Bears vs. Vikings: Is Caleb Williams ready for Week 1?

It's been a long offseason for the Chicago Bears, and now it's nearly over. The Bears play football again in exactly seven days, welcoming the Minnesota Vikings to Soldier Field on Monday Night Football. This will be one of the most important games on the Bears' 2025 schedule, one that could set the tone for the entire season.

After so much change this offseason, from a revamped offensive line to an all new coaching staff, there are no shortage of exciting storylines for the Bears. Here are the four most important for Bears fans to follow in the season opener.

1. Is Caleb Williams ready to be a franchise quarterback?

Though Caleb Williams has said he feels no pressure entering his second season, the fact is he carries the weight of a city on his shoulders. After a rookie season in which the Bears failed to put him in a position to succeed, general manager Ryan Poles has surrounded Williams with playmakers, a vastly improved O-line, and one of the league's brightest offensive minds for a head coach.

If Williams is going to be Chicago's long awaited franchise quarterback, he needs to show it on opening night. That's not to say he needs to look like Patrick Mahomes, but he can't afford to take a bunch of sacks, be indecisive, or miss big play opportunities. We need to see competence.

2. Will left tackle be a problem for Chicago in 2025?

The Bears entered this offseason with question marks at left tackle and emerged on the other side with precious few answers. Incumbent starter Braxton Jones appears to have won the starting job by default, which hardly inspires confidence. At his best, Jones is a more than capable blocker, but will he still be hampered by the ankle injury that ended his 2024 season? And if he is, how long do the Bears wait before making a change?

Braxton Jone — Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

3. Can Dennis Allen elevate this defensive line?

If the Bears are going to be a complete team in 2025 and push for a playoff spot, they're going to need a strong defense that can get after the quarterback. On paper, they don't appear to have the defensive line capable of doing this. There's potential in some young players (though Austin Booker will start the season on IR) and the veterans provide steady play, but the ceiling is low.

That means it falls to defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to elevate the talent on his roster and use his scheme as a force-multiplier. If he can't, then the Bears will be involved in a lot of high-scoring games, and they probably are not experienced enough yet to win many of those.

4. Is Ben Johnson just a play-caller?

The NFL has no shortage of great coordinators who fail as head coaches; Chicago's own defensive coordinator is one of these. Will Ben Johnson be the latest victim of his own success? Can he still run an elite offense while taking on the additional duties of a head coach? Early returns are promising, but we'll know more once the rubber meets the road next Monday.

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