Chicago Bears get Caleb Williams warning despite offensive line revival

The Chicago Bears, and namely quarterback Caleb Williams, have gotten plenty of praise for the franchise’s work over the offseason. However, this is still a Bears team coming off of a 5-12 campaign, and Williams’ rookie year didn’t live up to expectations.

Chicago has done everything they could to build around Williams. They hired an offensive minded head coach in Ben Johnson. Then, the Bears traded for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson before signing center Drew Dalman in free agency. So at least on paper, Chicago is in line for an offensive resurgence in 2025.

Still, Johnson and company must prove themselves and put in the work to see that come to fruition. There’s no banners hung for offseason champions. And one executive is concerned, even with the Bears’ new offensive line, about when Williams drops back to pass, via Mike Sando of The Athletic.

“Detroit did a lot of that, but with the keeper element that Caleb Williams enables, your cutback is going to be there,” this exec said. “Time will tell if their guard play enables the gap-scheme element as a complement. I do think the integrity of the pocket, with that center, will be compromised in dropback situations. I’d imagine they are planning on staying out of those situations as much as they can.”

Caleb Williams must take a step forward

Williams took a league-high 68 sacks as a rookie, leading to Chicago’s offensive line reform. However, the quarterback wasn’t completely faultless. Oftentimes, he held onto the ball too long, trying to make the big play. Ultimately, it gave opposing pass rushers too much time to get into the backfield.

So, when the executive says he thinks Williams will be compromised under center, that is partially the issue. Johnson’s first step in elevating the quarterback is helping him erase that issue.

But playing behind a paper mache offensive line, which an everchanging offensive scheme, it’s not hard to see why Williams felt like he had to take over games. Especially with the No. 1 pick label on his back. While he made strong reads and only threw six interceptions on the year, the quarterback also understood when the Bears needed a jolt of offense. Unfortunately for Chicago, those opportunities led to sacks more often than big plays.

Entering his sophomore season, there will be lofty expectations on Williams’ shoulders. Fans and analysts will be clamoring for immediate success. With a year of NFL experience under his belt, Williams at least understands what he will need to do to truly succeed at the NFL level.

Reasons for Chicago Bears offensive line optimism 

The executive in question is down on the Bears’ signing of Dalman. He did play in only nine games due to an ankle injury in 2024. And Chicago was still willing to pay him $42 million over three years.

However, the Bears signed Dalman hours into the legal tampering window. He was their first free agent agreement and a key early target. While the executive questions his scheme fit, Johnson has played a massive role in construction Chicago’s offensive thus far. Dalman may have been the consensus top center free agent, but it seems unlikely the Bears would sign him if he didn’t fit what Johnson was trying to do on offense.

And he won’t be coming to Chicago alone. Jackson has played for Johnson before, making a Pro Bowl in 2021. Thuney is a four-time Super Bowl champion and is coming off of back-to-back All-Pro seasons. All three will forever be linked in Bears lore. And all three have the same goal in mind, ensuring Chicago’s offensive line as a whole takes a major step forward.

Only 26-years-old, the Bears are planning on Dalman being the center piece of their line for the foreseeable future. A strong first season in Chicago would silence anyone doubting his Windy City fit.