On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
When Week 1 rolls around, all the offseason hype and buzz will fade away. Months of speculation and questions will be answered. For the Chicago Bears, that means the spotlight is on quarterback Caleb Williams.
After being selecting with the No. 1 overall pick in 2024, Williams failed to live up to expectations as a rookie. However, the Bears hired offensive guru Ben Johnson as their next head coach to help get him on track. Then, they used the offseason to further bulk out their offense, giving Williams better protection and more weapons.
But now the pressure is on. There are no more excuses, Williams must prove why he was the first overall pick. Marc Ross of NFL.com certainly thinks the quarterback has what it takes, calling Williams one of 2025’s most likely breakouts. But if for some reason that breakout didn’t come, the Bears would be in an extremely precarious position.
“Just four months after the rough end to his first season, things feel entirely different around the quarterback,” Ross wrote. “The Bears hired an exceptional offensive play-caller in head coach Ben Johnson, retooled the offensive line and drafted dynamic playmakers in TE Colston Loveland and WR Luther Burden III. With better protection and a head coach who has a record of building explosive offenses, Williams is set up to fully realize his potential.”
Why Chicago Bears’ Caleb Williams will break out in 2025
As a rookie, Williams completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. There were some positives as Williams set the Bears’ rookie passing record while limiting the turnovers. But the quarterback barely scratched his No. 1 pick surface.
One of the biggest issues was sacks, as Williams took a league-high 68. Some of it was his fault, as he held onto the ball too long while waiting for the play to develop downfield. But Chicago’s offensive line didn’t do him any favors.
Now, the Bears have two new guards in Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson as well as free agent signee center Drew Dalman. Darnell Wright has proven to be a stout option while second-rounder Ozzy Trapilo looks to be the future opposite him. Overall, Williams’ blocking scheme is infinitely better entering his sophomore year.
When he drops back to pass, the quarterback has a litany of playmaking options to throw to. Wide receivers DJ Moore and Rome Odunze will do damage on the outside while Luther Burden makes plays from the slot. Furthermore, defenses will have a tough time stopping both tight ends in Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland.
And alongside all of the on-field additions, Williams now has a coach he can depend on. The Bears made a franchise-altering mid-year coaching change in 2024. How can the quarterback really find his NFL footing with so many changes to leadership? Now, Johnson is locked in on Chicago and locked in on Williams, which will bolster the QB’s development drastically.
But in the end, it’ll all be up to Williams. The offensive line, receiving weapons and Johnson can only take the Bears so far. Chicago will live and die by their quarterback. Williams must prove he is up for the task.
More must-reads:
- DeMeco Ryans sounds displeased with officiating after C.J. Stroud concussion
- Mike Vrabel responds to accusation that Patriots simulated Falcons' snap on key fourth-quarter play
- The 'NFL Passing YPG leaders' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
TODAY'S BEST
Dolphins considering drastic Tua Tagovailoa move
Tua Tagovailoa's future as the Miami Dolphins' starting quarterback may be on shaky ground. Through nine starts, Tagovailoa is 2-7 and has posted a below-average 43.6 QBR. If his play doesn't improve soon, the team may make a drastic move. Dolphins are reportedly considering benching Tua Tagovailoa In a story published Sunday, NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport reported the Dolphins could bench Tagovailoa in favor of Zach Wilson or rookie Quinn Ewers later this season. Rapoport added, "Tagovailoa's play would really have to fall off for Miami to turn to either Wilson or Ewers." However, the QB may be nearing that point. In his past four games, the 2020 first-round pick has tossed seven of his 11 interceptions. Wilson and Ewers have both filled in for Tagovailoa during blowout losses this season. Former New York Jets flop Wilson completed 5-of-8 passes for 32 yards in a 33-8 Week 1 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Ewers, a seventh-round pick out of Texas, finished 5-of-8 passing for 53 yards in a 31-6 Week 7 loss to the Cleveland Browns. What would happen if the Dolphins benched Tua Tagovailoa? The Dolphins' benching of Tagovailoa would signal they want to move on from the QB, but that would be challenging. In July 2024, the former Alabama star signed a four-year, $212.4M contract extension with $167.1M guaranteed. The deal is now an albatross for the franchise. According to Rapoport, Miami would incur an NFL-record $99.2M cap hit if it released him this offseason. The Dolphins could designate him as a post-June 1 cut to spread the amount out over the next two seasons ($67.4M in 2026 and $31.8M in 2027). The Denver Broncos did the same in March 2024, after taking an $85M cap hit following the release of former starting QB Russell Wilson. To avoid these expenses, the Dolphins could consider trading Tagovailoa with a post-June 1 designation. A pre-June 1 trade would leave $45.2M in dead money against Miami's salary cap. But a declining and injury-prone Tagovailoa shouldn't attract many suitors. The sixth-year veteran has had four documented concussions in his NFL career. The Dolphins should hope Tagovailoa gets his act together. Per Over The Cap, his deal runs out of guaranteed salary in 2027. Until then, they're likely stuck with the 27-year-old passer.
