The Chicago Bears made an incredible turnaround from being the worst in the NFC North to winning the division in 2025, with sophomore quarterback Caleb Williams taking a major step forward.
Williams’ speed, arm talent, and poise in clutch moments were on full display. While comparing him to Patrick Mahomes may seem premature, Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze believes Williams already holds an advantage over the Chiefs star in one key area.
Rome Odunze Claims Caleb Williams Has More Escapability Than Patrick Mahomes
The Bears reached the playoffs for the first time since 2020 last season, with Williams breaking Erik Kramer’s single-season franchise passing record. He finished with 3,942 passing yards, just 58 shy of the coveted 4,000-yard mark.
While his completion percentage was 58.1, Williams threw just 7 interceptions compared to 27 touchdowns. He consistently made plays under pressure, scrambling to extend drives and launch deep throws. In fact, only one quarterback in the league had more big-time throws, passes of 20 or more yards, than Williams.
Williams frequently escaped the pocket with craftiness and speed, and Odunze believes he does it even better than Mahomes.
“I think he definitely got more escapability than him,” he said on the “Downs 2 Business” podcast. “I think he’s faster, too. He picked a good amount of yards on his scrambles. And his arm talent is crazy too. He’s up there with the best when it comes to that. Absolutely.”
Odunze may have a point. Williams recorded top-tier speed among quarterbacks, even ranking ahead of Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Mahomes in that category. Although his accuracy remains a work in progress, he owns one of the lowest interception rates since entering the league, better than Mahomes, Jackson, Allen, and Joe Burrow over that span.
However, those traits have not yet translated into elite overall impact. According to PFSN’s QB Impact Metric, Williams ranked No. 20 among quarterbacks with a 76.1 grade. Mahomes ranked three spots ahead at No. 17, while Jackson placed 12th despite what was considered one of the least productive seasons of his career.
But the upside is undeniable. Longtime NFL analyst Colin Cowherd has even suggested that Williams’ potential at least warrants comparisons to the league’s elite.
Chicago, which fell in the Divisional Round after winning its first playoff game in 15 years, appears to be entering its Super Bowl window. With Williams still on his rookie contract, the Bears have financial flexibility to strengthen the roster and build one of the league’s most complete teams.
