NFL Analysis
9/8/24
5 min read
2024 NFL Week 1 Rookie QB Grades: Don't Panic Over Caleb Williams' Debut
Rookie debuts aren't usually a walk in the park, but the 2024 quarterback class made a disappointing first impression in Week 1.
Drake Maye is likely still a few weeks away from making his debut, while Michael Penix Jr. could be a few years away if Kirk Cousins stays healthy in Atlanta. Three other first-round quarterbacks debuted in Week 1, and the results were a mixed bag at best.
Grading Every Rookie's Week 1 Performance
Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears: D+
Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears: D+There's a long NFL career ahead for Caleb Williams, but his debut left a lot to be desired.
The Chicago Bears scored 24 unanswered points for a dramatic 24-17 comeback win against the Tennessee Titans. However, the offense wasn't responsible for a single touchdown. The team's two touchdowns came off a blocked punt and a terrible pick-six thrown by Titans QB Will Levis.
Offensively, the Bears were disjointed throughout the game. Williams completed 14 of his 29 passes for 92 yards, averaging just 3.2 yards per pass attempt. He ran for 15 yards on five rushing attempts but was sacked twice for 29 yards.
Williams was erratic from an accuracy standpoint. He missed some wide-open throws deep downfield and even missed on some short passes from a clean pocket. The Titans were disciplined when rushing the passer, which kept Williams from making any big off-script plays.
In fact, Williams's attempt to escape and go off-script resulted in a pair of sacks that stalled all momentum on a couple of drives.
Williams' best throws came within structure with good placement and timing. A win is a win, but Williams has plenty to work on to look like the No. 1 pick going forward.
Bo Nix, Denver Broncos: D
Bo Nix, Denver Broncos: DThe Denver Broncos defense and special teams tried to keep them in it against the Seattle Seahawks. But Bo Nix couldn't create any consistency for the offense.
Seattle handled Denver quite easily in a 26-20 win. The Broncos defense generated a pair of safeties, but the offense sputtered too often to come away with a win. Nix finished the game completing 26 of 42 passes for just 138 yards and a pair of interceptions, averaging 3.3 yards per attempt.
Sean Payton tried to get Nix comfortable early with some play-action boot plays. Unfortunately, the rest of the game plan involved Nix throwing short of the sticks and often behind the line of scrimmage. According to RBSDM, he finished the game with an average depth of target of 6.3 while posting a disappointing -0.31 EPA per play.
Nix stared down reads too often and constantly threw off his back foot instead of stepping into throws. His second interception was a good example of him telegraphing his throw, with the announcer even realizing it was a bad idea as it was happening.
"OH NO"
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 8, 2024
- @AdamArchuleta before Bo Nix's pass even landed in the Seahawks hands pic.twitter.com/8sCkVTwm17
Even though Nix settled in a bit in the second half, it was too little too late by the time he found any kind of rhythm. His rushing touchdown with two minutes left in the fourth quarter still had the Broncos six points behind Seattle.
Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders: B-
Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders: B-Jayden Daniels was involved in the biggest blowout of the three rookie quarterbacks. However, he also put together the group's best performance.
Daniels had a running back stat line to go along with a modest passing line in the 37-20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He ran 16 times for 88 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including designed runs and scrambles, while throwing for 184 yards and completing 17-of-24 passes.
That 7.7 yards per attempt was more than twice that of his fellow rookie quarterbacks making their debuts on Sunday. He did a much better job throwing within structure than Nix or Williams.
At the same time, he also had a good internal clock of when to escape the pocket and make plays with his legs, especially in situations where Washington needed a first down.
Plays like this one showcased Daniels' escapability and top-tier play speed.
Jayden Daniels’ legs are such an X-factor. Keeps drives alive and separates him from the other rookie QBs as they all take their lumps early. He’s already on pace for over 120 rushing yards pic.twitter.com/Vwikhapzd3
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) September 8, 2024
The Commanders' defense didn't do Daniels any favors in Week 1, which will likely be the case going forward. Still, the first-round quarterback showed impressive poise and playmaking ability during his NFL debut.
If Daniels continues to build on a solid Week 1, he could quickly become the early favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.
