Caleb Williams is the youngster who brings the Chicago Bears into the modern-day NFL

When you talk about the history of the NFL you talk about the Chicago Bears. The Bears, entering their 105th season, are one of the oldest teams in the league. They won championships before the Super Bowl was created. They also have the most players enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

Unfortunately for the fans, everything about them exudes old. In the early days of the league, teams depended on running the ball and using a strong defense. When that happened, the Bears were one of the toughest teams around. They have a long history of great running backs and some of the best defensive players ever.

However, as teams developed more complex offenses and threw the ball more, the Bears continued with the same old philosophy. The team seems to look for the same GM who is not as concerned about developing a modern offense. As a result, the franchise has become more and more irrelevant. With few playoff appearances in the past few decades, they continued to fall.

Quarterback Caleb Williams will be the player who finally helps usher the Chicago Bears into the modern days of the NFL.

Even the owners exude old. The McCaskey family owns the team and they are the epitome of old school. Virginia McCaskey, age 101, is the principal owner of the team. Her son, George McCaskey, is 68 years old but knows nothing about football. He is better businessman and it shows. Despite not winning a title since 1986, the Chicago Bears are one of the most valuable teams in the league.

This draft could change the narrative surrounding the Bears

Things appear to change this week when the draft takes place. The Bears have the number one pick and all signs point to the team selecting USC quarterback Caleb Williams. When that selection becomes official on Thursday night, it will usher in a new era of football in Chicago.

To be more exact, the change in the Chicago Bears' philosophy started in January of 2022 when the McCaskeys hired Ryan Poles. He came in and had a clear vision of his rebuild attempt. He was different from other GMs by tearing down the roster and building a complete team. The others were content with putting patches on the roster. That resulted in big seasons now and then but not in a consistent contender.

Now Poles is about to bring in someone from Generation Z to lead the franchise. Williams is not the type of player we are used to seeing lead the Bears. He is bold and confident to the point of being cocky. There is no concern coming from him about what others think. He will paint his fingernails and wear something that looks like a dress. His feeling is that when he hits the field and wins games, no one will care.

Yes, we've seen a bold quarterback lead the Bears. Jim McMahon was known as the Punky QB. The Bears drafted him fifth overall in the 1982 draft. He played in Chicago for seven seasons and led the 1985 team to a dominating season. That team went 15-1 in the regular season then breezed through the postseason, allowing just 10 points in their entire playoff run. That team is known as one of the greatest team in league history.

McMahon was certainly a player who was a part of the counter-culture. He amassed fines for not following the rules and his attitude rubbed people the wrong way. Does that sound familiar?

The fans loved McMahon and his attitude. However, he could not stay healthy and was not as talented as Williams is. He made some plays but was never considered among the best quarterbacks of his era.

There have been other "out there" players in Chicago. The one that easily comes to mind is Dennis Rodman. Rodman helped the Chicago Bulls win three consecutive NBA titles. He wore dresses, painted his nail as well as his hair, and had crazy antics. He was one of the most popular players on the team.

There is a difference between McMahon and Rodman, however. Williams is a lot more talented than McMahon. There are some who consider Williams a generational talent. He draws comparisons to Peyton Manning, Patrick Mahomes, and Aaron Rodgers. He has the chance to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of his era.

In comparison to Rodman, Williams is the opposite. Rodman was a two-time champion and was one of the best players in the NBA. He was established as a great player and was already doing his antics.

Now Williams looks to be the next free spirit in Chicago. He will bring a winning mentality to the team and make the atmosphere so much more fun.

The Bears will have a modern offense with Williams at the helm

Now with Williams, the Bears will have a modern-day offense. Poles already turned the Yugo offense into a Lamborghini. He spent the offseason revamping the unit. Days after the regular season ended, he fired nearly the entire offensive coaching staff and replaced it with Shane Waldron, who had some success running a modern offense with the Seattle Seahawks.

Then Poles added a ton of players who will transform the offense. He added running back D'Andre Swift. In addition to his strong running, he can also catch passes out of the backfield. Additionally, he traded for offensive lineman Ryan Bates and signed free agents Coleman Shelton and Matt Pryor.

Poles was not finished, however. He also signed free agent tight end Gerald Everett. He is a very good pass catcher who gives Williams another big target in addition to Cole Kmet. Then he finished Part 1 of the revamp by trading for six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen. Allen and DJ Moore give Williams two incredible, athletic receivers who are accustomed to making big plays.

Moore and Allen combined for 2,607 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns in 2023. The entire Chicago Bears passing game combined for 3,096 yards and 19 touchdowns. Now imagine the dynamic duo doing their thing for the Bears in 2024.

Poles could add even more offensive players in the draft. As a result, Williams could be stepping into the best situation any quarterback selected with the number one pick has ever had. Compare it to last year, when the Carolina Panthers had a barren roster for number one pick Bryce Young. With their lack of talent, Carolina finished with just two wins (hence why the Bears ended up with the number one pick).

Some feel that even if they still had Fields, the Bears could make the playoffs with the players they currently have. Replace Fields with the talents of Williams and this can be the best offense in Chicago Bears history. That scoreboard in Soldier Field could have smoke coming out of it with all the points scored.

Poles said recently that he wanted to change the narrative around the Bears and their lack of quarterback development. It looks as if he meant that. He has an incredible quarterback taking over an incredible offensive roster. Williams has an eternal amount of confidence and will do things his way. We will see an entirely new way of play from the Chicago Bears and see the start of an exciting new era.