(670 The Score) Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is just one year into his NFL career, but a pivotal juncture already awaits him.
Coming off a rookie campaign filled with challenges, Williams is now starting his first full offseason in the NFL and is under the direction of a new head coach in Ben Johnson.
Williams threw for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions in 17 starts as a rookie in 2024, when he endured the firing of offensive coordinator Shane Waldron on Nov. 12 and then the dismissal of head coach Matt Eberflus on Nov. 29. The Bears went 5-12 in a season filled with adversity and instability around him.
It was baptism by fire for Williams, who still inspired hope. Entering the 2025 season, Williams’ potential and his pairing with Johnson gives the Bears hope for a breakthrough. As we conduct our offseason outlook of the Bears' roster, here's a look at the quarterback position.
Who’s back: Caleb Williams (23), Tyson Bagent (24)
As Williams prepared for his rookie season, the Bears didn't bring in a veteran stopgap quarterback.
It was a departure from how the Bears had operated in the previous decade. Williams was anointed the team's starting quarterback ahead of the first practice of the offseason, while the 24-year-old Bagent was the backup.
That structure shouldn’t change in 2025 unless Johnson prefers to have a veteran quarterback in his room.
Williams, 23, will enter his second NFL season without any threat of competition behind him. Meanwhile, Bagent is set to play his third NFL season with the enticing opportunity of free agency awaiting him after the 2025 season.
The Bears will likely add a third quarterback to their roster this offseason, with Johnson’s influence surely informing that signing, but this remains Williams’ starting job to own.
What’s next?
NFL history is filled with examples of why Williams can enjoy a breakout second season.
The story of Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning is often shared as a shining example of persevering through a turbulent rookie season. The No. 1 overall pick in 1998, Manning threw 28 interceptions in his first year as the Colts went 3-13. Then in 1999, he earned the first of his 14 Pro Bowl honors as Indianapolis had a 13-3 season.
Perhaps the better example for Williams is Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow, whose rookie campaign was challenging in a number of ways. Burrow threw for 13 touchdowns in 10 games before suffering a torn ACL while Cincinnati went 4-11-1 in 2020.
Burrow had a remarkable second season in which he guided the Bengals to the Super Bowl and the brink of their first ever championship. He threw for 4,611 yards and 34 touchdowns while earning AP Comeback Player of the Year honors.
Williams' challenges as a rookie can be traced in large part to the struggles of those around him. It’s fair to believe that he would’ve enjoyed a stronger first season if the Bears had stability on their coaching staff and a better offensive line. Instead, Williams cycled through three offensive coordinators and two play-callers while being sacked an NFL-high 68 times.
Williams had to be the spokesman for a team that checked out amid a season-defining 10-game losing streak. He managed to remain upbeat during the tough times, believing still in what’s to come.
The Bears took a critical step for Williams' future by hiring the 38-year-old Johnson, who was widely considered the top coaching candidate available in this hiring cycle. The Lions led the NFL in scoring in 2024 and were second in total offense with Johnson serving as offensive coordinator. He helped quarterback Jared Goff transform from being a castoff in Los Angeles to a Pro Bowl talent in Detroit.
Johnson was drawn to the Bears in large part because of Williams' potential. He plans to build an offense around the strengths of Williams and the Bears' personnel rather than forcing any particular scheme upon them.
Johnson is excited about Williams’ future, while Williams sees himself in lockstep with Johnson.
“Score, score, score an insane amount of points,” Williams said. “And I think we have the same mindset. We sat down and talked and had the same mindset about scoring and all these different things.
“When you're on the football field, you want the other teams to feel as if you've embarrassed them. So being able to go out there – and that's a collective thing, special teams, defense and obviously offense – it's being able to go out there and score points, hold teams to minimal points.
“The whole collective brand of football is what we're aspiring to go for and get. And I'm really excited about that opportunity. I know Ben is. There are good things to come.”
Prediction: Williams will surpass 4,000 yards passing in 2025
No quarterback in the Bears’ long history has ever achieved what has been accomplished for every other NFL team – throwing for 4,000 yards in a single season.
It’s perhaps the most embarrassing fact about the Bears’ historic quarterback struggles. Joe Namath was the first quarterback in NFL history to achieve the 4,000-yard passing feat in a season, doing so in 1967. He's the Jets’ lone quarterback to surpass that mark, but at least they have one to do so.
In his second season, Williams will end this miserable drought for the Bears by reaching the 4,000-yard passing mark. He has the talent to do so, and now the Johnson-led Bears will create the stability and structure that was lacking around him.
There’s good reason to have hope that Williams will thrive in his second NFL season.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.