This 2024 NFL Redraft Ignores What Caleb Williams Became for the Bears in 2025

Caleb Williams' second-year leap in 2025 explains why the Bears got the No. 1 pick right in 2024, and why revisiting that decision now misses the point.

David Banks-Imagn Images

Bleacher Report's 2024 NFL redraft offers a familiar offseason exercise, but its redo of the Chicago Bears' decision at No. 1 overall misses the mark.

In this hypothetical, the Bears pass on Caleb Williams in favor of Drake Maye, with Williams sliding to No. 3 overall.

That thud you just heard was how this redo landed in Chicago.

Williams' rookie season was a rollercoaster ride, a mixed bag of good and bad. But the leap he made in 2025 is exactly why the Bears should trust the evaluation they made in 2024, and be excited about what's to come in 2026 and beyond.

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Williams ended the 2025 season with a single-season franchise record 3,942 yards, 27 touchdowns, and seven interceptions, earning a 76.9 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. His growth was more about structured improvement under coach Ben Johnson, evidenced by his 28 big-time throws, the sixth-most among QBs this season.

He led the Bears to 11 wins, an NFC North title, and a trip to the Divisional Round of the playoffs. Even the most die-hard Bears fan never would've expected that kind of turnaround in Year 2.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) reacts after defeating the Minnesota Vikings. Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Williams' development can be seen in his deep ball accuracy, too. As a rookie, he completed just 20-of-75 deep attempts. It was one of the aspects of his first season that drew the most criticism. In 2025, he improved to 31-of-73, improving his deep-ball accuracy from 27.4% to 46.7%. It's proof of how much he matured in just one season, and how lethal he can be now that he has Ben Johnson in his corner.

Bleacher Report leans heavily on the idea that the Bears could've found a "safer" option in Maye. But that was never the objective for Chicago. The Bears needed a quarterback with rare, generational talent. A guy who can thrive in chaos. A quarterback whose ceiling elevates everyone around him. After the Chicago Bears' miraculous run this season, Williams proved he's that guy.

MORE: How Caleb Williams’ Breakout Changes the Chicago Bears’ All-Time QB Rankings

And, remember: the other 31 NFL general managers would've made the same decision as Ryan Poles if they had the first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Caleb Williams was a tank-worthy prospect, a player who most NFL Draft analysts viewed as the top quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck. In 2025, he lived up to that scouting report.

What Caleb Williams means to the city of Chicago in just TWO years is REMARKABLE 👏@heykayadams pic.twitter.com/Ya96khcOWk

— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) January 19, 2026

A redraft that ignores trajectory warrants criticism. Williams' second-year leap, combined with his rare arm talent and off-script heroics, puts him firmly on the path toward future NFL MVP contention. Guys like that are not the wrong pick.

Indeed, Drake Maye is a fantastic quarterback. The New England Patriots are lucky to have him. But that doesn't mean the Bears aren't happy with their choice, too.

The Chicago Bears didn't overthink the 2024 NFL Draft. And, two seasons later, there's no reason to pretend they should've taken anyone but Caleb Williams. He's already the most exciting quarterback in the NFL, and by next year, he has a chance to earn the title of the best quarterback in the NFL.

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