(670 The Score) One of the peers that Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has a great appreciation for and has studied is Jets veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a four-time NFL MVP.
Scrambling with the intention to buy time for a potentially explosive throw downfield has been a hallmark of Rodgers’ career, and it’s also a focus for the 22-year-old Williams as he enters his rookie season after Chicago selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. If Williams gets his way, he'll rarely scramble for yardage.
“I don’t necessarily want to run or enjoy running as much as I enjoy throwing an explosive or just a positive play down the field to one of my guys when the play breaks loose,” Williams said in an interview with Matt Spiegel and Mark Grote on Wednesday afternoon. “And a lot of times in games or anything like that, there’s always explosive plays once you break the pocket. Obviously, you have things set up within the pocket and explosive plays that happen within the pocket, but a lot of plays become really explosive when you break the pocket. So I’m always looking to throw knowing that factor. And then when it gets time to run – third downs, time to go win or fourth quarter, anything like that, two-minute – it’s time to go run sometimes. So it’s just picking and choosing.
“The throw, in my mind, the throw always comes first.”
Williams and the Bears will open the regular season by hosting the Titans at Soldier Field on Sept. 8.