There’s been no shortage of eyebrow-raising headlines out of Chicago lately when it comes to rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. From reports of the Bears leaving him to figure out film study on his own, to debates about whether he’s ready to lead a franchise, the noise has been loud. But according to former NFL quarterback and Super Bowl champ Chase Daniel, there’s real hope now that Ben Johnson is in charge.
Daniel, speaking on Fox Sports’ The Facility, believes Williams has all the tools—but emphasized he’s not yet the guy to single-handedly transform the Bears. The key difference this year? He won’t have to.
“I trust Caleb and Ben Johnson together as a combo,” Daniel said. “I don’t think, right now, Caleb is ready just by himself to be the guy who just turns the Bears around… but the coaching staff gives him a shot.”
Johnson, the offensive mind who helped turn the Detroit Lions into contenders, is now the Bears’ head coach. And Chicago has built around Williams in a big way. They revamped the offensive line, adding veterans like Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, and spent draft capital on left tackle Ozzy Trapilo. In the skill group, they snagged tight end Colston Loveland in the first round and receiver Luther Burden III in the second, giving Williams real weapons alongside DJ Moore and Rome Odunze.
Daniel thinks Williams needs to adopt a “point guard” mindset—distribute the ball, trust his playmakers, and resist the temptation to do everything himself. And in a tough NFC North, he’ll have no choice. ESPN’s latest FPI rankings slotted the Bears at No. 16—behind the Lions (4th), Packers (8th), and Vikings (15th). The road to contention won’t be easy.
But with Johnson steering the ship and Williams surrounded by talent, Chicago might finally have a winning formula in place.
Super Bowl-Winning QB Breaks Down What Caleb Williams Really Needs in Year One
