Kmet breaks down Williams’ adjustment to the NFL |
CHICAGO — Tight end Cole Kmet has played with the Chicago Bears since 2020, the longest of anyone currently on the roster. As a result, Kmet has played with numerous different quarterbacks during his four-year career.
So, playing with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams during organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamps is not new territory for him. “I’ve played with a bunch of different quarterbacks at this point now. So, that’s nothing new. But, really, just being patient with it, kind of understanding that there’s a learning process to it, and especially as a rookie, there’s a lot that you got to learn coming into the league,” Kmet said. “So, I thought he’s done a great job so far throughout OTAs. You can see those steps he’s taken week to week, and there is definitely an element of patience there has to be just because of where he’s at in his career, and that’s totally understandable.” As a Heisman winner and quarterback of a Power-5 team like Southern California, Williams faced considerable scrutiny during his collegiate career. However, he always stayed true to himself and was unapologetic for who he is, a quality that Bears players like Kmet appreciate about him as they have gotten to know him as a player and a person. “Obviously, you hear a ton of things, and you don’t know what’s true and what’s not, and you hear the Hollywood-like divaness, which is kind of funny because he’s only spent a year or two in LA. He’s not even from LA, so that’s kind of funny,” Kmet said. “But, no, definitely after when I first met him and going on forward, you definitely get a different perspective and you really wonder where those things come from.” Everyone knew before the NFL Draft who Chicago was going to take with the No. 1 overall pick. So, Williams had the opportunity prior to the draft to learn some of the concepts in the playbook. Now that OTAs and minicamps have taken place, veterans like Kmet can see the benefits of Williams having that access to the playbook, as there are some things he is already very familiar with and very comfortable with. “You can tell the concepts he’s very comfortable with when he makes those tight window throws and you see that on the film whether it’s some of the spacing routes that we have,” Kmet said. “You can definitely tell the concepts that he’s grown in comfort with and based on the results you see in practice. So, you can definitely see an element of that for sure.” Right now, the biggest challenge for Williams is the cadence. All in all that is a minor issue for a rookie quarterback to be having at this stage in the offseason, preparing for his first NFL season. However, it is an important element of his game that he needs to master. Kmet is not concerned about this, however, as Williams is already making improvements in developing his cadence and his voice. “You got to find your own voice when you come to the league. It’s so interesting because in that position taking a snap under center and saying a cadence is something that you would think be so normal. But, most guys aren’t doing that until they get to the league now. Most guys are doing the clap, you look to the sideline, you see the play. It’s no different than a receiver doing it. All those operational things are things that you don’t do now until you get to the league,” Kmet said. “Getting guys in the huddle, saying the play call, doing the cadence, those are all brand new things for him … In the huddle (on Tuesday), he was crisp and clear and all those things and I think that just comes with confidence in the playbook that he’s gaining and like I said, kind of finding his own voice with the cadence because that’s definitely something that if you can get going, you can weaponize.” One thing that helps a rookie quarterback and the entire offense is having a knowledgeable offensive coordinator who clearly explains their system. While other Bears quarterbacks have not had this benefit, Williams and the rest of the offense are in good hands with offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. “He’s a great teacher. Just the way he installs, it’s clear and concise, and there’s not a lot of gray area with things, and he wants things a certain way, and he wants it done a certain way,” Kmet said. “So, I think guys have been really receptive to that and I think so far, we got some things to clean up. But, the execution of the offense has been pretty clean for it being the first time in Shane’s offense this offseason.”
