The Chicago Bears have plenty of proving to do before the wider NFL takes them seriously. This team hasn’t posted a winning record since 2018. While that isn’t anywhere close to the longest stretch in franchise history, it is long enough for people to consider them irrelevant. GM Ryan Poles has worked tirelessly for three years to retool the roster from the ground up. He appears to have at least made it credible in that time. They have standout names on both sides of the ball. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to avoid another ugly season at 5-12. More moves were made this past March and April to fortify key areas. However, everybody knows the true reality. This season hinges on the new partnership of Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams.
Williams is the former #1 overall pick from last year. Everybody agrees he has the talent of a true franchise quarterback. What he didn’t have last year was good coaching. One could argue it wasn’t even below average. That is why the Bears sold out to bring Johnson in from Detroit. They feel his highly respected offensive prowess makes him well-qualified for the task. What nobody knows is whether the two could develop a working relationship. Based on what Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog is hearing, that isn’t a problem.
(1) I think we’re going to know a lot about the relationship between Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams in the early days of camp. Initial reports out of Halas Hall are EXTREMELY good; the two men are sporting a noticeable rapport around the building. But that rapport and $5 will get you a ride on the blue line to O’Hare. If the 2025 Chicago Bears are going to be playing in the tournament come early 2026, they can’t spend the entirety of summer working out the kinks. They need to look the part, quickly.
Ben Johnson is exactly who Caleb Williams needed (and wanted).
Throughout last season, the young quarterback made it evident that he wanted to be coached hard. He wanted that discipline. It was the only way he knew he could achieve the heights necessary for greatness. None of the Bears’ coaching staff was willing to provide it. Shane Waldron was painfully passive, and Matt Eberflus refused to step in. Thomas Brown finally brought some edge to the situation, but by then, it was far too late.
Ben Johnson immediately set the tone this spring, jumping all over Williams and other players whenever they made errors. He’s made it clear there is zero tolerance for dumb or lazy football. It isn’t about being mean or some power trip. The head coach wants to win. To do that, he needs his players to execute mistake-free football. Williams might be the quarterback, but that doesn’t earn him special treatment. He wouldn’t have it any other way.
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Each knows he needs the other. They will have a symbiotic relationship initially since neither can tolerate defeat. Their careers for now are inextricably interwoven required for success.
Critical differences and losing might conceivably change the nature of this professional marriage. Tyson and father, no temptations please.
So Lambert, it’s come to this. You regularly take quotes from Ficky and Hughes that they wrote on THIS SITE WITHIN LAST COUPLE DAYS and you “write” a piece on it? High degree of research and work. Kudos.
“. . . and Matt Eberflus refused to step in.” Experience, or lack of experience doesn’t make someone a professional. But at some point, someone in the building needs to recognize what needs to be done and either do it, or find someone who will. Contracts for coaches and players give them stability – but with the Bears, it brought complacency. Just like players are released regardless of their contracts, coaches needed to as well. The firing of Waldron was a HUGE step for the franchise. The firing of Eberflus was a confirmation of that step. The hiring of Johnson… Read more »
Everybody WANTS to win. Some are committed to it no matter what. But, it takes that kind of commitment plus a solid roster with some star quality players and a workable plan plus a bit of good fortune (luck?) with injuries and such. A couple of good leaders with a good plan is a solid start. I would love to see Da Bears successfully run the same offensive and defensive systems for a few years in a row for once.
I believe Caleb wants to win as well. It’s a hard job to turn around a bad team and become a consistent winner. I don’t have doubts that the coach and QB both want the same things. I’m a believer in the coach. I think Caleb has the talent. But with any new assignment, such as learning a new offense- you still need to unlearn some bad habits. Many football players are pretty good at adapting to the new regime’s desires- even if it doesn’t happen quickly. It seems to me that Caleb has been in a couple of negative… Read more »