The Chicago Bears are eager to turn the page after finishing last season with a disappointing 5-12 record. The team has already made a big move this offseason in hiring former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their new head coach.
Chicago already has a potential franchise quarterback in Caleb Williams, and while he had a tough rookie season, general manager Ryan Poles believes Johnson can take his game to the next level.
Ryan Poles Makes Bold Prediction About Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams Partnership
Poles drafted Williams as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft with high hopes, and the Bears are banking on him to be their next franchise quarterback.
While Williams had a subpar rookie season, both Poles and Johnson have raved about the quarterback and predicted that he’ll make a turnaround next season.
“I really believe that [Johnson’s] relationship with Caleb is gonna be able to take this thing to the next level,” Poles said on PFT Live.
“Obviously, that’s gonna be a journey in itself for a young quarterback to adapt to a new system, but I’ll go back to just the way Ben communicates. I think we’re going to be able to really get Caleb where he needs to be and elevate this whole team.”
Johnson has praised Williams as different from every other quarterback he has worked with and claimed the sophomore was hungry to become one of the greats.
“I think we’re gonna get a very hungry, a very passionate version of Caleb,” Johnson said. “He’s determined to be one of the greats.”
Williams threw for 3,541 yards and 20 touchdowns, but struggled with efficiency, finishing 33rd in PFSN’s QB+ metric, falling behind players like Daniel Jones, Jameis Winston, and Mac Jones.
However, one positive takeaway was his ability to protect the ball. Williams set an NFL record for the most consecutive pass attempts without an interception by a rookie (354) and finished the season with just six interceptions.
His decision-making was solid throughout, but much of it was overshadowed by his inability to sustain drives and perform under pressure.
When pressured, he ranked 32nd in expected points added (EPA) per dropback and had a third-down conversion rate of just 30.5% (36th in the league).
Johnson has a proven track record of helping quarterbacks turn around their career, including Jared Goff, so the Bears’ GM is expecting big things from Williams during his sophomore year and beyond.