The Chicago Bears are marching into a new dawn in 2025 with first-year head coach and acclaimed offensive play-caller Ben Johnson leading the way.
The hope is that Johnson will bring a more disciplined coaching style to the Bears and bring out the best in the team’s talented roster, specifically quarterback Caleb Williams. Chicago also made major improvements to its roster during the 2025 season, beefing up both its offensive and defensive lines through trades, free agency and the NFL draft.
With training camp scheduled to begin next month, here are three bold predictions for how the 2025 season will unfold for Johnson, Williams and the Bears:
Caleb Williams Will Throw for 4,000 Yards & Make Pro Bowl
Williams is one of the biggest reasons why the Bears prioritized an offensive play-caller in their head-coaching search this offseason, and it isn’t difficult to see why. The former Heisman Trophy winner showed off his big-time arm and his ability to make plays out of structure as a rookie in 2024 despite the Bears making him work with three different offensive coordinators. While the results for Williams’ first season were mixed, he still demonstrated enough potential to attract Johnson to the job in Chicago.
Now, Williams has a stronger supporting cast and a head coach whom he can count on. Johnson made a name for himself as a creative play-caller who helped revitalize Jared Goff’s career with the Detroit Lions and will endeavor to do the same with Williams in Chicago. If Williams embraces Johnson’s teachings and fixes some of the accuracy and timing issues that rocked him in 2024, he won’t just become the franchise’s first 4,000-yard passer; he will also become the sixth Bears quarterback to make the Pro Bowl.
Tyrique Stevenson Will Lead the Bears in Interceptions
Stevenson is a lightning rod for criticism following his turbulent second season with the Bears. He played a critical role in giving up a go-ahead, Hail Mary touchdown to the Washington Commanders in the final seconds of Week 8’s loss, which led to a turning point in the Bears’ season. He also had lapses in both his coverage and his judgment, earning fines from the NFL for unnecessary roughness and taunting by the end of 2024.
Stevenson, however, could receive a clean slate in 2025 with new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and new cornerbacks coach Al Harris, who made two Pro Bowls during his professional career. Harris contributed to the ascents of All-Pro corners Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland in the same role with the Dallas Cowboys over the past several years.
While Stevenson must still work to redeem himself for his 2024 failings, Harris’ intense coaching style could bring out the best in Stevenson and fully unlock his aggressive and physical playstyle as a boundary cornerback — which could turn him into the team’s most productive ball hawk if opposing defenses are leary about throwing at stars Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon.
Bears Will Make the Playoffs Again — And Win a Game
How the Bears define success in 2025 will be interesting. First and foremost, they will want to see growth in Williams that continues to affirm their belief that he can be their long-term answer at quarterback. They do not need to make a deep playoff run to walk away more confident that Williams can be their guy — and that’s worth acknowledging.
Johnson is a play-caller who knows how to win, though. If the incoming and returning players on the Bears roster can quickly get on board with his staff’s teachings and put it together on the field from the jump, then Chicago should rebound to relevance fairly quickly. The Bears won’t have the easiest time winning the NFC North, but they have plenty of potential to earn a wild-card spot if they can split and topple their rivals. And if they can reach the playoffs for the first time in four years, Johnson’s play-calling acumen will give them an advantage that they have not known for many seasons.
