Bears' Caleb Williams Might Be NFL's Best QB In 2026, Says Colin Cowherd

Caleb Williams proved he could quarterback a playoff team in 2025, leading the Chicago Bears to an NFC North title and a divisional round appearance. Now, FOX Sports' Colin Cowherd believes that the Bears' signal-caller can take the next step in 2026 and become the league's top quarterback — but maybe not for the reason you'd think. 

On "The Herd," Cowherd explained that while Williams has the talent to be an elite quarterback, his rookie contract salary also has to be considered when you rank the quarterbacks you want the most for the 2026 season. 

"You've got to count everything with a quarterback, including the cost," Cowherd said. "Not including what a quarterback costs, there's a reason the Bills have no Pro Bowlers on defense and the Bears have a stacked roster — it's because Caleb Williams costs $10 million per year. It's a 3.5% cap hit. Lamar Jackson's going to be a 25% cap hit. 

"I don't care about résumé. I'm not into past celebrations or past failures. I'm into projecting 2026 Labor Day Weekend. Is Caleb the best quarterback in the league? Because discussing quarterbacks without acknowledging the cost is like doing your family budget when you sit down with your wife and not counting the Maserati you bought last year without asking her."

Williams will be one of the lesser-paid starting quarterbacks in 2026. His $10.8 million salary cap hit is the 25th among all quarterbacks for next season, per Over The Cap. That's a pretty good salary for a quarterback who threw for 3,942 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions to go with 388 rushing yards and three rushing scores this season. 

And adding to Cowherd's point, the teams that have won the Super Bowl in recent years have had a quarterback with a relatively