Bears Rumors: Caleb Williams to Use Wristband for 1st Time to Help Call Plays

Caleb Williams will wear a wristband for the first time in his NFL career as the Chicago Bears face off against the Indianapolis Colts, according to NFL Network's Stacey Dales (h/t NFL Network's Ian Rapoport).

The rookie quarterback played the first two games of his career without one as Chicago finished with a 1-1 record.

Rapoport noted that Williams and the Bears made the change in order to have a "faster and cleaner operation" when calling plays.

Dales explained that the 22-year-old has worn a wristband previously, but plays will now be called directly off the band in order to make the first-year quarterback's life a bit easier.

The change should allow Williams to get in and out of the huddle faster, giving him more time to examine defenses before the ball is snapped. The Bears have been called for two delay-of-game penalties this season which is tied for the most among all NFL teams, per the Football Database.

Chicago's playbook can also expand with the latest switch, as offensive coordinator Shane Waldron told reporters that variety is important when asked about helping Williams adjust to the professional level.

"Having good variety, having a good mix of what we're asking him to do in different known passing situations right there," Waldron said on Thursday, via Ryan Taylor of NBC Sports Chicago. "Obviously, having the run game come to life in some of those scenarios as well and really being able to mix and match and play with some variety."

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft hasn't surpassed expectations to start his NFL career just yet, but it's still too early to hit the panic button. Through two starts, Williams has completed 56.1 percent of his throws for 267 yards and zero touchdowns to go along with two interceptions. He's also been sacked nine times, tied for the highest mark among all signal-callers.

As Williams faces off against a Colts team that owns the No. 9 passing defense in the NFL, he should have an easier time calling plays in the huddle.