BREAKING; Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams Send Strong Message with major request to Ben Johnson
The flow of information was expected and routine Monday at Halas Hall, where new Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson began introducing his quarterbacks to key elements of his offensive system to help them get acclimated.
By Tuesday morning, it was already time for a pop quiz.
“Ben came in, flung open the door like it was a movie scene,” rookie quarterback Caleb Williams said with a grin, enjoying the storytelling moment. “Then he started testing us on everything we went over the day before. Day one, and he’s already pushing us.”
While Williams didn’t share many specifics from the moment, his energy spoke volumes.
“Everyone enjoys being challenged,” he said. “That’s part of what makes football great. Every day presents a new test, and today was our first.”
These kinds of challenges will be constant as Williams adapts to a new offensive scheme, Johnson’s coaching style, and the expectations that come with it. There’s a long road ahead before Week 1 kicks off in September, and that journey began this week with Phase 1 of the Bears’ offseason program in Lake Forest.
It’ll be some time before serious on-field drills begin, but Williams and Johnson already understand the importance of their relationship. How quickly that bond forms could be key to the team’s progress.
Williams has made it clear he wants to be pushed, and Johnson intends to do exactly that. The rookie has responded positively so far, even comparing his early connection with Johnson to the one he felt with Lincoln Riley when he arrived at Oklahoma in 2021.
“I feel like I can tell when I really click with someone,” Williams said. “It’s a similar feeling to when I met Lincoln… Of course, Ben’s his own guy, but there are similarities.”
Williams is now hoping for similar success.
At Oklahoma, he broke out as a freshman, becoming the starter midseason and leading the Sooners to six wins in their final eight games. He followed Riley to USC in 2022, where he won the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore and solidified his status as the No. 1 overall draft pick, even through a rocky 2023 campaign.
Now, after a rough rookie season in Chicago, Williams is looking for a fresh start under Johnson. That includes growing his comfort with playing under center — a focus Johnson emphasized last week.
Williams is embracing the challenge, saying he needs to be locked in with everything from footwork to understanding route concepts and visualizing how plays are supposed to develop. He also mentioned refining his huddle leadership, cadence, and ability to adjust plays at the line.
“It’s about getting those reps now, seeing it in your head, and stacking those gains,” Williams said.
At last week’s NFL meetings in Palm Beach, Johnson underscored his emphasis on Expected Points Added (EPA) — a stat he believes is a top indicator of quarterback success. He’s aiming for an efficient passing game with high completion rates and plenty of yards after the catch.
“From our analytics team’s perspective,” Johnson said, “EPA in the passing game is one of the biggest factors tied to winning.”