Vikings snap count analysis and notable PFF grades from win over Lions
The Vikings got key contributions from all three phases in a 27-24 upset win over the Lions on Sunday at Ford Field. Let's dive into the week's snap counts and take a look at some notable PFF grades to see what stands out. Vikings offensive snap counts vs. Lions (out of 62) LG Donovan Jackson: 62 RG Will Fries: 62 RT Brian O'Neill: 62 LT Christian Darrisaw: 62 C Blake Brandel: 62 QB J.J. McCarthy: 62 WR Justin Jefferson: 59 WR Jordan Addison: 57 TE T.J. Hockenson: 48 RB Jordan Mason: 37 WR Jalen Nailor: 33 TE Nick Vannett: 27 RB Aaron Jones: 26 TE Ben Yurosek: 17 WR Adam Thielen: 4 OL Joe Huber: 2 It was encouraging to see the Vikings' entire offensive line, including Darrisaw and O'Neill, stay healthy throughout 60-plus snaps. At running back, Jones was excellent in the first half and would've comfortably out-snapped Mason on the day if he hadn't left early in the third quarter with a shoulder injury. Initial reports are that Jones avoided a serious injury and has a chance to play next Sunday against Baltimore. Without Josh Oliver or C.J. Ham, the Vikings turned to Vannett and Yurosek as extra run blockers, and both put in solid performances. Four offensive snaps is a season-low for Thielen, who has played just 24 total over the past three games. Top 5 PFF grades on offense (min. 20 snaps) 1. Jones — 76.6 2. Jefferson — 72.8 3. Brandel — 68.0 4. Jackson — 67.4 5. Darrisaw — 65.7 This checks out. The Vikings' offensive line played well, and Jones and Jefferson were the top two weapons for J.J. McCarthy. Speaking of McCarthy, he just missed this list with a 63.5 grade, which feels pretty fair for how he played. Addison and Hockenson are right behind him, grade-wise. Low grades on the day went to Mason and Fries, but both were still above 55. Vikings defensive snap counts vs. Lions (out of 64) LB Blake Cashman: 64 S Josh Metellus: 64 CB Byron Murphy Jr: 64 S Harrison Smith: 64 OLB Jonathan Greenard: 62 CB Isaiah Rodgers: 61 DT Jalen Redmond: 58 LB Eric Wilson: 56 DT Jonathan Allen: 51 OLB Andrew Van Ginkel: 39 DT Javon Hargrave: 39 CB Fabian Moreau: 24 S Theo Jackson: 16 OLB Dallas Turner: 14 LB Ivan Pace Jr: 13 DT Levi Drake Rodriguez: 11 DT Elijah Williams: 4 This was quite the game for Brian Flores and the Vikings' defense, who made things tough on an elite Lions offense for most of the day. From a snap count perspective, the first thing that jumps out is Redmond playing 91 percent of the snaps. He's legitimately established himself as the best defensive tackle on a team that employs former Pro Bowlers in Allen and Hargrave. Cashman and Wilson were outstanding in this game. Allen made an impact. Hargrave was excellent. And the importance of Van Ginkel simply cannot be overstated. He changes everything. He was limited to playing 61 percent of the snaps in his return to action, but that number figures to rise next week. Van Ginkel's return coincided with Turner playing a season-low 14 snaps. It'll be interesting to see if that continues moving forward. Pace is merely a role player behind the Vikings' top two linebackers at this point, but he can still be effective when used as a blitzer. Stepping into the CB3 role in place of Jeff Okudah wasn't Dwight McGlothern, it was the veteran Moreau, who played well. Top 5 PFF grades on defense (min. 20 snaps) 1. Cashman — 90.8 2. Hargrave — 81.4 3. Van Ginkel — 75.1 4. Moreau — 73.4 5. Smith — 67.4 Cashman was simply fantastic in this game, whether it was in run defense or coverage or as a blitzer on the Vikings' many designed pressure looks with their off-ball linebackers. Hargrave and Van Ginkel were also instrumental in Minnesota's run defense. Moreau and Smith tackled well and were important in coverage. Wilson got dinged a bit for some missed tackles and ended up with a 63.5 grade, but when you watch the tape, he was absolutely everywhere. He had six pressures and two sacks, and even when he missed tackles, the fact that he arrived at the play so quickly helped lead to tackles for teammates. He looked like a star in this game. Lower grades on defense went to Redmond, Rodgers, Murphy, and Theo Jackson.
