Chicago Bears fans aren't the only ones excited to watch quarterback Caleb Williams in 2025. The young franchise QB ranks atop at least one national media figure's list of players he's the most excited to watch this season.
FOX Sports analyst Danny Parkins, one of the hosts of 'First Things First,' was quick to mention Williams during a segment of the show that asked its panelists to name the player they can't wait to see this season.
“Year one was complicated – just improve across the board. 62 percent completion, give me 65 plus. You got a (Sean) McVay offense now that should be doable,” Parkins said. “You had 20 passing touchdowns, be the first Bears quarterback ever to get to 30 or more. 3,500 passing yards, be the first Bears quarterback ever to get to 4,000 or more. He was sacked 68 times – just get below 50. Wins have got to double.”
Williams has a very good chance to compile stats like Parkins outlined. In fact, it's become an expectation among Bears fans that Williams will be the first QB in team history to throw for 4,000 yards in a season, and that 30-touchdown mark is one that should be within his reach, too.
Remember: For as talented as Williams is in his own right, he -- like every NFL quarterback -- still needs a strong supporting cast to reach his fullest potential. His rookie season was hamstrung by a horrendous offensive coordinator and an equally horrendous offensive line. Both of those problems were not only fixed, but fixed in a remarkable way.
The play calling of Shane Waldron will be replaced by Ben Johnson. Let that settle in for a second. Matt Pryor is no longer a starting guard for this team. Instead, guys like Joe Thuney, a future Hall of Famer, will be charged with keeping Williams upright.
So, yeah, it's safe to say that Williams should look like a completely different quarterback in Year 2 than he was in Year 1. And his rookie season wasn't bad.
Caleb Williams finished his rookie season throwing for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. Despite winning only five games, he proved he can put the Bears in position to win in the fourth quarter. Now, he has the support system in place to get the job done.
