Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has been given a ranking that is sure to catch his attention, and Pete Prisco’s latest CBS Sports list is the kind of thing that can stick in a locker room.
Prisco put together his top ten quarterbacks for the 2026 season, and Williams was left outside that group. Matthew Stafford, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, and Patrick Mahomes all came in ahead of him, which is easy enough to understand given what those quarterbacks have already done. They have the production, the postseason hardware, and the kind of long track records Williams is still building.
The part that turns heads is what came next. Dak Prescott, Jordan Love, Jared Goff, and Drake Maye were all placed above Williams as well, and that is where the ranking starts to feel out of step.
Fans just saw Williams beat Love in a playoff game, and Williams has reached that point in far less time than Prescott has spent in the league. He also already has half as many playoff wins. The gap only gets harder to explain when you get to the eye test, where Prescott and Goff do not offer the same arm talent or ability to create when plays break down.
That is not a shot at either quarterback. It is simply a reminder that Williams brings a different level of talent, and that has already shown up with an early-career playoff win.
The case against Maye is different, but it is there too. Williams was drafted ahead of him for a reason, and while some will point to Maye’s Super Bowl appearance, the path there matters.
The Houston Texans are not an impressive team, and that was New England’s second-round win. The Denver Broncos then sent the Patriots to the Super Bowl by being forced to start their backup quarterback.
So when the list is finished, the conclusion is pretty simple: every team in the league would take Williams as a top-ten quarterback if given the choice. Whether the conversation is about 2026 specifically or the bigger picture beyond that, leaving him outside the top ten feels like a mistake.
It is the kind of ranking that could end up looking badly off once the 2026 season plays out, especially if Williams takes the next step that many around the Bears believe is coming.
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