The Chicago Bears had a disastrous end to the NFL season, losing 10 of their last 11 games after a strong 4-2 start. The Bears revamped their coaching staff in an attempt to turn their fortunes around. After poaching offensive guru Ben Johnson from the Detroit Lions, they are hoping quarterback Caleb Williams can blossom into a star.
Johnson has high regard for Williams and believes he is different from every other quarterback he has worked with so far, including four-time Pro Bowler Jared Goff.
Ben Johnson Showers Caleb Williams With High Praise
Williams had an inconsistent debut season. He threw for 3,541 yards and 20 touchdowns but struggled with efficiency, finishing 28th in the NFL with a 46.7 quarterback rating. He also ranked 33rd in PFSN’s QB+ metric, falling behind players like Daniel Jones, