Captain Caleb: Bears select Williams as one of 8 captains ahead of No. 1 pick's debut

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Caleb Williams has been winning over the Chicago Bears with his performance on the field as well as his magnetic personality, so much so that the No. 1 overall draft pick will enter his rookie season as a team captain.

The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner from Southern California was selected as one of eight captains in a vote by his teammates, the Bears announced on Monday.

“He went out there and proved himself, took command of the offense," receiver DJ Moore said. "He started opening up. People say that and we’re rocking with him.”

The Bears are counting on Williams to help lead them toward the top of the NFL and solidify a position that has long been a sore spot in Chicago, starting with the opener against Tennessee at Soldier Field on Sunday. Chicago has just three playoff appearances since the 2006 Super Bowl season.

Williams' arrival is a major reason why they have their sights set higher after going a combined 10-24 the first two seasons under general manager Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus.

The Bears traded former quarterback Justin Fields to Pittsburgh and handed the keys to Williams after he put up huge numbers over three seasons at Oklahoma and USC. He threw for 93 touchdowns with 14 interceptions in college, including 72 TD passes while getting picked off just 10 times over two years with the Trojans.

The player who grew up in Washington, D.C., and starred in Hollywood now has been endearing himself to Chicago since he was drafted. He has seemingly taught fans a new pose, for example, making a claw with his hand and snarling like a bear just about anytime the camera finds him out in public.

The athleticism and ability to make pinpoint throws he has shown in practices and preseason games have opened eyes. And when it comes to his work ethic and leadership, the reviews from Halas Hall have all been good. So in that sense, maybe it's not a surprise that he is a captain, even if it's an unusual spot for a rookie.

“He just continues to come in here and be who we want him to be,” star cornerback Jaylon Johnson said. “I feel like we know why we brought him in here and I feel like he continues to do that, continues to walk in those shoes and just continues to reset the bar for himself. I feel like it’s just a step in the right direction for him. I don’t think it’s a bit of a surprise coming in here being QB1.”

The Bears clearly are counting on Williams to start producing sooner rather than later. But it's not all on him, either.

They made several major offseason moves, including a trade with the Los Angeles Chargers for six-time Pro Bowl receiver Keenan Allen. They also drafted Rome Odunze with the No. 9 overall pick, giving them three potential playmaking wide receivers. Chicago also has two pass-catching tight ends with the returning Cole Kmet and newcomer Gerald Everett.

With a defense that started to come together last year after a midseason trade for edge rusher Montez Sweat, the Bears are eyeing their first playoff appearance since the 2020 season. It's a huge change from recent seasons.

“We knew what it was gonna be, how difficult it was gonna be,” Eberflus said. “We laid out the plan in terms of what it was gonna take and laying the foundation of our standards and how we operate as a football team. And how to bring those guys together. That’s the important part and we’ve always been together, even though the wins weren’t stacked up early on. We’ve always played together. We’ve always played the right way. Add talent, Year 3, we should see a good product on the field now.”

NOTES: The other captains are Moore, Johnson, Kmet, TE Marcedes Lewis, LB T.J. Edwards, LB Tremaine Edmunds and S Kevin Byard. ___

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Andrew Seligman, The Associated Press