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One massive question looms large over Chicago Bears' 2025 season

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI | By Bryan Perez | Last updated May 6, 2025 1:07 PM ET

The Chicago Bears have been one of the busiest teams in the NFL this offseason, and the upgrades that GM Ryan Poles has made to the roster have renewed hope and excitement among the fans.

How could it not? The additions of Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson, and Drew Dalman have transformed the offensive line into a formidable group for the first time in... forever. The upgraded skill players, through rookies Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III, as well as the expected development of second-year wideout Rome Odunze, have the offense suddenly overflowing with weapons. Even the defense received sizable investments in defensive linemen Grady Jarrett, Dayo Odeyingbo, and second-round pick Shemar Turner.

But the biggest offseason addition was undoubtedly head coach Ben Johnson, who by all accounts was the most sought-after NFL coaching candidate since Sean McVay.

Johnson has already taken significant steps toward rebuilding the culture inside Halas Hall. He's made it very clear that the 2025 Bears will be a meritocracy; that there is no depth chart, and that veterans and rookies alike will earn their reps through hard work on and off the field.

It all adds up to what should be a winning formula for Caleb Williams, the most important player the Chicago Bears have rostered in decades.

Williams, the first overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, had a good-not-great rookie season last year, which, all things considered, is a big win. The Matt Eberflus-led coaching staff was a disaster, as was the offensive line that surrendered a league-high 68 sacks. All of that has changed now, and the only question that remains is whether Williams will mesh with Johnson and his coaching style.

In fact, the Johnson-Williams dynamic was dubbed the biggest question facing the Chicago Bears in 2025 by CBS Sports.

"The Bears have undeniably fortified their young quarterback's supporting cast, beefing up the O-line with vets like Joe Thuney and adding dynamism to a youthful pass-catching corps," CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin wrote. "We might be overlooking that Williams still has a new coach; it's imperative they mesh schematically to maximize the Windy City's tantalizing talent."

Williams' ability to mesh with Johnson is a question worth asking, but the early returns have been promising. Williams is saying all the right things, and there's never been any question about his work ethic or desire to be great.

Johnson is a no-nonsense coach who expects his players to be all-in, all the time. Williams should have no problem with that. If he does, the Chicago Bears will have a catastrophe on their hands.

This article first appeared on Chicago Bears on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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