Bears QB Caleb Williams' biggest problem is becoming far too obvious

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams actually enjoyed an overall impressive rookie campaign, even if the team was disappointing as a whole.

Williams started all 17 games and threw for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 62.5 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 87.8. He also rushed for 489 yards on six yards per carry.

Yes, the former No. 1 overall pick was sacked 68 times, and while part of that was his fault for holding on to the ball for too long, it's no secret that the Bears' offensive line was a mess in 2024.

Bigger things are certainly expected from Williams next season now that Chicago has patched up the trenches while also providing him with some more weapons, but in order for the USC product to flourish in Year 2, he clearly needs to clean something up first: his attitude.

We have heard multiple times this offseason that Williams' body language was an issue last season. All you had to do was watch the games to see it, but insiders, analysts and former players alike have cited Williams' demeanor as a negative, whether he meant it to be or not.

Now, we are hearing that former Bears coaches were apparently not huge fans of Williams, with ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reporting that the ex-coaches "were not overly thrilled" with the signal-caller's public revelation that he watched film on his own.

It seems doubtful that that was truly the only thing that bothered them about Williams, whose attitude was questioned by some coming out of college.

But here's the deal: Williams is still just 23 years old. He has plenty of time to grow and mature, even if peers like Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye already appear to be far ahead of him in that department.

This isn't an excuse for Williams. He's young, but he isn't a child. He should know better. But the good news is that he has evidently been great this offseason and has really seemed to warm up to new head coach Ben Johnson and his staff.

Williams proved last season that he is immensely talented. He had a strong showing in spite of all of the adversity surrounding him. But does he have the mental wherewithal to consistently deliver?

That was the biggest question for Williams when he was entering the 2024 NFL draft, and it remains the chief concern for him heading into his sophomore campaign.

There is no reason why Chicago's offense should not be really good in 2025. The Bears have dynamic weapons, an improved offensive line and a quarterback who should be displaying some growth. It may all simply depend on how much maturing Williams has done over the last several months.

Don't get it twisted: there will still be some growing pains for Williams, and it's obvious that his comportment has become a sore subject in some circles. But so long as he exhibits positive steps in his second NFL season, the Bears should be just fine with the Washington, D.C. native as their franchise player moving forward.