NFL Exec: Caleb Williams Would Be Top-10 QB Now amid Justin Fields, Bears Rumors

The Chicago Bears own the Carolina Panthers' first-round pick in 2024 and have a good shot at earning the No. 1 pick for the second year in a row. In that case, the franchise would face a tough decision on whether to keep Justin Fields or move on from him in favor of one of the top quarterback prospects.

However, an NFL executive told ESPN's Courtney Cronin that the decision shouldn't be tough at all because USC star and 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams has the skills to be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL as soon as he enters the league.

"I thought from last year's film, he would be top 10 the day he showed up," the anonymous AFC executive said. When asked if he meant a top 10 draft pick or top 10 quarterback when he gets to the NFL, he said, "The latter."

It's understandable that the executive was enamored by Williams' 2022 tape, as he recorded 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns and five interceptions. He wasn't as dominant in 2023 as USC struggled down the stretch and finished with a 7-5 record, but he still posted impressive numbers of 3,633 yards, 40 touchdowns and five picks.

Williams and North Carolina's Drake Maye are projected as the top quarterback prospects in a talented 2024 draft class. While Fields has shown flashes of brilliance in his three-year career, he hasn't been able to turn the Bears into a winning franchise. Many believe there are multiple benefits of moving on from Fields at this point.

"Justin Fields is going to have to play out of his mind, because if it's close, the economics are so compelling to take another quarterback to reset the clock," ESPN front office insider Mike Tannenbaum said. "If you could reset the clock on a rookie quarterback alone, Justin Fields would have to be two to three times the player to not take a quarterback because you have to think about all those other players you can add with the savings."