Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is preparing for life playing under new head coach Ben Johnson. Before even taking a snap in 2025, lofty expectations have already been placed on Williams’ shoulders.
Which makes sense, seeing as the quarterback is a former No. 1 overall pick while Johnson is considered one of the best offensive minds in the NFL. However, Williams is coming off of a rocky rookie season. Furthermore, the Bears as a whole put up just a 5-12 record. Both quarterback and head coach have a lot to prove before Chicago is officially considered a contender again.
Still, there is plenty of reason to believe Williams will take a step forward, carrying the team alongside him. In fact, Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report called the quarterback an MVP candidate. While Williams was listed in the dark horse section, it still shows the level of hype he is receiving entering his sophomore campaign.
“The talent is there for the 2024 No. 1 overall pick, and now he’s working with a completely revamped offensive line,” Gagnon wrote. “He’s got the ammo and the supporting cast to explode as a sophomore.”
Reality of winning MVP
Before breaking down why Williams has been receiving MVP level hype, it’s important to address the elephant in the room. Williams would not only need to have a historic season to take home the award, but many of the names in front of him would need to simultaneously have rough campaigns.
“In this kind of competition, it’s hard to envision a 23-year-old quarterback going from 87.8 passer rating and 6.3 yards-per-attempt average for a five-win team to league MVP,” Gagnon wrote.
In terms of MVP favorites, Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills, Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens, Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals, Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs and Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders were all listed. If Williams hits his No. 1 pick ceiling, he can join their ranks. But immediately becoming MVP in Johnson’s first season will be a tall task.
Especially playing in the NFC North. Williams will need to truly prove himself against three postseason contenders in the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers. But if he can hold his owns, Williams will have no problems silencing any doubters.
Chicago Bears build around Caleb Williams
The hiring of Johnson was the first step in helping Williams reach his ceiling. In his final year with the Detroit Lions, Johnson helped the team rank second in total offense, averaging 409.5 yards per game. Quarterback Jared Goff ranked second in passing yards (4,629) and fourth in passing touchdowns (37). Chicago’s quarterback now has a key mentor to build his NFL career around.
Further helping Williams is the addition of three new faces on the interior of the offensive line. After allowing a league-high 68 sacks in 2024, the Bears traded for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson before signing center Drew Dalman in free agency. Williams has a much more formidable blocking unit entering 2025.
When he looks downfield to pass, there will be a multiple of high-powered targets available. Alongside the already established core of DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Cole Kmet. Then, the Bears added Colston Loveland and Luther Burden with their first two draft picks. It’ll be difficult for any defense to stop all of Chicago’s passing options.
But ultimately, it’ll be up to Williams to prove that the team’s strategy was worth it. Chicago took him No. 1 overall for a reason. With no more excuses, the 2025 season will be extremely telling for the quarterback.
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