For all the offseason hype and champion monikers thrown around, the Chicago Bears will go as far as quarterback Caleb Williams does. Every move the Bears have made on the offensive side of the ball has been made with Williams in mind.
Furthermore, the quarterback was a key factor in recruiting new head coach Ben Johnson to Chicago. After masterminding one of the best offenses in the NFL with the Detroit Lions, Johnson is looking to put on his second act as a head coach. And Williams will be the white rabbit in Johnson’s black hat as he puts together his offensive magic with the Bears.
Still, Williams must take a step forward as quarterback for the Bears to be successful. The head coach can draw up the best plays in the world, but the quarterback must execute them expertly for the offense to keep moving. As Williams prepares for his sophomore season, Ben Arthur of Fox Sports has laid out exactly what the quarterback needs to do to succeed. And it all starts with his connection to Ben Johnson.
“On paper, there are many reasons to expect a Year 2 jump from Williams. The Bears hired an offensive guru in Ben Johnson and poured substantial resources into the offensive line (signed center Drew Dalman in free agency; traded for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson), which should put last year’s No. 1 pick at ease operating within the pocket,” Arthur wrote. “But Chicago’s efforts to boost its offensive supporting cast will be moot if Williams doesn’t get on the same page as Johnson.”
“Johnson helped rejuvenate Jared Goff’s career and coordinated one of the NFL’s most creative and dynamic offenses with the Detroit Lions,” Arthur concluded. “He’ll have a plan to get the most out of Williams, who shares a big responsibility in making the partnership work for the long haul.”
Chicago Bears counting on Caleb Williams come up
After being selected with the No. 1 overall pick, Williams completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. He surpassed any of Justin Fields’ passing totals as starter, proving the Bears made the right decision in that regard. However, Williams didn’t live up to his No. 1 potential, and was overshadowed by Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels’ rookie of the year campaign.
There are things Williams himself need to fix. All of his league-high 68 sacks don’t fall on the offensive line. The quarterback needs to be willing to take what the defense gives him rather than searching for the big play. While Williams should be commended for limiting his interceptions, he must take full control of the Bears offense to truly take a step forward.
But Chicago’s three new offensive lineman will certainly help. Adding guards Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson and Drew Dalman was a clear sign the Bears were committed to keeping Williams upright in the pocket. They’ll largely be judged based on how many times Williams gets sacked.
While it’s only his second year, 2025 will be a make-or-break season for Williams. If he struggles again, fans and pundits will begin clamoring about a potential replacement. Especially if those struggles come after the Bears altered their roster. But Chicago isn’t going to let one season diminish all hopes. They still have high expectations for Williams and still believe he is their franchise quarterback.
Ben Johnson has grown quarterbacks before
Jared Goff arrived to the Lions in 2021, when Johnson was Detroit’s passing game coordinator. A former No. 1 pick himself, he was traded for longtime Lions staple Matthew Stafford. His first season started slow, as he went 3-10-1 as a starter, throwing for 3,245 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions. But when Johnson became the offensive coordinator in 2022, Goff took off.
That season, he was named to the Pro Bowl after throwing for 4,438 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He followed that up by throwing for 4,575 yards and 30 touchdowns. But Goff’s 2024 season was his most grand, setting new career-highs across the board in yards (4,629) and touchdowns (37). He led the Lions to a 15-2 record while being named to his fourth Pro Bowl.
Williams and Goff are two completely different quarterbacks. Johnson will not be expecting the former to a carbon copy. Instead, Johnson will build his offense around Williams’ strengths. He’ll look to maximize what made Williams the No. 1 overall pick and help him reach his ceiling.
Week 1 will be the ultimate test for if the Bears’ plan will actually work. But all the pieces are in place for a true Chicago revival.
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