After an aggressive free agency period, the Chicago Bears doubled down in the 2025 NFL Draft by massively bolstering their offense. Every decision the franchise made was with quarterback Caleb Williams at mind.
While his rookie season didn’t live up to the hype, there’s a reason Williams was the No. 1 overall pick. Head coach Ben Johnson will be tasked with helping the quarterback reach his ceiling. But ultimately Chicago will sink or swim depending on if Williams can truly develop into a star by the end of year two.
By adding players like tight end Colston Loveland, wide receiver Luther Burden and tackle Ozzy Trapilo, the Bears are doing everything in their power to put Williams in a place to succeed. Their draft additions came after Chicago already brought in three new starters across their offensive line. Overall, all the pieces are in place for Williams to have a breakout season. And Dan Graziano of ESPN thinks that will include the quarterback being involved in the MVP conversation.
“If the protection holds up, Williams is going to have a ton of places he can go with the ball on any particular play, and with Johnson drawing the plays up, this could be as exciting an offense as there is in the league,” Graziano wrote. “There’s always a team that goes from last place to first place in its division from one year to the next.
“And while the presence of the Lions, Vikings and Packers in their division might well prevent the Bears from being that, if they improve enough to contend for a playoff spot, it’ll probably be because Williams and all of those offensive targets have lit up the scoreboard week in and week out,” Graziano concluded.
Chicago Bears relying on Caleb Williams
NFL: Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers Jan 5, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) during the game against the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
The Bears have been one of the most hyped up teams of the offseason. Johnson’s arrival has brought new life to a team that was only sinking further into the NFL’s cellar. However, this is still a Chicago team coming off of a 5-12 campaign. They must prove themselves on the gridiron before anyone officially declares the Bears are back.
That starts and stops with Williams’ play. If he lives up to his No. 1 pick potential, then the Bears will be a much more successful franchise. But if the quarterback continues to struggle, Chicago will find themselves continually spiraling downward.
Amongst Williams’ biggest problems as a rookie was simply holding onto the ball too long. He would look for the play to develop down field, and when it didn’t, the opposing pass rusher had enough time in the backfield. Furthermore, there were times throughout his rookie season where Williams was simply non-existent in the box score.
By adding guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson alongside center Drew Dalman, the Bears committed to giving Williams better protection. He was sacked a league-high 68 times as a rookie. That alone has fans and pundits excited for the quarterback’s sophomore campaign.
But Williams’ pairing with Johnson will truly be what stirs Chicago’s drink. The head coach worked wonders with Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions, helping the franchise finish second in total offense in 2024. It may be naive to expect that kind of rise from the Bears, but the addition of Johnson certainly has Chicago’s offensive arrow pointing up.
The Bears haven’t been to the playoffs since 2020 and haven’t won a postseason game since 2010. If Chicago gets over their playoff speed bump in 2025, that likely means Williams had the campaign Johnson and the franchise were hoping for. In turn, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him considered amongst the NFL’s elite.
