For their entire NFL careers, Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears and Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders will be forever linked. That’s just the nature of the beast when you’re both top quarterback prospects and ultimately go No. 1 and No. 2 respectively in the draft.
As it stands, Daniels is the clear winner in their brewing rivalry. Not only did he win the head-to-head matchup, on an unbelievable Hail Mary, but Daniels went on to win Rookie of the Year. While Williams has certainly received praise throughout the offseason, it hasn’t been on the level of Daniels.
After already one year, the Commanders star has been crowned the next quarterback king of the league. That is only more evident in ESPN’s preseason quarterback rankings, where Daniels ranked fifth. Williams wasn’t even an honorable mention.
“Daniels’ phenomenal rookie season demanded an appearance somewhere in the top 10,” Jeremy Fowler of ESPN wrote. “That he pushed his way into the top five, narrowly outdistancing Stafford in the voting, shows voters have no problem validating his hype.
“Last season, Daniels posted the fourth-highest QBR in the NFL (70.6), the best mark for a rookie since Dak Prescott in 2016,” he continued. “But he was even better on third and fourth downs, recording a league-leading 95.3 QBR on those downs.”
Caleb Williams vs Jayden Daniels
In their first NFL face off, Williams completed 10-of-34 passes for 134 yards. Daniels completed 21-of-38 passes for 326 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 52 yards on eight carries. Take away how that game concluded and it was still a microcosm of both quarterback’s rookie seasons.
Daniels went on to throw for 3,568 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He added another 891 yards and six touchdowns on the ground on the way to the Pro Bowl. Furthermore, the Commanders reached the NFC Championship Game after previously not making the playoffs since 2020.
On the surface, Williams’ passing stats look similar as he threw for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. However, he didn’t nearly show the same level of playmaking ability on the ground, running for 489 scoreless yards. Most damning, the Bears went 5-12 overall and endured a 10-game losing streak.
Of course, Daniels had his coaching staff in place while Williams saw his crumble. Still, point one goes to the Commanders quarterback. Both sides will have an opportunity for a rematch in Week 6 on Monday Night Football.
Chicago Bears counting on Williams
While it’ll be early in the season, that game will have massive playoff implications. Furthermore, it’s an opportunity for new head coach Ben Johnson to erase the organization’s mistakes. If nothing else, Chicago has put Williams in a place to be far more successful in Week 6 and throughout his entire rookie season.
It all starts with Johnson, who the Bears poached from the Detroit Lions. His arrival gives Williams a true mentor and leader to build around. Furthermore, he is considered one of the best offensive minds in the NFL. After working his magic with Jared Goff, Johnson is expected to do the same with Williams.
The quarterback will also have a brand new offensive line in front of him entering 2025. Chicago traded for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson before signing center Drew Dalman in free agency. After allowing a league-high 68 sacks in 2024, the Bears ensure Williams doesn’t succumb to the same fate.
He’ll have plenty of strong passing options as well. Rookies Colston Loveland and Luther Burden joined an already strong core of DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Cole Kmet. Johnson will need to figure out how to make all the pieces fit together, but Williams will at least have a litany of talented pass catchers to target.
Ultimately, it’ll be up to the quarterback for the Bears to take a step forward. But Chicago has bought in and is all-in on Williams being their franchise star. When he takes on Daniels again, the whole NFL world will be watching.
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