Caleb Williams is no normal No 1 pick, so what’s in store for Chicago Bears QB who could take to field for first time in Hall of Fame Game?

The Chicago Bears are eight training camp practices into the Caleb Williams era.

The former USC Trojans quarterback and 2022 Heisman Trophy winner was selected No.1 overall by the Bears in the 2024 NFL Draft and immediately cemented himself as the team’s starting quarterback and franchise player.

The curtain raiser to the 2024 NFL preseason takes place on Thursday with the annual NFL Hall of Fame Game at the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

The showpiece event will see the Chicago Bears go head-to-head with the much improved Houston Texans in what could be Williams’ first legitimate experience of pro football.

However, Williams — whose temperament and personality has been questioned by sceptics, and answered by experts — is no normal No.1 pick.

While other teams may use the exhibition as a means to give their rookie quarterback live reps, the threat of injury to a player who’s already secured QB1 status and carries the expectations of an entire organization on his shoulders, could force the Bears to rest Williams entirely.

As such, his status for the preseason contest remains up in the air.

But, if it was solely down to the heart-on-his-sleeve signal caller, he’d be suiting up in the Hall of Fame Game against the Texans.

“I always think there’s more pros than cons in anything, especially for a young guy like myself,” Williams said.

“The reps are always paramount for anybody like myself, a young rookie, a second-year guy, a third-year guy, it’s paramount. It’s really important and we’ll see about these preseason games coming, how they will play out.”

There’s a danger of reading too much into a rookie’s first training camp practices. But Williams is no average rookie, and the spotlight shines bright on a quarterback who has drawn comparisons to Patrick Mahomes throughout his college career.

Progress isn’t linear, though, and Williams has already experienced his first reality check after a sluggish Saturday practice that included multiple false start penalties and the defense dominating the Williams-led offense.

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The young QB got off to a slow start, throwing back-to-back interceptions in 7-on-7 work. In total, the Bears had five false starts and two delay of game penalties – just a day after having five false starts during the first padded practice Friday.

It was an overall sloppy day for the offense, but one that head coach Matt Eberflus fully expects as the Bears adjust to their new man under center.

“I also said to them after the practice, ‘Guys, all three phases have to play well for us to be a good football team'”, Eberflus said on Saturday.

“So, there’s going to be days where the defense struggles or special teams struggles, but it’s got to be all three phases hitting on all cylinders, and we’re just not there yet, and, of course, it’s early in training camp and I don’t expect us to be.”

Sunday was much better, as Williams showed the kind of bouncebackability he will need if he’s to succeed in the NFL.

The 22-year-old threw touchdowns to wide receivers Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze during team drills in the red zone.

In his eight training camp practices, Williams has shown flashes of what made him the most highly-sought after quarterback in a draft class loaded with supreme arm talent.

But he’s far from the finished article, and Williams knows he’s still got room for improvement ahead of the Bears’ regular-season opener against the Tennessee Titans on September 9.

“I think I’m on track to be ready,” Williams said. “Exactly where I need to be and where they want me to be. I’m excited. Every day I wake up, I’m learning something new. Getting ready for the season, preseason and these next practices.

“Very excited, still progressing. But we’re towards the end of install right now for this portion, which is very exciting. To think that not too long ago, I didn’t really know anything about this offense, and now I know a lot more than I did. So, progressing, excited and ready to go.”

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Questions have been asked about Williams’ enigmatic personality and emotional disposition that has seen him cry in his mother’s arms after a loss and wave a pink iPhone case as the women’s NCAA Tournament.

But for Williams’ new teammates, there’s no such concerns about his suitability for the big leagues.

“Nothing has surprised me [about Williams],” Bears wide receiver D. J. Moore exclusively told talkSPORT.

“He’s a great leader on the field. He’s just one of the guys off the field. I went into it again to know him with an open mind and he’s been nothing but great and amazing on the field because he’s just a learner and just wants to learn to lead the offense and just become the great player that he will be.”

Williams is part of a loaded Bears quarterbacks room that includes backup Tyson Bagent, six-year veteran Brett Rypien and undrafted rookie Austin Reed.

That mix of youthful exuberance and veteran know-how will likely be invaluable to Williams as he continues to get to grips as a starting rookie NFL quarterback over the coming weeks and months.

Williams is nothing if not self aware, and his ability to be vulnerable and to critique his own game is one of his many strengths.

He recently told reporters what weaknesses he’s looking to iron out of his game between now and the Week 1 clash with the Titans.

“I would say working on my blitz and coverage looks and feeling the umbrella of the defense,” Williams said when asked what he feels he needs to improve.

“And feeling that out to adjust protection; to adjust whether it’s a run, flip the run into it, flip the protection, get to a quick gain, get to a cover-zero check, however the structure of it works out. Just progressing, and a lot of that comes with seeing it and reps, and that’s why also preseason, those things are so important.”

Williams, and other primary starters, will find out in they’re playing in the Hall of Fame Game on Tuesday during Eberflus’ scheduled new conference.

“I would love to get out there and play,” Williams said. “It’s pretty awesome to be at Canton, but it’s coach’s decision.”

Sadly, on Tuesday afternoon, Eberflus confirmed that Williams won’t be playing in Canton.

In fact, he revealed that all of Chicago’s starters will not play a single snap in its first preseason game as the Bears are satisfied with where the team are presently at.

Eberflus added that backup Tyson Bagent will start the game at quarterback, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.