First overall pick Caleb Williams to take some of his first NFL snaps in Buffalo

Chicago Bears signal caller Caleb Williams will see some of his first NFL action in a preseason clash with the Buffalo Bills.

Apr 25, 2024; Detroit, MI, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams poses with / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Caleb Williams’s path to the Pro Football Hall of Fame will take an early detour through the big city lights of… Orchard Park, NY.

The immensely talented quarterback, whom the Chicago Bears selected with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, will see some of his first live game action in Highmark Stadium, as the Bears are scheduled to face off against the Buffalo Bills in a preseason matchup on August 10. It’ll be the second game on Chicago’s preseason slate; Williams will formally commence his career on August 1 in the Hall of Fame game against the Houston Texans.

How many snaps Williams figures to play against Buffalo—or in any preseason contest, for that matter—remains to be seen, but the snaps will be among the first of his professional career regardless. The 22-year-old has already been named Chicago’s starting quarterback; he’ll see his first regular-season snaps in the Bears’ Week 1 meeting with the Tennessee Titans.

Related: 2024 NFL Schedule Release Roundup: Everything to know about Bills' 2024 slate

Williams’s meteoric rise to football prominence started in 2021 when the then-Oklahoma Sooner replaced the benched Spencer Rattler midway through a Red River Rivalry showdown with Texas; he completed 16 of 25 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns, picking up another score on the ground to lead the Sooners to a massive come-from-behind victory. He would remain Oklahoma’s starter throughout the rest of his freshman season, throwing for 1,912 yards, 21 touchdowns, and four interceptions.

He followed former Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley to Southern California the subsequent summer, transferring to the USC to become the Trojans’ starting quarterback. He threw for 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns, and five picks in his first year in Los Angeles, winning the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, and Heisman Trophy.

The quarterback’s status as the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft was all but affirmed before the start of the 2023 season, and though he regressed a bit (3,633 yards, 30 touchdowns, and five picks compared to his previous splashy production), the Bears bought in on the talent and profile, selecting him with the first pick in this year’s draft.

The 6-foot-1 signal caller with incredible arm talent and plus athleticism figures to ultimately be an NFL superstar. Bills fans in attendance for Buffalo’s preseason showdown with Chicago will see some of his first professional snaps.