Syndication: Detroit Free Press Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) makes a pass against Detroit Lions during the first half at Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill. on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024.

From 'spiraling' to breakout, Chicago Bears listed among most improved NFL teams

Originally posted on ChiCitySports | By Matt Lombardo | Last updated May 27, 2025 2:30 PM ET

For the second consecutive season, optimism runs high in Chicago.

Last summer, it was the promise that arrived with quarterback Caleb Williams as a generational prospect and No. 1 overall pick at quarterback dropped into an offense that included veteran playmakers like Keenan Allen , Cole Kmet, and D’Andre Swift along with fellow top-15 pick Rome Odunze at wide receiver that many believed would lift the Chicago Bears back into the postseason.

However, after a tumultuous 2024 campaign that saw Williams’ rookie season marred by inconsistency and awful coaching which led to the firings of former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and head coach Matt Eberflus, in-season, hope once again springs eternal thanks to the arrival of head coach Ben Johnson, some potentially explosive weapons around Williams on offense and wholesale improvements along an offensive line that surrendered 68 sacks last fall.

Chicago Bears listed among most improved teams by ESPN

Heralded by Johnson and his track record as not just a bonafide quarterback whisperer but innovative playcaller along with significant upgrades along both lines of scrimmage, the Bears are becoming a chic pick to turn things around this season.

Over at ESPN, analyst Ben Solak lists the Bears as one of the most improved teams across the NFL.

“It has been five months since the 2024 regular season ended,” Solak writes of the Bears. “And we’re still uncovering more layers of the coaching ineptitude in Chicago. Caleb Williams’ rookie season was rife with concerning film, but it’s quite easy to attribute his spiraling to the poor coaching. With Ben Johnson on hand and Dennis Allen running the defense, the Bears should be far more functional in 2025. Their substantial offseason additions on offense could define a very high ceiling, if they hit.”

The Bears have added enough to compete in the NFC North

Syndication: Detroit Free Press Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) makes a pass against Detroit Lions during the first half at Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill. on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024.

That the Bears play in arguably the most competitive division in football could make a turnaround a daunting one, but if Johnson is able to guide Chicago back to the postseason, it will make the feat all the more impressive.

After all, Williams’ development holds the key to the Bears’ trajectory as a franchise, but adding the likes of veterans Grady Jarrett, Dayo Odeyingbo, Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson, and Drew Dalman, bolstering critical needs at positions critical to success just might justify this spring’s optimism compared to last summer’s fool’s gold.