The Chicago Bears have the NFL world believing their revival is for real. From hiring Ben Johnson as their head coach to bringing in three new faces on the offensive line and two more on the defensive line, Chicago has been deemed the all-to-familiar ‘offseason champions.’
However, this time around, things feel a little different. Johnson was arguably the most coveted coaching candidate available. The Bears were also aggressive and made clear improvements on both sides of the ball in free agency. Chicago was operating as a team who is actively trying to improve their future.
And analysts around the league have begun to notice. While the Bears didn’t fall into the “Contention Mode,” tier, Chicago was deemed a franchise, “Trying to get it right,” by The Athletic’s Mike Jones.
“GM Ryan Poles repeatedly receives the green light for some aggressive moves as he works to rebuild one of the league’s iconic franchises, and the Ben Johnson-Caleb Williams union could prove transformational,” Jones wrote. “The pieces seemingly are in place. Is this the year the payoff comes for the Halas family?”
The Ben Johnson-Caleb Williams union
The connection between head coach and quarterback will be pivotal for any Chicago success in 2025. Johnson was hired in part for his ability to coax great play out of his quarterbacks. After taking Williams with the No. 1 overall pick, the Bears are counting on Johnson to do the same with Williams.
The former Detroit Lions coordinator was able to turn former No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff into a franchise quarterback. He threw for 4,629 yards and 37 touchdowns in 2024. Goff ranked second in passing yards and fourth in passing touchdowns.
Williams and Goff are two completely different quarterbacks. Johnson will not be asking Williams to simply emulate Goff. Instead, Johnson must find the best way to maximize Williams’ talents. By building his offense around Williams, the quarterback will have a clear gameplan in sight. With a foundation in place, Williams can focus on being a star quarterback on the field.
There will be plenty of expectations on both Johnson and Williams’ shoulders in 2025. But many around the league are confident of their success in year one and beyond.
Reasons for Chicago Bears optimism
Beyond just hiring Johnson, the Chicago Bears have done everything in their power to put Williams in a place to succeed. It started when Chicago swung their massive trade with the Carolina Panthers, landing DJ Moore. Then, Rome Odunze was added in the draft. Alongside tight end Cole Kmet and running back D’Andre Swift, Williams has a solid batch of playmakers to throw to.
But one main problem he faced as a rookie was simply staying upright in the pocket. Williams was sacked a league-high 68 times. The Bears said no more, trading for guards Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney while signing center Drew Dalman. All three give Chicago an entirely new look up front. And give Williams a competent, strong blocking unit in front of him.
Johnson must put all the pieces together. And it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Bears continue to grow their offense throughout the offseason. From there, Williams must take the gameplan and utilize it to perfection on the field. Chicago has done everything to build around him. The quarterback must prove their efforts fruitful and recognize why he was the No. 1 overall pick.
Coming off of a 5-12 season, it’s hard to say the Bears will be world beaters in 2025. However, the Bears momentum is surely pointing up. Something that franchise hasn’t been able to say for over half a decade.
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