Cole Kmet says there’s ‘peace of mind’ knowing Caleb Williams is QB1

Cole Kmet and the rest of the Chicago Bears’ veterans reported to training camp on Friday with a sense of optimism and outside expectations unlike anything that’s surrounded the team in years. Perhaps it’s a result of Caleb Williams, the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, being the club’s new QB1. He’s a generational prospect who’s already been given the keys to the offense, a strategy Kmet thinks will pay dividends for the Bears.

“I think the beauty of his situation: it’s no doubt here,” Kmet said. “He’s the guy going forward. There’s none of this question of when he’s going to get in (or) are we going to see him this year. You’re going to see him this year. He’s going to be in. He’s going to be getting a lot of reps. And I think that’s good for him. Maybe there’s peace of mind in that aspect.”

Think back to 2021, when Justin Fields was the Chicago Bears’ first-round quarterback. He entered training camp in a non-competition with veteran Andy Dalton, who then-head coach Matt Nagy declared the unquestioned starter despite Fields’ draft pedigree. It resulted in a weekly debate about when the right time to start Fields would be, and it ultimately proved to be a distraction.

That won’t be the case with Caleb Williams, who’s already earning respect from his teammates.

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Of course, it would be great if Williams could sit and learn for a season like Patrick Mahomes did behind Alex Smith. But as Kmet said, Mahomes’ situation was an anomaly.

“I think some guys really benefit from being able to sit a year,” Kmet said. ‘Now, that’s kind of a luxury in this day and age.”

The Bears don’t have — and, honestly, don’t want — that luxury. Williams is QB1, as he should be. He’ll get every rep with the starters, as he should. He’ll line up with the first-team offense in the first preseason game, as he deserves.

Hopefully, when the 2024 season is over, all of these reps, this time as the undisputed starter, will have proven to be a big part of his success.