Big Caleb Williams critic does sudden about-face heading to Year 2

A year ago, podcaster and former NFL pass rusher Chris Long had Bears fans fuming over his prediction of problems for the team and Caleb Williams.

He turned out to be exactly right.

A year later, Long isn't out front acting like a cheerleader but sees a team in the top half of the league but maybe not playoff level. And he sees a better Williams.

The brother of former Bears three-time Pro Bowl tackle Kyle Long told ESPN's Mina Kimes on her podcast that he ranks the Bears as one spot better than the San Francisco 49ers and one behind the Dallas Cowboys, in 16th overall. Yes, he has the Bears one spot ahead of the 17th-ranked Niners, who beat them 38-13 last year.

"I like the Bears this year, I really do," Long told Kimes.

Then he had to explain why he was down on the Bears last year, although it wasn't really as if he was predicting they would collapse the way they did.

"It's one of the situations where last year I felt like I was making a case against Caleb as being what people thought he was, which is like an immediate plug and play--like, it's just going to work immediately in Chicago, they're going to win.

"I said they'd win nine games. People thought I punched a baby. And that's not what happened at all."

Bears fans would have loved a 9-7 record, as it turned out.

"I just looked at the fact that he (Williams) was a guy who came out of college and wasn't playing with timing and has other-worldly talent and that sort of thing," Long said. "But the Bears as a hole didn't look like the super team people were making them out to be. I think that proved itself out on the field also.

"The offense and the head coach, I mean they struggled. It was Waldron, that experiment completely failed. That's a terrible situation to walk into as a quarterback. And the game management, for instance at the end of the Lions game, that quarterback was playing in peril last year. And I think he showed a lot of grace and leadership and I think he showed a lot of toughness."

Even though coach Ben Johnson, himself, didn't even like Williams' body language on film from last year, Long came to the QB's defense in a few ways, now.

"I think a lot of people don't like the kid because he's a high pick and because he's a little different than other people, like, he carries himself a little bit different," Long said. "But in the ways that I would judge a quarterback and a teammate, so far he looks like a pro quarterback. And I'm excited to see his development."

As for the team, Long sees the changes made with the acquisition of Joe Thuney and Drew Dalman, as well as other changes as big for their second-year QB.

"And I think some additions on the offensive line will pay off and some on the def line as well," Long said. "I'm excited about this group."

Kimes, for the record, said she was also excited about the Bears as they had the spot one ahead of a team that routed them last year.

Did Kyle get to Chris and put him up to this? Probably not.

Long's comments last year showed his independent thinking.

A spot in the top half of the league would have the Bears in the running for a playoff spot, anyway, when last year they were busy firing a coach in season for the first time.