Blockbuster trade for superstar pass rusher would be Bills' final Infinity Stone
If the Buffalo Bills' win over the reigning AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs proved anything, it was that now is the time for the Bills to take a big swing. Entering Sunday’s matchup, many expected the Bills to get blown out by the Chiefs and sink right back into the pit of despair with nine weeks remaining in the regular season. Instead, Buffalo came through with a convincing win, which has placed them right back into the Super Bowl discussion. And one more significant addition could help them earn their first ever Lombardi Trophy. Infinity Stone With things once again trending in the right direction, perhaps more so than they have all season, the perfect moment to make a blockbuster trade has presented itself to General Manager Brandon Beane. Like a group of Avengers in search of the final Infinity Stone, the Bills need just one more missing piece to push themselves over the edge: Cincinnati Bengals pass rusher Trey Hendrickson. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported on Monday that the Bengals’ asking price remains high for Hendrickson, with a potential move requiring at least a first-round pick. And while Beane and company are always reluctant to part with top-end draft picks, there has never been a more opportune time for the Bills to do so than entering Week 10 of the 2025 campaign. Injuries have piled up along the defensive line, with the most recent of which being a season-ending Achilles injury sustained by Michael Hoecht. With the Bills’ pass rush now in need of a boost similar to that which Hoecht provided through seven quarters, Hendrickson would be just that as Buffalo continues its pursuit of a world championship. What would Bills be getting? Hendrickson is a four-time Pro Bowler and was honored as an All-Pro first-team selection for the first time a season ago, when he finished second in the voting for Defensive Player of the Year. Through seven games this season, Hendrickson has totaled four sacks, three tackles for loss and eight quarterback hits while delivering an impressive pressure rate of 13.6% while playing for one of the worst defenses in the league. While he hasn’t experienced the same level of production that he did during back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons in 2023 and 2024, the 30-year-old pass rusher has plenty left in the tank and would change the dynamic of Buffalo’s defensive line. Missing a piece On Sunday against the Chiefs, the Bills finished the game with 15 quarterback hits, providing the blueprint on how to impact Patrick Mahomes, who finished with the worst completion percentage of his career (44%) during the Kansas City defeat. Hoecht had helped bring the team’s rush unit to another level in his brief time since returning from a six-game suspension for PEDs, and now the reality that the Bills will be without him the rest of the year calls into question whether this group can keep things rolling. If the Bills offered the house for Hendrickson and were able to land the big fish, those questions would dissipate rapidly. It may take a first-round pick and then some, but Hendrickson is a player worth remortgaging your house for. And the Bills should do just that to acquire the Cincinnati superstar. It would take a bundle of draft picks, including at least one first-rounder, but this is a move the Bills should strongly consider before Tuesday's 4 p.m. deadline. Let's talk turkey It would cost the Bills $8 million in cap space to acquire Hendrickson, per Spotrac, which is something they don't have at the moment. Buffalo carries just under $2 million of cap space entering Week 10. But as has proven before, there are always ways to work around the cap if a team finds something worthy of doing so. And Hendrickson is worth it. — Sign up for OnSI’s Free Buffalo Bills Newsletter —
Auburn makes massive decision regarding HC Hugh Freeze
The college football coaching carousel is alive and well. Just one week after Brian Kelly was fired from LSU, it's now the Auburn Tigers' turn to make a coaching move. Hugh Freeze fired According to multiple reports, Auburn has officially parted ways with head coach Hugh Freeze. The firing comes after Auburn managed just three points Saturday against the Kentucky Wildcats, one of the SEC's worst defensive teams, in a 10-3 loss. Freeze's tenure Freeze will finish his tenure at Auburn with a 15-19 (44.1 percent) record, much worse than his career winning percentage of 61.3 percent. His return to the SEC after seven seasons away ultimately did not turn out the way he or the university had hoped. Expected buyout Freeze's expected buyout is set at $15.8 million, one of the largest across college football. According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, that amount "is not subject to off-set and mitigation." Potential replacements The amount of top-notch coaching talent fired this season will give Auburn plenty of options to go after to fill its head-coaching vacancy. Those names include Billy Napier, Brian Kelly, James Franklin and others. A head-coaching job in the SEC is a dream job for many coaches, meaning there should be plenty of suitors to fill the vacated role for both next season and beyond.
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
