CHICAGO -- The list of rookie quarterback/wide receiver combinations that have taken the NFL by storm is pretty thin.

In fact, it’s difficult to come up with many rookie pairings that have gone big in Year 1 beyond Andy Dalton and A.J. Green (Cincinnati Bengals, 2010), Andrew Luck and T.Y. Hilton (Indianapolis Colts, 2012), Tony Banks and Eddie Kennison (St. Louis Rams, 1996) and Tim Couch and Kevin Johnson (Cleveland Browns, 1999).

Last season in Houston, C.J. Stroud and Tank Dell got off to a fantastic start before a broken left leg ended Dell’s season after 11 games with 47 receptions, 709 yards (15.1 average) and seven touchdowns.

It’s easy to get quickly carried away imagining what Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze can accomplish at the outset of their careers with the Chicago Bears even when attempting to zero in on what’s realistic considering the inherent challenges for rookies at each position. Failure for rookie quarterbacks is much more common than breakout seasons like Stroud experienced or even someone like Dalton, who was the first quarterback to throw 20 or more touchdown passes, win nine games and reach the playoffs as a rookie.

Dalton passed for 3,398 yards as a rookie and Green caught 65 passes for 1,057 yards (16.3) with seven touchdowns, quickly making the Bengals a contender in the AFC North.

The beauty of the situation the Bears have created for their No. 1 draft pick Williams is they’ve got much more than just Odunze, chosen No. 9 on Thursday, to support the quarterback and put him in a position where the offense isn’t reliant on rookies delivering to win games in 2024.

DJ Moore should remain the No. 1 wide receiver in the offense and veteran Keenan Allen is as crafty as they come, a guy with a knack for getting open on critical downs. Add in tight ends Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett and running backs D’Andre Swift, Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson, and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has the kind of good problems that should lead to long nights of preparation for opposing defensive coordinators.

The first step is getting the newcomers acclimated at rookie minicamp, which begins May 10, with an introduction to the team’s system, practice protocols, lifting and more so they can mesh seamlessly with veterans in the voluntary offseason program. There are no steps that can be skipped.

Naturally, a ton of focus will be on Williams and how he adapts to what Waldron and the staff want to build around him. He has eagerly started that process, saying he’s intent on developing relationships and getting to know new teammates, a fact underscored by evidence of Williams quickly touching base with new teammates as they were drafted. That’s how it works in the NFL. That’s where the story, as skewed as it’s been at times, has been at Halas Hall for the longest time.

“It’s really just the operation, right?” general manager Ryan Poles said. “He’s going to have to operate the offense. He’s going to have to spit (out) the calls. He’s going to have to be clean with his cadence and just operate in the offense. If it’s in the huddle, from the no-huddle and all the situations, he’s going to have to play point guard. That’s what he does. Distribute the ball.”

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