The Chicago Bears didn’t bother hiding their intentions this offseason. Almost every major move they made between January and May was geared around one objective: to help Caleb Williams. GM Ryan Poles isn’t stupid. He knows the key to this team’s success now sits squarely on the shoulders of the young quarterback. However, Williams isn’t a miracle worker. He needs help. The Bears didn’t give him nearly enough last year. His blocking was patchwork at best, and the coaching was somehow even worse.
As a result, Williams absorbed 68 sacks and had some ugly performances as a rookie. That said, he still managed respectable numbers, had some outstanding 4th quarter moments, and finally broke the losing streak against Green Bay. Optimism is high for this season. What people don’t know is where to set expectations. If you ask [Pro Football Focus](https://www.pff.com/news/predicting-the-nfls-most-improved-player-at-every-position), they would say sky high.
> **Quarterback: Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears**
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> Williams’ rookie season left a lot to be desired. A quick glimpse at the counting stats – 62.5% completion percentage, 3,541 passing yards and 20 passing touchdowns against six interceptions – would suggest that things went well for Williams and the Bears offense, but a deeper look under the hood tells the story. Williams’ 67.6 grade was 32nd out of 44 quarterbacks, and the former No. 1 pick was sacked a league-high 68 times in the regular season. There were flashes of potential, but environmentally speaking, Williams was thrown to the wolves.
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> Things should be different in 2025. The Bears hired Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator Ben Johnson in the offseason as the team’s new head coach, and the optimism is through the roof in Chicago…
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> …Johnson’s offense, with Jared Goff under center, in Detroit was consistently one of the best in the NFL. Goff has never been considered a quarterback who can carry an offense on his back, but he earned an 85.4 grade in Johnson’s three seasons as the Lions’ primary play-caller. All of that bodes well for Williams, who looks poised to take a step forward in his second season in the NFL.
Since the PFWA instituted the Most Improved Player Award in 2000, only one Bears name has ever claimed it. That was Alshon Jeffery in 2013. Five of the last six winners were quarterbacks. That means if Caleb Williams has the breakout season many believe is coming, his odds of being the sixth in seven years are high. Everything depends on how improved the offensive line is and whether the quarterback can speed up his internal clock. The bad tendency to hold the ball often helped facilitate all those sacks he took. The production should skyrocket if he can curtail some of that inside Johnson’s offense. For as good as Jared Goff is, Williams is considerably more talented. If he grasps the mental side of the game, there will be no stopping him. That is precisely what Johnson is aiming for.
