Overview

• Ben Johnson says that rigorous offseason work has left rookie quarterback Caleb Williams “so much more comfortable” moving through a mix of shotgun and under-center formations.
• The Bears fortified an offensive line that surrendered an NFL-high 68 sacks in 2024 by signing center Drew Dalman and acquiring guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson.
• Training camp in early August opened with sloppy execution before the offense finished practices in a more competitive rhythm.
• Williams praised the system’s creativity, highlighting its fusion of “old rule smash mouth football” with “new innovative football.”
• NFL draft analyst Thor Nystrom has warned that a stylistic mismatch between Johnson’s scripted approach and Williams’s playmaking could lead to joint failure.