Through the first three games of his NFL career, No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams' performances have been up and down. In his first-ever game, Williams completed just 14 of 29 passes for 93 yards. He took a slight step forward, passing-wise, in his second game, going 23 of 37 for 174 yards; but he also threw two interceptions and took seven sacks. In Week 3, he dropped back more than 55 times and went 33 of 52 for 363 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, while taking four more sacks. The Bears went 1-2 during that stretch, as Williams has been playing behind a porous offensive line and, for the last two games, without one of his top targets in Keenan Allen.
If there is anyone who knows a thing or two about up-and-down performances during a rookie season while playing alongside a somewhat-depleted supporting cast, it's fellow former No. 1 overall pick Matthew Stafford. On the 2009 Detroit Lions, Stafford completed jut 53.3% of his passes at an average of only 6.0 yards per attempt, with just 13 touchdown tosses against 20 interceptions in 10 games. Stafford then missed all but three games of his sophomore season due to injury before quickly starting to become the player he is now, in Year 3.
Stafford sees a lot of similarities between his own rookie year and what Williams is going through now.
"Mine was tough for sure," Stafford said, via Pro Football Talk. "We were a team in a lot of transition at that point. It's a long time ago, trying to remember all of it. There were some big-time highs and there were some big-time lows, as far as my play and our team's performance. It's all a learning opportunity [and] a chance to find what you can do [and] what you can't do."
But he also sees a lot of potential in what Williams has shown to date.
"He's obviously immensely talented," Stafford said. "He makes plays every single week that you see on TV that blow you away as a quarterback. I sit there and go, man, that is some incredible stuff. I'm sure there are plays he wants back, like all of us. He seems like a sharp kid, obviously, really talented. I'm sure he'll figure it out more and more as he continues to play. I'm sure he is going to have a great career."
Stafford, obviously, has good cause to feel that way about Williams. He was the No. 1 pick in the draft for a reason, and he is indeed very talented. It's also worth noting that most rookie quarterbacks are not very good during their rookie seasons -- even those who eventually become good or even great players. Ask Stafford, or Peyton Manning, or Troy Aikman, just to name a few. The story of Williams' career is not even close to written yet, just three games in. He can start changing the story as soon as this Sunday against Stafford's Rams, and it wouldn't be surprising. Even if he doesn't, though, Stafford himself is evidence that Williams shouldn't be written off if his rookie year inconsistencies continue.
