Chicago Bears, Caleb Williams earn fiery endorsement from former All-Pro

Ben Johnson changes 

Early into his tenure as Bears head coach, Johnson has already made changes to Williams’ game. From which foot comes forward on shotgun snaps to how the quarterback gets up from a hit have all been discussed. But to Kuechly, the fact Johnson is so proficient in dialing up play-action passes will be one of the key changes to Williams’ arsenal.

“The play action pass does a lot of things,” Kuechly said. “It provides easy windows for the quarterback to throw the ball. There’s easy built-in checkdowns, guys in the flat, easy completions. It takes a lot of pressure off of the offensive line. One of the most difficult things as a defender is short completions and tackling guys in space.”

During the 2024 season, the Lions attempted 220 pass attempts out of play-action, by far the most in the league. In turn, the Bears attempted just 90 play-action passes, the fifth-fewest in the league. While it’d be a drastic change, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Johnson continue his play-action proficiency in the Windy City.

How Williams adapts to that new plan is yet to be seen. But Johnson took the Bears job in part because he believes the former No. 1 pick is a quarterback worth building around.

Chicago Bears relying on Caleb Williams 

Williams has been the player receiving the most hype on the Bears. However, a lot of that is because of the additions around him. Johnson is a major upgrade at head coach while the offensive line has gone from Chicago’s biggest weakness to a key strength. Not many other teams mirror what the Bears offer in terms of skill position players.

But all of those things are outside factors when it comes to Williams. Ultimately, if the Bears are going to be successful, the quarterback needs to prove why he went No. 1 overall in the first place.

One of the biggest issues during his rookie season was holding onto the ball too long. Williams’ offensive line did him no favors in letting up a league-high 68 sacks. But too often did the quarterback wait for a play to develop downfield, and when it never did, the defense had plenty of time to get to him. If Johnson’s system is based on quick passes, Williams will be forced to fix his rookie year error.

That is just one thing on the list of changes Johnson will be looking to make. But it’s not like Williams is completely broken. One season, especially one where he set numerous Chicago record records, won’t sour the Bears on his potential. But now there are no more excuses, Williams must prove he is the quarterback the franchise thought he was when they drafted him.