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Caleb Williams’ progress sparks wild excitement among Chicago Bears fans
Caleb Williams bore the brunt of the criticism for Chicago’s offensive misfires in 2024. Fair or not, that’s the territory that comes with being the first overall pick, even when the player isn't the only reason for their team's struggles.
Despite the shaky start to Williams' career, Bears' fans have every reason to be optimistic about 2025.
DAZN News explains.
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The Bears' offseason overhaul
Bears GM Ryan Poles went back to the drawing board this offseason. He hired the well-regarded Ben Johnson as the new head coach, a proven offensive mastermind who helped turn the Detroit Lions into one of the league’s most dangerous attacks in recent years.
He brought in not one, not two, but three established offensive linemen to shore up a unit that had allowed the third-most sacks in NFL history.
And not content with their work to that point, Chicago then spent their first three picks in the 2025 NFL Draft on offensive players. They selected Colston Loveland with the 10th overall pick, wide receiver Luther Burden III with the 39th, before adding offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo with the 56th.
By all accounts, the Bears had very quickly addressed many of the reasons for their offensive shortcomings in 2024.
How has Williams performed with the new cast surrounding him?
The 23-year-old made his preseason debut in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night and immediately made his presence felt. He architected a seven-play, 92-yard scoring drive, which culminated in a 36-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus.
On that seven-play drive, Williams had a perfect 158.3 quarterback rating, going 5-of-6 passing for 97 yards.
Like many of the starters, Williams' day ended early, and he finished 6-of-10 for 107 yards and a touchdown. More important than the stat line, though, was the poise, command, and sharp decision-making that were too often absent last year.
Bears fans and experts love what they see so far
The Bears faithful and several NFL experts are buzzing about the improvements evident in Williams' performance, and who can blame them?
Here are a handful of examples.
My take
The early signs are encouraging, but one preseason drive doesn't tell the whole story, and it's far too soon to suggest Williams and the Bears have turned things around from last year.
I’ve argued before that Williams shouldn’t shoulder all the blame for 2024’s offensive struggles, and I'm encouraged that the Bears have acknowledged and addressed the need for a decisive offseason reset beyond simply improving Williams' mechanics and pocket presence.
Ultimately, while I'm keeping my expectations in check until I see more evidence of the promising signs we saw last weekend, I predict Williams will make major strides in 2025.
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