Bears veterans want Caleb Williams benched after ex-coordinator fired: report

admin November 13, 2024

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Bears veterans want Caleb Williams benched after ex-coordinator fired: report

The Chicago Bears made a big move, firing offensive coordinator Shane Waldron as the team’s offense continues to struggle this season.

And a new report says Waldron wasn’t the only problem the Bears thought they had in the locker room.

Former Bears receiver and current ESPN Chicago broadcaster Tom Waddle wrote in The X on Tuesday that Bears players weren’t just pushing for Waldron’s release. They wanted Williams, the team’s No. 1 pick, to be benched.

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Chicago Bears linebacker Caleb Williams sits on the bench in the final minutes of the game. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

“After speaking with several people with knowledge of the situation, the players approached Matt Eberflus and Ryan Poles asking them to make a change at offensive coordinator,” Waddle wrote in X. “There were also a few veteran players who asked (Tyson) Bagent to start.”

Bagent played solidly last season as an undrafted rookie, playing in five games due to an injury to Justin Fields. He was 2-2 as a starter, throwing for three touchdowns, six interceptions, 859 yards and a 65.7% completion rate.

Bagent also scored two rushing touchdowns and rushed for 109 yards on 23 attempts.

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Last week, Williams was dropped nine times in the pocket and showed accuracy with the ball. The Bears fell to the lowly New England Patriots, who had rookie Drake Maye quarterbacking their offense.

Bears coach Matt Eberflus said Williams will remain the team’s starter even though Waldron has been fired. Thomas Brown, the team’s passing game coordinator, has taken over as offensive coordinator now that Waldron is gone.

“Definitely this game has a lot to learn from me, just talking about some of the things that are going on,” Williams said Sunday after the loss, per the New York Post.

Chicago Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent (17) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

“Obviously, there are a few passes in every game that you wish you could take back and things like that. But I think, situationally, this game was a good learning experience for me and some of these situations I could have done better for sure.”

Williams’ season didn’t start off on the right foot, but he seemed to be gaining momentum after the team went on a three-game winning streak, including a four-game tie in London against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

However, Williams has yet to find an end zone through the air in the past three weeks during the loss that dropped the Bears to 4-5. In fact, the Bears’ offense hasn’t scored a touchdown in back-to-back weeks.

The Bears have the NFC North gauntlet in their next three games, too. Williams will be facing the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions in that schedule.