Bears QB Caleb Williams lands controversial take before third season

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Bears QB Caleb Williams lands controversial take before third season

Originally posted on ChiCitySports | By Matthew Schmidt | Last updated May 24, 2026 10:20 AM ET

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams certainly enjoyed a strong sophomore campaign, leading the Bears to 11 wins, an NFC North division title and a Wild Card Round playoff victory over the hated Green Bay Packers.

It represented the Bears’ first postseason win since January 2011 and also marked the start of a new era in Chicago. Hopefully.

Williams certainly benefited from having a bevy of weapons at his disposal last season, and he did a fine job of spreading the ball around to all of them. But do the Bears possess the same arsenal of playmakers heading int 2026?

It’s a fair question to ask considering Chicago lost both D.J. Moore and Olamide Zacchaeus this offseason, replacing them with Kalif Raymond and third-round pick Zavion Thomas. Raymond is nothing more than an ancillary option, and Thomas was probably a reach in Round 3.

However, ESPN’s Courtney Cronin actually feels the offense around Williams might actually be in better shape going into the signal-caller’s third NFL season.

Is Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams in better shape now?

Dec 14, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Cronin proposed that the moves the Bears made over the last couple of months have actually “benefited” Williams.

“The Bears immediately traded for Garrett Bradbury, after Drew Dalman’s surprise retirement, to help maintain continuity along the offensive line and establish the quarterback-center exchange for Caleb Williams with an experienced veteran. They then drafted Logan Jones, who will take over at center when ready, and added tight end Sam Roush and speedy receiver Zavion Thomas,” Cronin wrote.

Yes, Chicago traded for Bradbury, but there is no doubt he is a step down from Dalman. As far as Jones and Thomas? Both players were viewed as reaches by most, and the Bears probably needed a left tackle more than a center in the second round.

Roush was an intriguing pick considering Chicago already had Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet at the position, although there is still a chance Kmet could be on the move. And while Thomas might surprise some people, it’s hard to view him as an upgrade over Moore.

There is actually a possibility that Williams has less to work with heading into 2026, but maybe everything the Bears did during the offseason will mesh. We’ll see.

This article first appeared on ChiCitySports and was syndicated with permission.

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