The Caleb Williams era in Chicago is fully underway, but not everyone is buying the hype. Despite all the Bears have done to put him in a position to succeed, former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum isn’t sold on Williams’ potential, especially under new head coach Ben Johnson.
Chicago Bears Has Set the Stage, Now It’s on Caleb Williams
No team has done more this offseason to build around their quarterback than the Bears. They hired Johnson, the most sought-after head coaching candidate in back-to-back offseasons, to rewire one of the league’s worst offenses. They rebuilt the interior offensive line, trading for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and signing Drew Dalman at center. They also loaded up on weapons, drafting Luther Burden, trading for Colston Loveland, and pairing both with DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, and Cole Kmet.
All signs point to Williams being “the guy.” But as Tannenbaum pointed out on ESPN’s “Get Up,” that only makes his margin for error smaller. “I am not convinced about Williams in Chicago,” he said. “He is going to be a rule-based, disciplined play caller and coach… I’m concerned by [Williams’] lack of discipline in his fundamentals. That’s not going to allow him to maximize his potential.”
The Bears surrendered a league-high 68 sacks in 2024, a stat Tannenbaum says can’t be pinned on coaching and personnel alone. Williams has to share some of that blame. Now, with Chicago going all-in on him again in 2025, he has to clean it up quickly.
Ben Johnson Brings a Blueprint, But Can It Work With Williams?
Johnson’s arrival alone won’t fix things. He inherits a team that ranked dead last in total offense (284.6 yards per game) and 31st in passing. By contrast, his Lions offense ranked No. 2 in the NFL in 2024, averaging 409.5 yards per game and dominating both through the air and on the ground.
His philosophy is built around structure and efficiency, something critics say Williams has lacked. That’s where the questions about their fit start to gain traction.
However, not everyone agrees with the pessimism. Chicago native and ESPN analyst Michael Wilbon pushed back hard, saying, “That is not the case here, okay,” referring to the Bears’ long-standing struggles with quarterbacks. He believes Williams is different and that this time, Chicago finally got it right.
NFC North Won’t Wait Around
Even if the Williams-Johnson pairing clicks, there’s no guarantee Chicago climbs out of the NFC North basement. Detroit is coming off a 15-2 campaign. Minnesota won 14 games. Green Bay has reached the playoffs two years in a row with Jordan Love under center. It’s the NFL’s toughest division on paper, and it won’t be forgiving.
Still, if Williams shows real growth in Year 2 and the offense begins to resemble Johnson’s Lions blueprint, the Bears might just be onto something. But if the former No. 1 pick can’t sharpen his fundamentals, the noise around his fit in Chicago is only going to get louder.