Chicago Bears’ Caleb Williams dealt lofty expectations before Ben Johnson debut

When Week 1 rolls around, all the offseason hype and buzz will fade away. Months of speculation and questions will be answered. For the Chicago Bears, that means the spotlight is on quarterback Caleb Williams.

After being selecting with the No. 1 overall pick in 2024, Williams failed to live up to expectations as a rookie. However, the Bears hired offensive guru Ben Johnson as their next head coach to help get him on track. Then, they used the offseason to further bulk out their offense, giving Williams better protection and more weapons.

But now the pressure is on. There are no more excuses, Williams must prove why he was the first overall pick. Marc Ross of NFL.com certainly thinks the quarterback has what it takes, calling Williams one of 2025’s most likely breakouts. But if for some reason that breakout didn’t come, the Bears would be in an extremely precarious position.

“Just four months after the rough end to his first season, things feel entirely different around the quarterback,” Ross wrote. “The Bears hired an exceptional offensive play-caller in head coach Ben Johnson, retooled the offensive line and drafted dynamic playmakers in TE Colston Loveland and WR Luther Burden III. With better protection and a head coach who has a record of building explosive offenses, Williams is set up to fully realize his potential.”

Why Chicago Bears’ Caleb Williams will break out in 2025

As a rookie, Williams completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. There were some positives as Williams set the Bears’ rookie passing record while limiting the turnovers. But the quarterback barely scratched his No. 1 pick surface.

One of the biggest issues was sacks, as Williams took a league-high 68. Some of it was his fault, as he held onto the ball too long while waiting for the play to develop downfield. But Chicago’s offensive line didn’t do him any favors.

Now, the Bears have two new guards in Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson as well as free agent signee center Drew Dalman. Darnell Wright has proven to be a stout option while second-rounder Ozzy Trapilo looks to be the future opposite him. Overall, Williams’ blocking scheme is infinitely better entering his sophomore year.

When he drops back to pass, the quarterback has a litany of playmaking options to throw to. Wide receivers DJ Moore and Rome Odunze will do damage on the outside while Luther Burden makes plays from the slot. Furthermore, defenses will have a tough time stopping both tight ends in Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland.

And alongside all of the on-field additions, Williams now has a coach he can depend on. The Bears made a franchise-altering mid-year coaching change in 2024. How can the quarterback really find his NFL footing with so many changes to leadership? Now, Johnson is locked in on Chicago and locked in on Williams, which will bolster the QB’s development drastically.

But in the end, it’ll all be up to Williams. The offensive line, receiving weapons and Johnson can only take the Bears so far. Chicago will live and die by their quarterback. Williams must prove he is up for the task.