The decision to put off a Bears physical by Caleb Williams until after USC's March 20 pro day can say plenty about the entire quarterback situation.
The story, reported by SI.com's Albert Breer, said the Williams "camp" didn't want him taking a physical Tuesday in a Top 30 visit with the Bears.
A Top 30 visit is what teams do with players who are possible draft picks, usually in the month of April or very late March. They allow the player to learn a good deal more about the teams and vice versa.
An 18-minute sit-down at the combine, one of 45 teams are allowed to do there, is not going to tell a team everything and neither will a few minutes after a workout at the campus.
The Top 30 visit is fairly essential. It's called Top 30 but it's just a name, really. They are allowed 30 visits with players at their facility but it doesn't necessarily mean it's their top 30 players on their draft board or even the top 30 they think they'll have a chance to draft. A visit could just as easily be a smokescreen to make some other team think they're interested in a player.
At these visits, there is no on-field work allowed. It's a visit with a tour of the facilities, more interviewing, and physicals.
In this case, Williams pushing back allowing any medical information out on a visit does a few things.
If there was any doubt Fields was being traded after GM Ryan Poles' comments at the combine—and there shouldn't have been—this pretty much seals the current Bears QB is gone. It also means they had decided this already.
Poles said he didn't want to keep Fields in "the gray," in other words, leave him hanging. So Poles wanted to get a deal done quickly.
There was the pre-combine report by Breer that a framework for what the Bears were going to do was expected to be in place at the combine.
And finally, now, there was this desire by the Bears to rush Williams in for a physical at Halas Hall at a time when Top 30 visits normally are not held. They obviously want answers now because they've decided Fields is being traded and, most likely, have some sort of agreement possible.
They need to know their alternative isn't hiding some sort of serious situation before deciding to get rid of a quarterback.
The Bears apparently had decided Fields wasn't coming back based on their off-season evaluations, done prior to the combine.
Otherwrise, if they hadn't then they would have been willing to wait on all of this as it developed. What difference would leaving Fields in "the gray," matter if the possibility existed he was coming back anyway. The gray in this case is simply where they're sending him.
It would not be surprising if they've had the possibility of his departure in the back of their minds since last year when they made the trade down with Carolina and got back an extra first-round pick.
The entire quarterback class was expected to be strong and from all appearances it is.
Having a plan set up ahead of time like this just says Fields wasn't coming back.
You don't just trade this... You take this and say ok how do we make this a regular occurrence... Beef the line, add a couple more weapons and these happen 12/15 snaps. You get this 12/15 snaps and we are talking ELITE QB play. #Bears #Haul ⬇️ https://t.co/h6JknhcJfK
— Doug Dyer ⬇️ (@Mr_Freshlee) March 4, 2024
Whether or not Williams has the right to hold back his medical information at the combine or doesn't isn't relevant here. Of course it's his perogative like it always was for players but they have always chosen to cooperate.
The fact he's not when other players through history haven't says something about where his personal interests rate in relation to his team's or the league's interests.
Again, not that this is wrong or right, it says this flat out that Williams is not going to be be as easy for the Bears to handle as other players have, and they really want him to the point where this doesn't matter.
The fact he also then said he's not coming to Halas Hall this week and will do so at a later date says this to an even greater extent.
Rookie holdouts are really rare these days because everything is slotted, but it happens sometimes over contract wording technicalities. Ask Roquan Smith. It happened to him in 2018 and he missed his rookie training camp. You have to wonder if the Bears might be looking at something like this when Williams is making so many predraft demands.
Williams is not afraid to take a stand but the Bears have to be concerned that stand will be against them, whether it's cash on a second contract, terms of the first contract or another situation that develops through the course of the first deal on or off the field.
The Bears organization hasn't exactly been a team willing to let players enjoy great autonomy over the years in actions or at expressinng themselves.
This can all indicate they're going to have to get used to learning a new way of doing things with Williams around. They're going to have to allow players greater leeway.
There's a new sheriff in town.
Ryan Poles was like —“Hey you’re already in Indy . Why not just run on up to Chicago and meet us at Halas Hall Tomorrow Caleb!”
— K (@situationbears) March 4, 2024
Caleb was like nah I’m good.
lol
Assumptions have run rampant about the Bears' need to draft a wide receiver if they get a chance to draft one of the top three available with the ninth pick overall. The logic went that they would naturally want a top receiver in the draft to pair with their new QB.
Tackle might be an even bigger need, someone like Olu Fashanu or Joe Alt now instead of a receiver.
Braxton Jones is an average to slightly above average left tackle according to Pro Football Focus grades for two seasons. It's possible they can get the bookend tackle complement to right tackle Darnell Wright with the ninth pick. This could be important because it's now apparent Williams is the direction they're going.
It's generally easier to find wide receiver free agency help than it is to find tackle help.
Olu Fashanu talks about his meeting with the Chicago Bears and his High School days with Caleb Williams. pic.twitter.com/OHBqHYaYXL
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) March 2, 2024
The reason Williams can point them to tackle now is:
Allocation of resources is an enormous part of this puzzle.
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) March 4, 2024
Alt/Fashanu are great prospects. Braxton is a good-to-very good LT making 5th round money.
Upgrading the WR spot makes more sense. Going from meh to good/very good at WR is a more important upgrade than LT here. https://t.co/AiBGv7BlBX
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