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What Bears fans should expect from Caleb Williams in 2025 preseason debut

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI
By Pete Martuneac | Last updated Aug 15, 2025 9:32 AM ET

When Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson announced that he would hold back Caleb Williams and the starters against Miami for the preseason opener, he opened up a can of worms from NFL fans and analysts alike. Many thought it was the wrong choice, while some analysts suggested that Johnson was hiding Caleb Williams from Bears fans because he wasn't ready.

It was all premature, knee-jerk reaction type stuff. Johnson explained that Williams and the starters had gotten enough work in their joint practice with Miami, plus a 70-snap workout before the game itself, that playing in the game would have been an unnecessary injury risk. Looking at some of the injuries that already happened in the first preseason game of 2025, this was probably the right call.

Thankfully, we won't have any more such speculation this week, as Johnson has confirmed that Williams and the rest will start against the Bills on Sunday. We don't know for how long Williams and the starters will play, though it probably won't be more than a series or two. Regardless, what can Bears fans expect to see from Williams in his preseason debut in Ben Johnson's offense?

The answer is boring and Bears fans probably won't like it, but we should expect very little from Williams on Sunday. That's not to say he will play poorly, but it's the preseason. Teams don't try anything innovative or explosive in preseason games, especially not with the starters. Assuming Williams plays in exactly two drives for the offense, I would expect no more than seven pass attempts, and these will likely be screen plays or a quick hitter on a simple slant.

For the starters, their appearance will be less about results and more about process. Are they understanding their assignments? Is the center-quarterback exchange working? Is Williams getting the play out to the huddle in a timely manner to avoid costly delay-of-game penalties?

If we can see a clean operation from the starters on Sunday, Bears fans should consider that a success even if they don't put any points on the board or make any splashy plays. Ideally, those will come on September 8th against the Minnesota Vikings. For now, let's just hope for a mistake-free performance and no injuries, and call that a win.

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

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