2025 NFL Draft already has Bears QB Caleb Williams in MVP conversation this season

The 2025 NFL Draft has had a massive impact on the expectations around Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams entering his second pro season.

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It was clear at the start of the 2025 NFL offseason that every move the Chicago Bears made had quarterback Caleb Williams in mind. They traded for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson in two moves that instantly upgraded the interior of Williams' offensive line, and capped off the O-line rebuild by signing Drew Dalman, the top center available in free agency, to a massive contract.

And while there was a chance the Bears would draft a running back in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, conventional wisdom suggested they'd either finish off their offensive line rebuild with a left tackle or pivot to the defense and edge rusher.

Nope. The NFL Draft continued to be all about Caleb Williams, but this time, it was about his weapons.

Chicago selected tight end Colston Loveland in the first round, a Sam LaPorta style receiver at the position, something the Bears have lacked for many, many years (Cole Kmet is fine, but he isn't athletic enough to become one of the true playmaking tight ends. Loveland is).

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The Bears' investment in Williams' weaponry didn't end in the first round. The most surprising pick of Chicago's 2025 draft was with their first selection in Round 2 and the selection of Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden. The Bears certainly needed a WR3, but no draft analyst had Burden on Chicago's radar at any point in draft season.

Now, there's a chance Burden will emerge as the most physically gifted receiver on the roster. Yes, he's that good.

Naturally, instant reactions always occur after the NFL Draft has concluded. And for the Chicago Bears, those reactions have set a very high bar for Caleb Williams. We're talking MVP-level expectations.

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Caleb Williams, 2025 NFL MVP?

"If the protection holds up, Williams is going to have a ton of places he can go with the ball on any particular play, and with Johnson drawing the plays up, this could be as exciting an offense as there is in the league," ESPN's Dan Graziano wrote. "There's always a team that goes from last place to first place in its division from one year to the next.

"And while the presence of the Lions, Vikings and Packers in their division might well prevent the Bears from being that, if they improve enough to contend for a playoff spot, it'll probably be because Williams and all of those offensive targets have lit up the scoreboard week in and week out."

There's not much more a young quarterback could ask for from his organization. The Chicago Bears hired the top offensive-minded head coach in the league. They added two decorated interior offensive linemen via trades (who bring with them high-priced contracts). They signed a fantastic young center and used their first two NFL Draft picks on playmaking weapons (not to mention invested a top-10 pick on a wide receiver last year, too).

Now, it's up to Caleb Williams to do his part. There won't be any excuses in 2025. His success, or failure, will be all about his individual performance. And maybe, just maybe, it'll be at an MVP level.

More Chicago Bears News:

• Grading the Chicago Bears' pick of TE Colston Loveland in first round of 2025 NFL Draft

• 2025 NFL Draft: 4 reasons why the Bears selected Colston Loveland in the first round

• 2025 NFL Draft: Grading the Chicago Bears' selection of RB Kyle Monangai in the 7th round

• Chicago Bears get slammed by Clay Matthews as 2025 NFL Draft begins