INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – FEBRUARY 25: Head coach Ben Johnson of the Chicago Bears speaks to the media during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on February 25, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
New Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson got to watch Caleb Williams work in-person on multiple occasions last season, and had a perfect word to describe his play.
Johnson, speaking to reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday, says that his quarterback’s talent level is very exciting to the Bears, but it has a decidedly different impact on his opponents.
“It’s demoralizing on the other side,” he said. “Caleb is super-talented. Out of structure, the off-schedule, the creation – that’s what stands out the most.”
Williams set a Bears rookie record by throwing for 3,541 yards and 20 touchdowns in his first season with the team. He had multiple outstanding games, including his performances against Johnson’s former team the Lions. He threw for 256 yards and three touchdowns in his first game against the Lions in November, then followed that up with 334 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns at Soldier Field in December.
As the season went along, Williams showed an ability to create when he was flushed from the pocket, and Johnson is thrilled that the young quarterback can still be productive even when things don’t go to plan.
“To have an athlete like Caleb extend the play and find explosive plays, that’s what gets me going, and gets me excited thinking about that,” he said.
Still, Johnson has promised to create a playbook that is tailored to Williams’ strengths, and to work with him on the fundamentals of being a great quarterback so that his creativity and ability to thrive under pressure can be more effectively deployed.
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“Huddle, cadence, shifts, everything to help attack a defense,” Johnson said of Williams’ offseason workload. “That’s the starting point, and we’ll look to build around him with talent level and support staff.”
NFL free agency will get underway on March 12, with the Bears likely looking to make additions at numerous key positions, including on both their offensive and defensive lines.
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The next key date will arrive on April 7, when the Bears will be permitted to hold offseason workouts at Halas Hall in Lake Forest.
Finally, the NFL Draft will take place April 24-26 in Green Bay, with the Bears holding the No. 10 overall pick in the first round.
