Since head coach Ben Johnson’s arrival to the Chicago Bears, the organization has been all hands on deck is helping put quarterback Caleb Williams in a position to succeed. One of the team’s sneakier moves was signing fellow quarterback Case Keenum to a one-year contract.
Keenum was out of the league in 2024, but comes to the Bears with 11 years and 80 total games of NFL experience. If all goes to plan, Keenum wouldn’t see the field in 2025 unless for a late second kneel down. But there’s plenty of value the quarterback brings without actually taking a snap.
Williams, for all the offseason hype, is entering just his second NFL season. Johnson is a first-year head coach. So as the Bears go throughout their offseason, Keenum is trying to ease the process and do everything he can to help Williams reach his No. 1 pick ceiling, via Sean Hammond of the Chicago Tribune.
“It’s just talking ball,” Keenum said. “It’s getting to know each other. That’s what the spring is for. First of all, getting to know each other and speaking the same language, but then getting into the weeds a little bit of how to play quarterback and what that looks like.”
“I learned that it’s really fun to lead from behind, not necessarily be the one out front but helping to support the guy who is leading in front,” Keenum said.”
In turn, Keenum says that Williams has taken all of his advice to heart and is earnestly working to put together a bounce back campaign.
“He’s just a sponge,” Keenum said of Williams. “For being an all-world talent, a guy who has, since high school, been the best player on any field anywhere he has ever stepped on, to be humble enough to ask me questions and watch and learn has been really refreshing to see.”
Case Keenum gives Chicago Bears extra support
Coaches are only allotted so much time working with their players throughout the offseason program. Having a guy like Keenum in the fold gives Chicago a de facto extra hours coach. The veteran has been able to work with Williams on the little things and overall serve as a mentor for the sophomore quarterback.
It’s a similar role he filled on the Houston Texans as CJ Stroud was getting acclimated to the NFL. Stroud went on to win Rookie of the Year, which of course can’t all be credited to Keenum. But it at least shows the value of having the veteran in the quarterback room.
Keenum even managed to win a game in his two opportunities with the Texans in 2023. He has gone 30-36 overall as a starter, throwing for 15,175 yards, 79 touchdowns and 51 interceptions. Keenum has even won a playoff game.
But at this stage of his career, the quarterback understands his role. He relishes in the opportunity to help the next era of quarterbacks thrive. Keenum’s next mission has now become revitalizing Williams. And he is more than excited to take on the challenge.
All relies on Caleb Williams
But Keenum, Johnson, the new offensive line and receiving core can only do so much. For the Bears to truly take a step forward, Williams must prove to be the quarterback the franchise thought they were drafting.
That’s not to say Williams had an awful rookie season. He set a pair of franchise records with 3,541 yards and 20 touchdowns. However, especially as Jayden Daniels was taking over the NFL, the quarterback simply didn’t look like the No. 1 pick as advertised.
Johnson has already gone to work tweaking Williams’ form. His pre-snap motion, shotgun snap stance and even the way he gets up from a hit has all been addressed. As will the quarterback’s tendency to hold onto the ball too long. After a year of coaching chances and inconsistency, there’s an actual gameplan in place for Williams to succeed.
How the quarterback adapts is yet to be seen. But if everything goes to plan, the Bears will go from an offensive nightmare to a scary threat for any of their opponents.
Chicago Bears expected to dominate key aspect of Ben Johnson’s scheme
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