Chicago Bears Quarterback Caleb Williams: Biggest Winner Of NFL Offseason?

The saying goes that championships are won in the offseason, and for the National Football League, they’re specifically won in March and April. The free agency period and NFL Draft are the building blocks of rebuilding current rosters and projecting what the foundation of those rosters will be years down the line. Arguably, no team in the NFL exceeded expectations for rebuilding like the Chicago Bears this offseason.

Former USC Trojans Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams had a historic rookie season for the franchise, and despite a 5-12 record, the Bears were competitive down to the wire in almost every loss they suffered. Rebuilding the coaching staff and offensive roster specifically was one of the major goals of this offseason, and the Bears wasted no time getting to work to meet those marks.

Dec 22, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) passes the ball against the Detroit Lions during the first quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images | Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

“On paper, we're now looking at an offense with a rebuilt line, five new starters overall, two new pass-catching options in Loveland and Burden, and an established play caller in Johnson. It feels like this sort of stable infrastructure will allow us to see exactly what Williams can be as an NFL quarterback. Maybe the Bears will be a disappointment once again, but it's late April, and they at least have hope. That's really all you can ask for,” NFL enior Staff Writer at The Ringer, Shiel Kapadia, said.

The Bears hired the most desired coach in the market along with an experienced support staff, signed three veteran offensive linemen, drafted three dynamic weapons early in the 2025 NFL Draft, and further bolstered their defensive unit which is projected to be among the best in the NFL this season. This begs the question, was Caleb Williams the biggest winner of the offseason?

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Williams had a historic season despite narratives and a lack of team success. Not only did he break several NFL and franchise records for rookies, but he also shattered a slew of Bears franchise quarterback records regardless of age. Williams, specifically in the second half and in late-game scenarios, showed he was capable of producing magic in those moments. Like any other young player, there were bumps in the road, but Williams showed the talent that made him a No.1 overall pick.

“Perhaps no team in the league did more for its young quarterback than the Bears. They hired Ben Johnson as their new head coach. They traded for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and signed Drew Dalman. They drafted Colston Loveland in the first round and Luther Burden III in the second. . . . That is a whole lot of investment in making sure the 2025 season is absolutely nothing like 2024,” CBS Sports NFL Jared Dubin said.

“Williams should now have a functional offensive system, strong interior pass protection and a whole lot of weapons -- even more than last year. They have made as big a commitment as possible to getting the best out of the No. 1 overall pick, which is exactly what a team in their position should be doing,” Dubin continued.

Jan 22, 2025; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams to (C) listens as new head coach Ben Johnson (not pictured) answers questions during a introductory press conference at PNC Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Williams and the Chicago Bears should be right in the thick of the vaunted NFC North race this season. Even coming off a less-than-stellar season last year, the fact that the Bears and Williams will be so heavily under the spotlight and have such large expectations is a testament to the type of team the Bears could potentially field. It’s fair to say that Williams won the offseason, but again, games aren’t won on paper.

The former Trojan will still go through his growing pains, and there will inevitably be losses, but if last season was the worst of Caleb Williams we’ll get, he’ll round into one of the brightest stars in the sport.

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