LAKE FOREST, IL (AP) Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles has lofty expectations for rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.Rather than a specific win or stat total this season, there are qualities Poles wants to see from the first pick of the 2024 draft. Theyre not unlike what he saw while working in Kansas City and the quarterback was Patrick Mahomes.Lean on the guys around him, be instinctual, let those wild plays happen at the right time, Poles said during his annual regular-season opening news conference. "We saw it in the preseason a little bit. Thats gonna be important.The key for Williams, Poles said, is relying on teammates do their jobs first before moving outside the pocket to make big throws downfield like he made in the preseason and in two years at USC. ADVERTISEMENT While Mahomes eventually did this for the Chiefs, he only played one game as a rookie.So it would seem there is pre sure on the first pick in this years NFL draft to produce immediately. Mahomes has shown he's at his best when facing pre sure. This is also what the Bears have in mind for Williams as well.Its interesting because I know theres a lot of comparisons out there, but I dont know what Patricks rookie year would have looked like, Poles said. But I know in Year 2 you saw exactly that.When the Kole Calhoun Jersey pre sure went up he was calm, and then when it was time to do something special he was able to do it and connect. But I also think you know we probably dont talk about it enough he really gave opportunities for special players to be special and I really think thats what took it over the edge.Poles hopes to see Williams producing in the clutch this way.I kinda say its their heartbeat, Williams said. Does their heartbeat skyrocket in those pre sure situations? Or do you see this calm?Whether Williams has this ability to perform under pre sure is the great unknown.Were not going to know until were in it, in terms of the pro side of it, Poles said. But thats what I look for.I want the game to slow down, for there to be a level of poise, and again, Ill go back to is there that same combination of taking what a defense gives you, leaning on your talent and then when youre forced to be special, be special.Williams completed 10 of 20 for 170 yards with a 79.2 pa ser rating in preseason, made several big throws out of the pocket but had i sues with consistency.Bears coach Matt Eberflus leaned on another sport to describe the expectations for Williams.So we all know what he can do in terms of his arm talent, in terms of throwing on the move and those types of things, Eberflus said. But in the early parts of the game and early downs, hes just asked to play point guard, have a great operation, play a point guard, get the ball to our skill, either by handing it off or throwing it to them and letting them do the running and moving around and gaining the yards.Its not entirely on Williams, though. Hell need to be given a chance to get the ball to playmakers such as DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and rookie Rome Odunze.Its going to be big that our offensive line plays well like Ive said in the past and everybody plays well around him, thats defense and special teams included, Eberflus said. And then when you get to the point in the game where it is a critical down or a third down or in the red zone or whatever that might be, then you might see X-factor come out and thats where it is.Poles expectations for the team itself are high, as well. Ultimately, they hinge on his highly touted pa ser because the Bears defense proved itself late last season after the trade for pa s rusher Montez Sweat.To win the division, win Super Bowls, thats always the goal, Poles said. Obviously getting into the playoffs and winning playoff games would be outstanding.But I think the biggest thing is can we take that big jump from where we were last year to this year, and I think were capable of
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