Everything the Chicago Bears hope can happen for them rests on the shoulders of Caleb Williams. GM Ryan Poles schemed to draft the former USC star for over a year. Many feel he has generational talent. Unfortunately, he couldn’t show it last season due to rough circumstances, including poor pass protection and worse coaching. Both problems were addressed in the offseason, most notably by hiring Ben Johnson as head coach. His widely respected expertise was what Williams needed to take the next step.
Things didn’t start well when training camp opened. There were lots of miscues and miscommunications, and Williams looked somewhat overwhelmed. Nobody panicked, though. Johnson had expected it since his head coach was throwing a lot of information and curveballs at his young quarterback. Tuesday the 29th felt like the first real shift in a positive direction. While it wasn’t a perfect afternoon for the offense, there is abundant evidence that Williams was throwing excellent passes all morning.
Caleb Williams isn’t there yet, but he’s picking up steam.
Coach Johnson said before practice that his quarterback is drastically improved from where he was in the spring, particularly regarding comfort in the system. There are still issues to work through. The install isn’t over yet, and it will take a long time before Caleb Williams masters it. That said, he’s looking more decisive with each passing day. The accuracy is showing up more often. Better still, it seems like his protection is starting to hold up better. If he shows this kind of progress less than a week into camp, it bodes well for what the Bears seek this season. Plenty of people have low expectations for Williams after seeing his struggles last year. He is undoubtedly motivated to show them that his demise was greatly exaggerated. It could be a fun next few months for the organization.
