2026 NFL Offense Rankings, Chicago Bears
2026 NFL Offense Rankings, Chicago Bears
Caleb Williams has already shown he can make chaos work for the Chicago Bears. The next challenge is making that chaos more dependable.
Last season, Williams became one of the NFL’s most dangerous late-game quarterbacks because of his ability to escape pressure, buy time with his legs and create something when the original play had fallen apart. The Bears won six games with fourth-quarter comebacks, and Williams’ capacity to keep plays alive was a central reason opponents dreaded facing him late.
But the magic did not always translate into production.
According to Dan Wiederer of The Athletic, Bears coaches found that Chicago completed only about 40% of its downfield throws once Williams broke from the pocket last season. For an offense built around a quarterback with Williams’ arm talent, mobility and improvisational instincts, that is an area worth attacking.
NFL: Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears3
Sep 8, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) rushes the ball against the Minnesota Vikings during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Ben Johnson sees an opportunity. The Bears coach has been considering ways to build more intentional scramble situations into the offense, including the possibility of a call designed to get Williams moving and force the defense to react. As Johnson put it to The Athletic, the question is whether Chicago can “call a play and force a scramble.”
That does not mean the Bears are planning to abandon structure or turn every passing play into a playground drill. In fact, the idea only works if the structure is better than it was last season.
A typical scramble drill is reactive. The pocket collapses, the quarterback escapes, receivers turn around, defenders lose leverage and everyone tries to make something happen. Williams is talented enough to make those plays special, but relying on them is unpredictable. One receiver might work back to the quarterback while another continues vertically. One player might identify open space while another runs into coverage. A slightly late throw becomes an incompletion rather than a huge gain.
The Bears want to reduce those wasted plays without taking away Williams’ instincts.
That is where a designed version becomes intriguing. If the formation creates proper spacing from the start, and if receivers understand where Williams is likely to move, Chicago can give its quarterback more options after the initial read. The goal would not be to manufacture a broken play. It would be to make sure the offense is prepared when the play enters its second phase.
That distinction matters. Williams has consistently said he wants to improve his ability to stay on schedule, recognize coverage and take the checkdown when the downfield shot is not available. The NFL’s evaluation of him echoes that point. League observers see extraordinary talent outside the pocket but want more consistency from within it.
Chicago Bears3
Aug 5, 2026; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson walks on the field during training camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Johnson’s potential wrinkle should complement that development, not undermine it.
The Bears still need Williams to play quarterback from the pocket. They need him to hit the easy completion, avoid forcing throws and let the offense operate as designed. But when he does need to move, Chicago wants the next decision to be easier for everyone involved.
Tight end Cole Kmet described the responsibility in simple terms: pass catchers cannot focus only on their original route. They must understand the entire concept, diagnose where coverage has shifted and become available when Williams starts to create.
That demands more than effort. It requires anticipation.
The Bears have spent time emphasizing how receivers should respond when Williams leaves the pocket. They are working to make those reactions faster and more coordinated. That could be especially valuable with a receiving group that includes Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, Kalif Raymond, Colston Loveland and Kmet — players with different body types and strengths but enough speed to strain a defense once a play stretches beyond its original timing.
NFL: Chicago Bears at Baltimore Ravens3
Oct 26, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) passes the ball under pressure from Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy (53) in the second quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Williams sees the upside. He believes this part of Chicago’s attack can help the Bears become one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses. That is a big goal, but the logic is sound.
Defenses already have to respect Williams’ ability to escape. They already have to account for his arm strength outside the pocket. If Chicago can make its receivers (and Williams’ accuracy) more reliable in those moments, it will force defenders to cover longer, communicate more precisely and resist the temptation to chase Williams without maintaining leverage.
That is difficult enough on an accidental scramble. It could be even harder if Johnson finds a way to make the look intentional.
The Bears should not expect to unveil a flawless new weapon against Carolina in Week 1. Johnson has presented the concept as an idea still under development, not a guaranteed Sunday call.
Still, the thinking reveals something important about his approach to Williams. Johnson is not trying to coach the improvisation out of his quarterback. He is trying to give it rules, spacing and purpose to make it a real and consistent weapon.
If Chicago gets that right, Williams’ most unpredictable trait could become one of the offense’s most repeatable advantages.