No player on the Chicago Bears has more pressure on their shoulders than quarterback Caleb Williams. It's more than the inherent pressure that comes with being a starting QB in the NFL; Williams was the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and was dubbed 'the one' who would break the century-long quarterback curse in Chicago.
Williams' rookie season was a mixed bag of good and bad, as is usually the case with first-year passers. But the fact that he didn't take the league by storm in the way that Washington Commanders first-round pick Jayden Daniels did has created a false narrative that Williams was a disappointment.
He wasn't. But, there's no denying he must improve in his second season.
Now, with Ben Johnson in his corner, a massive uptick in performance and production is expected, even if the media's first exposure to him at the recently concluded Bears' OTAs wasn't great.
CHGO's Adam Hoge and Mark Carman recently broke down one of Williams' practice sessions and acknowledged that he was off target more than they would've expected.
Even when Williams made what would've appeared to most as a good throw, Johnson was quick to point out that it wasn't the throw he wanted his prized quarterback to make.
“It’s interesting that one, what appeared to be his best throw of the entire day, when he hit DJ Moore deep down that left sideline, it was probably more like a deep out… Caleb came back towards where the coaches were," Hoge said. "Ben Johnson was like, ‘You can’t do that.’ Like, so I don’t know what wasn’t right there, but again, it gets back to the accountability thing."
Should Bears fans be concerned about Caleb Williams?
Every throw Caleb Williams makes this offseason and during training camp will be picked apart way more than it should. It's a reality that he'll have to deal with until he establishes himself as one of the NFL's true franchise quarterbacks. And it might take another year of some proverbial bumps and bruises in a new offense with a new head coach before he gets there.
But there's no reason for Chicago Bears fans to panic. It would be ludicrous to do so.
Williams proved as a rookie that he can put the Bears in a position to win games despite so much dysfunction and chaos around him. He was forced to play behind the NFL's worst offensive line and was coached by a staff of borderline buffoons. Yet, he led the Bears on several drives that should've been game-winners, including his head-to-head matchup against Daniels.
It wasn't Williams' fault that Daniels' duck-and-chuck Hail Mary prayer was completed and crippled the rest of the Bears' 2024 season.
That won't be the case in 2025, and, like everyone else, I expect Caleb Williams' results to be much better. But patience isn't just required... it's mandatory. A pass that sails over his intended target in a random May practice is not indicative of a failed season to come. It's just part of a much bigger process.
Pump the brakes on any worry or concern. We're nowhere near that (yet). And, hopefully, we never get there.
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