Caleb Williams has been subject to a constant state of comparison since he took the field during OTAs and team minicamp. Comparisons are inevitable in sports, especially when it comes to the quarterback position in the NFL. When a team acquires a new quarterback, fans and analysts are always looking to see if that team upgraded from their previous starter.
That’s why Chris Simms’ annual Top 40 QB Countdown is a little more intriguing to Chicago Bears fans this year. Obviously, where rookie signal caller Caleb Williams lands on the list piques curiosity, but we can’t help but wonder where he ranks in comparison to his predecessor, Justin Fields.
Caleb Williams was ranked generously by Chris Simms
Williams is ranked No. 20 on Simms’ top 40 list, ahead of some well-established starters such as Derek Carr, Deshaun Watson, and even Pittsburgh’s Russell Wilson. In fact, when Simms joined the “Under Center Podcast” in early June, he confirmed Williams as the highest he’s ever ranked a rookie quarterback.
Pittsburgh’s projected backup Justin Fields is ranked No. 25. Fields was supposed to be “the guy” in Chicago that ended the quarterback drought that has plagued the organization for decades. He was the one that Bears fans pinned all their hopes on in an attempt to erase past memories of futility at the position. Now Caleb Williams shoulders that responsibility, and all eyes are on both young quarterbacks as training camp nears.
The annual Top 40 QB Countdown is over. Always stressful but always revealing to rewatch and rethink about all these guys. Overall, the NFL QB position is in great shape. pic.twitter.com/4ZDyJy95Ol
— Chris Simms (@CSimmsQB) June 11, 2024
Minicamp was up-and-down for Williams. He showed glimpses of his first-round talent, but also exposed areas to improve on in training camp. This was to be expected, considering Williams is a rookie and has a learning curve just like every young quarterback.
Justin Fields’ struggles are still exposed in Pittsburgh
The reports coming out of Steelers camp regarding Justin Fields are a little more concerning. He struggled in minicamp and is said to be behind expected starter Russell Wilson on the quarterback depth chart. Fields struggled with accuracy and his read progessions, the same struggles he had with the Bears. What’s concerning for the Steelers is this will be Fields’ fourth NFL season and his progress has been rather slow. They hope to speed that up with a change of scenery and a different coaching staff.
Ranking a top 40 list of NFL quarterbacks is no easy task. But ranking players who have yet to play a snap in the NFL is even more difficult. Simms, a former NFL quarterback, has valuable insight and knowledge on the subject. But when all he has to go off of is OTAs and mini camp so far, it’s really an educated guess as to where Caleb Williams ranks among all quarterbacks. However, the fact that he has him ahead of former Bears starter Justin Fields and a number of other NFL starters is a promising sign.
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