Ask head coach Ben Johnson about putting [Caleb Williams](https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2025/08/19/bears-chiefs-ben-johnson-plans-play-starters-caleb-williams-patrick-mahomes-preseason-week-3-nfl) under center on Sunday and he’ll point to a play that decidedly didn’t work.
On first-and-10 at the [Bears’](https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears) 39, Williams took a snap from under center. He looked at tight ends Cole Kmet and an open Colston Loveland, who were crossing in front of each other in the middle of the field. He then threw late into the left flat toward running back Deion Hankins, and the ball fell to the ground.
Johnson, though, didn’t rip his quarterback’s decision-making. Rather, he pointed to the fact he took a seven-step drop after taking a snap under center. Williams was eight yards deep when he threw the ball — and looked comfortable. That was a good sign, Johnson said before Wednesday’s practice.
“Hell, we had a seven-step drop from under center … which you don’t really see many teams do anymore in this league,” Johnson said. “He was just fine working through his progressions.
“I think we’re going to have the ability to do whatever we want any week.”
Reaching that landmark two-and-a-half weeks before the Bears open their season is important. Johnson came to Chicago vowing to make Williams comfortable doing something he was rarely asked to do in high school, college or as an NFL rookie — take snaps under center. The quarterback spent the summer break between OTAs and training camp working on his footwork.
Late in training camp, Williams has left Johnson just as comfortable calling plays under center as he is in the shotgun.
Sunday against the Bills, seven of the Bears’ 13 plays came with Williams in shotgun.
“I think he’s most comfortable there,” Johnson said. “That’s what he’s been all of college and a lot of last year as well. Yeah, there’s a balance. We’re going to do what’s best for the other players on the field as well and what’s best for that particular play to have success.
“I think he looks just as natural under (center).”
Johnson put the Lions under center 492 times last year, the fewest in the league and about 250 more than the Bears. Quarterbacks turning their back to hand the ball off better sells a play-action fake, Johnson believes, and buys an extra split-second that the linebacker has to stay honest. Play-action is a Johnson staple. As a member of the Lions, quarterback Jared Goff threw for more passing yards on play-action the last three years than every Bears quarterback did the past six.
Being under center allows Johnson to run his scheme, which the coach describes as wanting similar plays to look different and different plays to look the same.
“It’s something that’s going to be part of this offense,” Williams said after Sunday’s game. “And so being able to be on point, being able to have everything look exactly the same and be different is what we’re working on every single day.
“Shotgun or under center, doesn’t matter.”
Williams led a 92-yard scoring drive to start Sunday’s game before being stymied on his second and final drive. Afterward, Johnson praised the quarterback for putting together three standout days for the first time in training camp. That stretch ended Wednesday, though, when the Bears again struggled with their pre-snap procedure. Williams took two delays of game in practice. On the second one, he broke the huddle with only 10 seconds to play and tried to change the play at the line of scrimmage with only three seconds on the play clock. When he noticed his mistake, his shoulders slumped and he hung his head.
Williams’ procedure was “very clean” against the Bills, Johnson said.
“I thought he heard the plays well from me and he communicated it well in the huddle,” he said. “We really didn’t have many issues in terms of getting lined up with plenty of time.”
The Bears want Williams’ pre-snap routine to be just as efficient Friday night in Kansas City. Williams and the rest of the Bears starters will play against the Chiefs, though Johnson wouldn’t say for how long.
After installing their offense through the first half of training camp, the Bears have begun whittling their playbook down.
“When the season comes around, comes along, we’ll kind of hone into what we’re really good at,” backup quarterback Tyson Bagent said after practice Wednesday. “I’m sure you’ve probably seen every single kind of drop under center and in the ‘gun. We’re doing a good job right now of mixing everything up and seeing what we’re good at, and what we’re not so good at.”
Williams has been adept under center and in the shotgun to at least give Johnson options — in Week 1 and beyond.
“There’s always something to get better from, me included,” Williams said. “And that’s what we’re going to do.”