Neal: Bears QB Caleb Williams, the 2024 No. 1 pick, sets a blueprint for J.J. McCarthy

J.J. McCarthy is going to be a better quarterback a year from now.

You will be reminded of it Sunday when the Vikings play host to the Chicago Bears and quarterback Caleb Williams.

This next paragraph might be hard to read.

Williams is evolving and already has gone through some of the growing pains McCarthy is experiencing. He’s making the type of progress the Vikings and their fans want to see from McCarthy.

Before last season, I wrote that McCarthy was in a better situation than his draft classmate Williams because of the Vikings’ skill position talent and bookend offensive tackles. And the coaching infrastructure was enormously in the Vikings’ favor.

But McCarthy missed the season because of an injury and another five games this season because of an ankle sprain. Williams, the No. 1 overall pick, started 17 games, and before this season the Bears closed the gap with the hiring of Ben Johnson. Now Chicago has its own dashing, youngish offensive head coach with 5% body fat.

Williams has moved in front of McCarthy, the 10th pick in 2024, on the developmental path because he has already made 26 starts while McCarthy has made just four. We are still figuring out what type of quarterback McCarthy is. You see his fire and desire. You also see mistakes.

Williams has been through that already. He had to learn how to get plays called and teammates in the right spots this year while learning a new offensive system brought in by Johnson. The operation has gotten smoother since a flurry of false starts and delay of game penalties during the first few weeks.

McCarthy deserves some of the blame for the timing miscues on offense. Then the overthrows. The throws he rips that he should put more touch on.

Forcing balls to star wide receiver Justin Jefferson must be corrected. Try placing them where only No. 18 can get to them.

McCarthy has been less risk-averse than Williams. His six interceptions this season match Williams’ picks total during all of 2024. Williams’ issue was that he held on to the ball too long. That, plus a shaky offensive line, led to his NFL-high 68 sacks taken last season.

This season, Williams has been sacked only 14 times. Like the Vikings, the Bears rebuilt their interior offensive line during the offseason. Williams has more time to find open receivers. While many expected Johnson to be rigid with how Williams runs his system, he has allowed Williams to run more in recent weeks, which the Vikings need to prepare for Sunday.

You see flashes from McCarthy. He directed three touchdown drives in the fourth quarter during the comeback win in Chicago in Week 1. In Sunday’s loss to Baltimore, he made two nice throws to Jalen Nailor, one for a 62-yard gain on the opening drive, the other for a TD late in the fourth quarter. His timing with Jefferson on a pass into the end zone in the third quarter was perfect, the throw just a little off.

The 2024 quarterback class will be debated for years to come. Jayden Daniels (No. 2 to Washington) and Bo Nix (No. 12 to Denver) produced right away. Michael Penix (eighth to Atlanta) is providing teaching moments in his first year of starting.

If you are uncomfortable with a rival QB being a guide for McCarthy, then look at New England’s Drake Maye, who is completing 71.7% of his passes and has a 113.9 quarterback rating this season after starting 12 games in 2024. He was the third overall pick by New England last year.

Williams has taken a step forward this season, directing four game-winning drives, including the past two Sundays. He’s on pace to throw for more than 4,000 yards, which no Bears quarterback has done. Yes, Chicago’s quarterbacking history is that bad.

With more reps, and coach Kevin O’Connell’s guidance, McCarthy can one day flourish like Daniels, Nix and Maye have. Williams isn’t there yet either but is making progress.

“But now it’s just about continuing to carve this thing and shape it in a way where we’re helping him become the best version of himself, both short term and long term.”

It’s impossible to determine how long it will take McCarthy to consistently flourish. Right now, it’s easy to see how volatile development can be.