Cole Kmet names Caleb Williams' biggest improvement under Ben Johnson

The sixth-year veteran noted a tremendous jump in one surprising part of Caleb Williams' game.

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Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams entered the NFL in 2024 with near-generational expectations. The phenom from USC was billed as a franchise savior, the kind of quarterback for whom general managers would sell the farm. And while he had some pre-draft concerns about going to the Bears (the Bears' coaching failures in 2024 proved he was right), Williams has since embraced his role in Chicago and has finally begun to deliver on the hype.

After a shaky rookie season, Williams is developing into a franchise quarterback by leaps and bounds. In almost every statistical category, his numbers are far better now than they were at this time last year. He's on pace to take just 26 sacks, less than half of the 68 sacks he took as a rookie, and he's knocking on the door of being Chicago's first 4,000-yard passer. His growth as a passer is why ESPN's Pat McAfee dropped a bold proclamation about the 2025 Chicago Bears on his daily show.

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Veteran player sees 'night and day' difference in Caleb Williams

However, six-year veteran Cole Kmet sees a different part of Williams' growth that is more important than the raw stats. ESPN's Dan Graziano gave his latest NFL Week 13 buzz, questions, and news, and he mentioned a conversation he had with Kmet. Graziano asked the Chicago tight end what improvements specifically he's seen in Williams' second year, and got this answer:

"His command of the huddle, just the way he's commanding it and getting the playcall out, has been night and day from last year. That doesn't sound like a big deal, but when you think about what these guys are asked to do in college... versus now when Ben Johnson is giving you two, three complicated playcalls at a time and you've got to spit all of that out to us with confidence in the huddle, it's just all a lot smoother and more confident from him this year."

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Caleb Williams is becoming the leader the Bears need him to be

Offensive success in the NFL begins in the huddle. The playcalls that are fed to quarterbacks are frequently a mishmash of word salad that the quarterback has to not only be able to repeat but repeat in such a way that everyone in the huddle, himself included, understands their assignment. Young quarterbacks often struggle mightily in this part of the game because, in college, they usually rely on hand signals from the sidelines.

By operating the huddle more efficiently, Williams ensures that his offense can reduce pre-snap penalties and alignment confusion. He also gives himself more time to look over the defense and try to figure out what they're doing before the play clock runs out, too.

This is just the latest in a long list of signs that the 2025 Bears are not the same ol' Bears. There's a reason why one NFL analyst has taken to trolling negative Bears fans after they win. The Bears may not be title contenders in 2025, but it's clear that this team is different. With Ben Johnson calling the shots and Caleb Williams leading the offense, the Bears have a bright future ahead and Bears fans should feel pretty good about that.

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More Chicago Bears News:

• Mock draft sends Bears monster tackle to protect Caleb Williams' blindside

• Bears' fourth consecutive win launches them up 2025 NFL Week 13 power rankings

• Insane stat shows just how much Bears' rival respects Caleb Williams

• Another top Chicago Bears draft pick already looking like a bust

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