The Washington Commanders have their offensive coordinator in Kliff Kingsbury? Do they have a plan to get Caleb Williams too?
Kingsbury coached Williams last season at USC, and the quarterback (and future top-three pick in the draft) congratulated his former coach on getting hired by Washington on Instagram Sunday night. Let the speculation begin!
Last night Bowie native and expected number 1 pick Caleb Williams posted this on his IG story.
— Scott Abraham (@Scott7news) February 5, 2024
Caleb congratulating Kliff Kingsbury on getting the OC job with the Commanders.
Kingsbury and Caleb worked together this past season at USC. pic.twitter.com/xZjImqK4nw
The Commanders have the No. 2 overall pick and a projected $73.6 million in cap space (per Over The Cap) this offseason, the first under the Josh Harris ownership group. Adam Peters was hired as general manager and Dan Quinn was brought in as head coach, with Kingsbury the next move to be made.
Kingsbury served as an offensive analyst for USC this past season after he was fired by Arizona last January. He went 28-37-1 during four seasons with the Cardinals, and made the playoffs in 2021 after going 11-6. After a 5-10-1 campaign in his first NFL season, Kingsbury improved his win total by three wins each of the next two years.
Things fell apart in 2022, however, as Arizona finished in last place in the NFC West with a 4-13 record. Previously, Kingsbury served as the head coach at Texas Tech, and was offensive coordinator at Texas A&M the year Johnny Manziel won the Heisman Trophy.
In Kingsbury's one year with Williams, the USC quarterback completed 68.6% of his passes for 3,633 yards with 30 touchdowns and 5 interceptions for a 170.1 passer rating (college uses different passer rating formula than the pros). Williams upped his completion rate, yards per attempt, and passer rating in his one year with Kingsbury.
There certainly is a chance Williams and Kingsbury could be reunited in Washington. That depends what the Chicago Bears do, as they possess the No. 1 overall pick. The biggest question leading up to the draft is whether the Bears will trade Justin Fields and take a quarterback at No. 1, or keep Fields and take a player at a different position (Marvin Harrison Jr.?) or trade the pick.
Whatever happens, the link between Williams and Kingsbury will fan the flames of speculation until April's draft.
