Overview

• Williams went 6-of-10 for 107 yards and a touchdown in a 38-0 win over the Bills, an outing coaches called clean and efficient.
• Bills coach Sean McDermott confirmed many starters rested, a caveat analysts cited in tempering takeaways from the performance.
• Johnson, speaking on the Up & Adams Show, praised Williams’ operation at the line, protection checks and a few “big-time throws,” and said he is coaching the quarterback hard by design.
• Reporting resurfaced that Williams’ predraft research had soured him on then-OC Shane Waldron; Chicago dismissed Waldron in mid-November 2024, and Williams’ play improved afterward.
• GM Ryan Poles reoriented the offense around Williams by hiring Johnson and bolstering the interior line with Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman and Jonah Jackson, moves analysts say should clarify whether gains carry into the regular season.