As the Chicago Bears concluded minicamp on Thursday, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams is feeling optimistic about the team's future.
In preparation for the upcoming season, Williams has been busy studying Chicago's offense and creating cohesion with his new teammates.
When speaking to reporters, Williams expressed his enthusiastic outlook in regard to the 2024 season.
"It's pretty awesome," Williams said, per Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times. "There's a light at the end of that tunnel. Right now we're working with our head down and we're building, [but] just having that moment with myself — I do it every day — to sit there and say, 'We're gonna be pretty damn good.' So I've gotta keep going, keep working, and we're all excited. It's really important to have that mindset, but also have the mindset of let's keep going, let's keep working, let's get after it."
The additions that Chicago made to bolster its roster this offseason are almost certainly reasons for Williams to be excited about the season.
Other than Williams, who was selected No. 1 overall by the Bears, Chicago also brought in new offensive weapons such as receiver Keenan Allen via trade from the Chargers, and signed his Los Angeles teammate tight end Gerald Everette as well former Philadelphia Eagles running back D'Andre Swift.
The Bears also selected Rome Odunze, who led college football in receiving yards during the 2023 season, out of Washington with the No. 9 pick in the draft.
The acquisitions of Allen and Odunze gives Chicago a robust receiving core that also includes D.J. Moore.
Overall, Chicago's revamped roster almost certainly gives the Bears a shot at improving their 7-10 record from last season — and suggests the possibility of competing for a playoff spot. While winning the division outright will undoubtedly be a difficult task — since nothing suggests the defending NFC North champion Detroit Lions will be going away, and last season's playoff run suggests Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers will not be going away either — Chicago's newfound talent warrants Williams' excitement for next season and provides hope of good things to come for the Bears.
