The Chicago Bears wanted to make sure [Caleb Williams](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6417180/2025/06/11/chicago-bears-caleb-williams-minicamp/?source=emp_shared_article) got every possible advantage going into 2025 after what happened last year. They revamped the coaching staff, led by Ben Johnson, one of the league’s premier offensive experts. Next, they completely overhauled the offensive line and added two more playmakers with their first two picks in the draft. On paper, this is the most intriguing offense the Bears have pieced together in over a decade. However, everything still hinges on Williams taking a step forward.
There is undeniable pressure on him now. He’s a former #1 overall pick. That by itself is heavy on the shoulders. What makes it worse is the guy drafted directly after him, Jaden Daniels, went to the NFC championship. Now the Bears have spent major resources bringing in the help he needs. Almost everybody agrees the excuses won’t hold the same weight this season. He should perform a lot better. It appears Williams recognizes this. He made his commitment clear by unexpectedly attending the final practices of OTAs, which had been primarily meant for rookies and first-year players. Johnson was happy to see his quarterback embrace the grind.
> “He’s committed to learning the offense. We’re not where we need to be yet as a team and he understands that. Any chance he gets to get a few more full-speed reps, it sounds like he wants them.”
One of the most persistent is the idea that he lacks a work ethic. That was something that kept surfacing last year. He didn’t put in the necessary time in film study and sometimes tried to cut corners in his preparation. Wherever that started, his efforts in the past month illuminate the truth. Caleb Williams is more than willing to make the sacrifices necessary to be great. The team has already seen legitimate progress in practice, executing long drives for touchdowns against a defense that is not short on talent or coaching. If he is this far along already, one can only imagine where he will be when the games start mattering in September.
