Caleb Williams is having an up-and-down second season — but honestly, that’s exactly how it’s supposed to look. Ben Johnson is as elite as they come, and learning his system was always going to take some time. Williams looks like a young quarterback still getting comfortable in a new offense, but the key is that the Bears are winning despite his learning curve and growing pains.
Williams does need to develop more poise. At times — especially last week against the Saints — it felt like he was playing backyard football. But that will smooth out once he’s fully settled into Johnson’s system. And even with those struggles, when the Bears needed a play, Williams delivered.
With under two minutes left in the fourth quarter on 4th and 2, the Bears had a chance to seal the game. They’d been running the ball effectively all day, so Johnson easily could’ve handed it to D’Andre Swift. Instead, he put the game in his quarterback’s hands — and Williams hit Colston Loveland through the air for a clutch first down. That moment showed Johnson’s complete trust and belief in his young QB, which had to mean a lot to Williams after an up and down day.
The brutal truth about Caleb Williams is that this was always going to take time — and that’s perfectly fine. The Bears are giving him the patience and support to grow, all while stacking wins. Once Williams fully catches up, watch out — because this team is going to be dangerous.
