Are Chicago Bears better than they were in 2024?

After six months of offseason, four weeks of training camp and three preseason games, it's fair to ask the question: Are the Chicago Bears better than they were in 2024?

New head coach Ben Johnson arrived with hype and hoopla and immediately upgraded his address with a new house. But his main objective - the tutelage of quarterback Caleb Williams - remains a work in progress. To say the least.

When the Bears open the season Sept. 8 against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football, will we see the Williams who dazzled on the opening drive of the second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills? Or the Williams who struggled all camp with Johnson's complex offense and Friday night took a step back with an ugly start against the Kansas City Chiefs?

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Johnson purposefully threw the "kitchen sink" at Williams during camp and reminded him that he doesn't need to be "Superman", but now says he's considering scaling back the playbook. Yikes.

The Bears' defense dominated the Bills and the Miami Dolphins in joint practices, but then allowed the Chiefs to score on their first three possessions. Overall there are questions at running back, left tackle and in the pass-rush. But it all comes down to Williams' development.

The Bears endured a 10-game losing streak last season on their way to 5-12. This year most experts predict their win total around 8, with ESPN projecting 7-10 and a last-place finish in the rugged NFC North. They currently have the 16th-best odds to play in Super Bowl LX in February.

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Bears fans are expected a lot from Johnson. And he's expecting a lot from his quarterback, to the tune of 4,000 yards on 70-percent completions.

Throughout camp and the preseason we saw a mix of bad, overwhelmed Caleb and good, potentially great Caleb.

Are the Bears better than they were a year ago?