Devin Hester, the legendary return specialist from the Chicago Bears, is throwing some valuable advice in the direction of Caleb Williams, the 2024 first overall draft pick who faced quite a rocky initiation into the NFL with the Bears. As a former Bear himself, Hester's words carry a certain weight, especially as he focuses on helping Williams unlock his potential.
Hester shared his thoughts during a lively chat on Kay Adams' "Up & Adams" show, where he dove straight into what Williams could fine-tune in his game. "I would say, just getting rid of the ball a little quicker," Hester shared, honing in on one of the most crucial aspects of a quarterback's craft.
Sure, Williams can scramble with the best of them, but as Hester points out, sometimes the key is simply to not hang on too long. Quarterback jitters and the speed of an NFL game are lessons every rookie learns, and it seems Williams’ experience hasn't been any different.
But don't mistake critique for pessimism—Hester clearly has high hopes for Williams’ future. "This year, if he can get rid of the ball a little quicker... the sky's the limit for him," he said, reinforcing his belief that quick decision-making will be pivotal.
Williams, unfortunately, bore the brunt of a brutal season in 2024, leading the league with a staggering 68 sacks as the Bears stumbled to a 5-12 finish. Enter Ben Johnson, the new head coach with fresh ideas and an actionable plan to elevate Williams' game.
Johnson, known for his offensive masterminding in Detroit, is already aligning with Hester’s insights. At the NFL owners meeting in Florida, he discussed his approach, focusing on reducing the amount of time Williams hangs on to the ball. "It takes a village," Johnson remarked, emphasizing the collaborative effort required to nurture a promising talent like Williams.
Johnson highlighted the significant changes in store, particularly emphasizing a shift in Williams' playing style. For a quarterback accustomed predominantly to the shotgun formation throughout his high school and college tenure, this will be quite the transition. Johnson and his team plan to familiarize Williams more with taking snaps under center, aiming to diversify his skill set and comfort level in different play setups.
Williams' records highlight the gap. In college, he attempted a mere seven passes from under center, and his rookie season saw significantly more action from shotgun, clocking 575 dropbacks versus just 84 under center.
Why the shift? Johnson's proven strategies in Detroit showed great results, with the highest percentage of plays under center last season.
His philosophy, heavy on play-action, is viewed as a potential game-changer for Williams, as well. The goal is clear: limit those sacks and bump that completion rate above the 62.5% mark that placed him in 31st among quarterbacks last year.
All eyes are on how these adjustments will unfold as the Bears launch their offseason program. With Hester's insights and Johnson's strategies, Bears fans have plenty of reasons to keep their optimism high for a fruitful season ahead.
