Despite the fact that the Chicago Bears own the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft and USC quarterback Caleb Williams is the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck, the whole locker room may not want him.
In fact, multiple Chicago Bears players spoke out in support of former quarterback Justin Fields who is now with the Pittsburgh Steelers. One of those players was star corner Jaylon Johnson, who recently inked a massive deal with the Bears. He offered support for Fields, but did say he would be ready to play for whoever is behind center.
However, while making an appearance on “Up and Adams”, Johnson did say that Williams needs to check himself before entering the league.
“What you did in college, the Hollywood, it’s like ‘nah, you gotta prove yourself,’” Johnson said. “That stuff, like, that doesn’t matter. You gotta get to know him, too. I think there’s a fine line between trying to prove a point to him but you also gotta get to know him. Because at the end of the day, we want him to be the absolute best he can be. That’s what we’re bringing him in for to win games. I think truly just learning who he is as a person and learning him deeper than just all the Hollywood stuff you see, but actually trying to learn and get to know him and then knowing what pushes him.”
Williams is viewed by some as being high-maintenance, and has already rubbed some people the wrong way by reportedly wanting equity in whatever team he is on. There were also plenty of rumors about him skipping out on the draft this year just to not have to play for certain teams.
At the end of the day, once the Bears presumably call his name on draft day, he will have a handful of veterans ready to guide him. If he takes the advice from guys like Johnson, he certainly will win over the locker room. However, if he struggles to recognize that he’s a part of a team, it may get awkward.