Bears GM Ryan Poles praises Caleb Williams' growth after five games

Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has progressed in his young career, showing growth in each of his first five games and has led the Chicago Bears to a 3-2 record going into their Week 6 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. That progress may not have him as the most talked about or celebrated rookie quarterback in this year's class, but the man who selected him is happy with where he is.

Speaking to the media ahead of the Bears' game on Sunday in London, general manager Ryan Poles was asked about where he feels his rookie quarterback is, and the answer was all positivity. Poles said Williams is "right where he should be and continuing to get better" through five weeks.

"You’ve seen that in terms of the efficiency, protecting the football, taking what’s given to him and then going into this last game, now explosives are starting to show up," Poles said. "So I really like his progress, I love the work ethic and the time that he’s put into it, the grit and toughness, the ability to bounce back from tough games."

From his growth in efficiency to playing mistake-free football, and taking what the defense is giving him, Poles praised Williams for all of his rising developments at the quarterback position. It is because of those growths that Poles sees the big explosive plays opening up for Williams, which was proven with his two touchdown passes against the Carolina Panthers last week that were 30-plus yard passes to receiver DJ Moore.

With the proof showing up on paper, taking a look at Williams' last 10 quarters of play compared to the first 10, show a significant growth in the rookie.

All of the stats are greater, minus the interceptions which have lowered as he continues to make improvements with ball protection. It's also worth noting that the Bears run game has gotten going in the past two weeks, allowing for the passing game to have more opportunities as the offensive line steps up with their protection as well.

He may not be the talk of the NFL media world just yet, but Poles is pleased with Williams and his progression through five games, and there's a chance for sustained success if this play and growth continues.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears GM Ryan Poles praises Caleb Williams' growth after five games