Bears get surprisingly high preseason grade from NFL analyst

It's already been a wild rollercoaster ride for Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears and we're still in August with the Week 1 opener against the Minnesota Vikings 13 days away.

Williams started down, with several pre-snap hiccups early in training camp as he struggled to learn new head coach Ben Johnson's complex offense. Then came the high of the second preseason game, when the quarterback looked sharp in an opening-game touchdown drive. But another drip ensued, as the offense took a step back in the preseason finale in Kansas City.

Given Williams' inconsistency and the numerous injuries to the running backs, it's been a difficult preseason to judge. Much less grade. But CBS sees things a bit differently, giving the Bears the top grade in the NFC North for its overall preseason grade.

NFL analyst Tyler Sullivan gives the Bears a "B", tied with the Detroit Lions (B) and better than Vikings (C) and Green Bay Packers (C-).

Writes CBS of Chicago's surprisingly high preseason grade:

"The Ben Johnson era looks like it's moving in the right direction. Most importantly, Caleb Williams looked like a quarterback on track for a second-year leap with his new coaching staff. In Week 2, the former No. 1 overall pick was dialed in, completing six of his 10 throws for 106 yards and a touchdown. That was a wildly encouraging showing for Williams and a Bears offense that struggled mightily in 2024. As for individual performances, rookie wideout Luther Buden III was a standout, catching five of his six targets this preseason for 78 yards. Defensively,  Chicago blanked the Bills backups in Week 2, but it was more of a mixed bag in the finale against Kansas City as Patrick Mahomes sliced them up when he was on the field. Overall, there's solid momentum heading into the regular season."