Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson runs a tight ship. That has been evident from the moment he arrived. He expects things to be done a certain way. That doesn’t necessarily mean players can only play one style. More, it means they’re expected to execute at a certain level and know the details of their job from snap to snap. That is particularly true for quarterback Caleb Williams. He is the straw that stirs the drink. For everything to function at the intended level, he must be on top of what each position does and what the defense is trying to do. Are the receivers lined up correctly? Which tight end is going in motion? Is the offensive line in the right protection?
All of this is going through Williams’ head in the seconds before the snap. There is a reason playing quarterback in the NFL is so difficult. It is also why Johnson is so tough on Williams. Unless the quarterback can handle massive loads of information consistently, there will inevitably be a mistake at some point. Mistakes lead to losses. That is why Johnson has not relented on Williams to start training camp. In fact, it sounds like he’s prepared to do something previous Bears coaches were reluctant to concede.
Caleb Williams hinted he might be getting more freedom at the line.
“It’s more having an idea of what they will be in,” Williams said. “Plays get more detailed. He’s adding more on my plate of figuring out the coverage before and having an idea of where I can go with the ball faster and sooner. I haven’t thrown a lot of picks in my career because I can see the coverage and feel the coverage. It’s a little more detailed from play to play and specifics within the play towards the coverage that we are attacking. Then (it’s) adding more plays in there so that we can kill, alert, and check to these different man checks, Cover 2 checks, one high or whatever the case may be.
“So it’s a little bit more of that. We are excited about that. I’m excited. The challenge that he’s giving me to be able to take the next step and progress is what I’m most excited about. It’s going to be hard, it’s going to be tough like it is every year. That’s what you embrace, that’s what you enjoy. Because when it shows up on game days and Sundays or whatever day we play on, it’s really rewarding.”
Williams now basically controls the offense.
The only thing he won’t do is call the actual plays. This level of freedom is somewhat rare these days. Most head coaches aren’t willing to give their quarterbacks that kind of control. They send in a play call with two variations. Based on what the defense shows, the quarterback picks the variation that will work best against it. Williams appears free to change the plays up even further based on what he sees. Johnson showing that level of trust in his young quarterback is a great sign.
When was the last time someone had this level of freedom at the line? You’d probably have to go back to Jim McMahon in the 1980s. Teammates stated that he was the real offensive coordinator on that team. History indicates you have lots of success when the quarterback has full control. This is because they can see the game far better from the huddle than coaches can from the sideline. It is why Peyton Manning was so prolific for so many years. He ran his own offense.
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Don’t expect Johnson to sit idle, mind you.
This is still his offense. He will make the game plans, and he will make the calls. The key difference is that Caleb Williams will have the freedom to adjust those calls depending on look and situation. This is a partnership between the two. Johnson’s job is to send in a play he believes the defense won’t see coming. Williams’ job will be to execute it, or make changes if the coach is wrong. This sort of approach requires a lot of trust. Johnson clearly thinks his quarterback is ready for the responsibility.
It is another reminder of why Williams respects him. Some coaches are never willing to relinquish control. Everything must be done exactly as they instruct. Johnson, to his credit, always keeps an open mind. As demanding as he can be, he’ll give players a certain degree of freedom. That must be earned, though. Williams did that through the trials of last season.
