Carmen Vitali
NFC North Reporter
Caleb Williams, the Chicago Bears’ 2024 No. 1 draft pick, is coming into the best situation a quarterback selected first overall has perhaps ever come into.
The roster is a three-years-long curation by general manager Ryan Poles to finally set a quarterback, and therefore the team, up for sustained success.
Most of the coverage has predictably gone to the arsenal of weapons with which Poles has armed Williams.
It started as far back as last offseason with the acquisition of wide receiver D.J. Moore in a trade out of the No. 1 pick. This past offseason, Poles made a splash in March with a trade for veteran receiver Keenan Allen, forfeiting a fourth-round pick in the process. Still not content, with Chicago’s second first-round pick, Poles selected Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze, one of the best wideouts in this year’s draft class.
And yet, I’m here to tell you the biggest factor in Williams’ success, and the unit that is taking the most responsibility for it, is actually his offensive line.
***
I sit with Bears left guard Teven Jenkins in the equipment-riddled pool house of former NFL center AQ Shipley’s house.
It’s June, just days after Chicago broke minicamp for the summer and Jenkins is back working in the sweltering Arizona heat, training with Shipley and two other NFL offensive linemen.
Jenkins is here of his own volition, having reached out to Shipley after seeing one of Shipley’s “In the Trenches” segments on “The Pat McAfee Show.” Jenkins appreciated Shipley’s breakdown of his play. Shipley invited Jenkins to Arizona.
I, in turn, invited myself.
And here we are, surrounded by every machine a professional lineman could ever want underneath a custom-made sign that says “Don’t Be a P—sy” hanging on the wall, listening to everything from Five Finger Death Punch to Bad Bunny to the “Lord of the Rings” soundtrack blaring over the loudspeaker.
“He’s a rookie so he’s…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/caleb-williams-development-bears-success-one-crucial-group
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Publish date : 2024-07-10 18:23:52
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