so.

He also brought up the rookie being sacked repeatedly, a consistent woe of the season, while emphasizing that he’s not just saying all this for “clickbait” but because he feels it’s the “truth.”

“My man is not seeing what he’s supposed to see. My man is taking sacks sometimes that he’s not supposed to take. O-line is getting beat clearly sometimes to where it ain’t nothing he can do. But when it is something for him to do, make these simple throws, whether it’s outside the pocket, whether it’s inside the pocket, he’s not making them.”

Jones has made his feelings about Williams crystal clear, even saying how judging by his current performance he would “pick [the rookie] last” among other rookie QBs. It’s safe to assume that while the USC alum was all the craze in college, his transition to the big league has been far from smooth.

Going into Week 11, Williams has amassed 9 touchdowns, 1,785 passing yards, 5 interceptions, and a whopping 38 sacks. In light of these numbers, his draft night text to fellow rookies doesn’t stand the test of time.

Caleb Williams’ poke backfires

When Tory Taylor was drafted by the Bears as the 122nd overall, the Iowa product received a special text from the team’s new quarterback. Williams had humorously texted that Taylor wouldn’t get to punt too much in Chicago.

“Caleb [Williams] just texted me before saying ‘Hey you’re not going to punt too much here,’ which is great,” shared Taylor, as per ESPN. “That was pretty funny.”

However, nine weeks into the season, the tables have completely turned in the punter’s favor. While Williams has managed to scrape together 2,021 total yards, Taylor is already ahead with 2,153 punting yards.

This exchange, combined with the stats, certainly casts the quarterback in a bad light. However, the season is far from over. Caleb Williams still has time to prove his mettle as the 2024 NFL Draft’s top pick, with the next opportunity coming in the Bears’ Sunday matchup against the Green Bay Packers.