Caleb Williams was benched by Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson and the entire offensive line did not see action as well during their preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins. After a documented intense joint practice with the Dolphins, Johnson emphasized that he wanted to ease players into game action, avoiding injuries during a preseason game.
Some Bears fans were disappointed, expecting to finally see Caleb Williams in action after a challenging rookie season. But NFL analyst Nick Wright defended the decision on The Herd, pointing out that this happens often—even top coaches like Sean McVay rest their starters too. Wright emphasized that since the entire line and Williams were held out, it was more strategic than worrying.
Dec 26, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) warms up before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images
Dec 26, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) warms up before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images
“But the second-best coach in football, Sean McVay, does this. So, there is clearly no single way to approach it. I would be more critical of this if it weren’t for the fact that the entirety of the Bears’ starting offensive line sat. Their starting running back, tight end, and their top three wide receivers sat. So, of course, Caleb is going to sit. Now, he does need to play probably more snaps in Week 2 than he otherwise would have.”
“Is this Ben Johnson protecting Caleb? Is this Ben Johnson protecting himself?”@colincowherd and @getnickwright discuss Caleb Williams sitting out the Bears preseason opener pic.twitter.com/fB6OHVjNcX
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) August 12, 2025
He did suggest, though, that Caleb Williams and the starting offense should get more snaps in Week 2 to continue building chemistry. The game, which ended in a 24-24 tie, saw backups shine—veteran QB Case Keenum threw accurately, rookie linemen and receivers turned heads, and defensive backups got valuable snaps.
Sure, some rough patches showed—the second‐string offensive line had issues, and special teams struggled—but Johnson and Wright agree that preseason results don’t necessarily indicate how the regular season will unfold. All in all, this was a calculated move by Johnson: keeping his starters fresh, avoiding early injuries, and giving Caleb Williams time to gel in practice before taking the field live. The message? Trust the process—and next week, we might just see more of what the Bears’ offense is building toward.
Jul 24, 2025; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) passes the ball during training camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Jul 24, 2025; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) passes the ball during training camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Caleb Williams faces harsh critique as NFL coach flags ‘alarming’ processing skills in Bears QB analysis
An anonymous NFL head coach quietly warned that Caleb Williams’ decision-making under pressure caught him off guard, pointing out that while Williams clearly has top-tier talent, his on-field processing wasn’t where it needed to be.
The coach compared Caleb Williams to someone who can make the plays but needs more time to read the defense and react—making his game slower than ideal at this stage.
“He’s definitely a Tier 1 talent,” said the anonymous coach. “I just think it’s going to take him longer than Jayden Daniels. He is not playing fast right now. There is something there. His processing to me was alarming watching the tape.”
Chicago Bears Caleb Williams
Aug 8, 2025; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) sits on the field during joint training camp practice with the Miami Dolphins ahead of Sunday’s preseason opener. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
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