ESPN Insiders: Caleb Williams has 'no excuses' in Year 1 under new Bears coach Ben Johnson

QB Caleb Williams didn’t live up to be the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft as a rookie last year in what was another bad season for the Bears. Now, in his first full offseason, he may have a better chance at success in his second year in the league.

‘Get Up’ answered questions about teams in the NFC North on Thursday morning, with Kimberly Martin discussing if Williams would make a jump in year two with Chicago. She prefaced it, though, by noting how many thought he would take one from the start in year one for him.

“A lot of people thought, last year, he was set up for a jump,” said Martin.

That said, the Bears have invested in Williams even further since their season ended at the start of January. That starts with the hire of Ben Johnson, who spent the past three seasons as offensive coordinator, while posting a top-five scoring unit in each year there, of the Detroit Lions, as their next and latest head coach.

They also reworked some of the offensive line, namely acquiring LG Joe Thuney coming off three seasons as an All-Pro and Pro Bowler with Kansas City, while focusing on offense by taking TE Colston Loveland (Michigan), WR Luther Burden II (Missouri), and OL Ozzy Trapilo (Boston College) in the first two rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft. They’ll now pair all of that with Williams along with their other pieces like RB D’Andre Swift, WRs DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, TE Cole Kmet, and OL Darnell Wright. Even so, that does all still have to come together for Chicago, especially under a first-time head coach in Johnson.

“I think, on paper, being paired with new head coach Ben Johnson is a great thing for Caleb Williams. Obviously, this roster has some pieces,” said Martin. “But, again, it’s still on paper.”

Williams also has to take some of that step himself too after completing 62.5% of his throws for 3,451 yards, 20 touchdowns, and six interceptions, finishing the year with eleven turnovers while taking a league-high of 68 sacks. That, paired with all that his franchise did for the team around him, is why Harry Douglas and Damien Woody thought later on that Williams has the most at stake for this upcoming season in the NFC.

“(He) told the world that he wanted Ben Johnson as his next head coach. Well, he got Ben Johnson. They revamped their entire offensive line, they continuously got him weapons,” said Douglas. “With everything that’s around, now, Caleb Williams, I think he has the most pressure on him when it comes to the NFC.”

“No excuses (for Caleb). I mean, Chicago has basically taken all of the excuses away – new head coach, more weapons, rebuilt offensive line,” Woody said. “The one thing with Caleb Williams? We know he has a flare for the spectacular but you’ve got to be able to play in structure. You know, that’s really been the one issue we’ve been talking about going back to his USC days. Can he play in structure? Because, ultimately, that’s what wins in the National Football League and he has yet to show us that he can do that.”

Williams still has the potential to be amongst the very best quarterbacks, with these additions only helping him to start to make that as early as this fall, in the NFL. Still, Martin thinks some trust from the fans for the Bears wouldn’t hurt either as this next season begins for him.

“I think, for right now, we can expect some good things but, give him patience,” said Martin.