Chicago Bears DJ Moore Reveals Big Change In Caleb Williams In Practice

Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore has been impressed with how Caleb Williams has played in practice so far this offseason and detailed his growth from his rookie season to now. 

"(I've seen) a lot of growth. You can tell he’s on his A-game every day," Moore said. "Just taking control of the huddle, knowing the playbook, and just being a leader that he is at the quarterback spot."

DJ Moore is heading into his eighth season in the NFL. Moore was traded from the Carolina Panthers to the Bears prior to the 2023 season. He was apart of the trade that resulted in Caleb Williams being drafted by the Bears No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. 

The Bears sent the Panthers the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft and in return, Chicago got Carolina’s 2024 first round pick (Caleb Williams pick), DJ Moore, and a handful of other draft picks. In each of Moore’s first two seasons in Chicago, he has led the Bears in receiving yards with 1,364 in 2023 and 966 in 2024. 

Caleb Williams Entering Year Two In Chicago

Caleb Williams was in a very difficult situation last season. In Williams’s rookie season in 2024, he threw for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns, and six interceptions. The Bears went 5-12, finishing last place in the NFC North. In the middle of the year, they fired coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. 

Much of this chaos surrounding the Bears organization was completely out of Williams’s control. The Bears hope that they have now righted the ship with the hiring of Ben Johnson as coach. 

Ben Johnson was previously the offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions from 2022 through 2024. In those three years, the Lions had one of the top offenses in the entire NFL. Johnson said that the opportunity to coach Williams was one of the reasons why he took the Bears job this offseason. 

“It’s clear that modern football in the NFL is quarterback driven,” Johnson said in his opening Bears press conference. “So there is no doubt Caleb played a large component in that…He is a phenomenal talent that had, as many quarterbacks do, an up-and-down-rookie year. Where I see my role is a supporter of him.”  

Williams is excited about the aspect of Johnson now being his coach. 

“I’m really excited about obviously the Bears and being to to make this happen, and keeping Ben Johnson as our coach for a long time,” Williams said to ChicagoBears.com following the news of the Johnson hire.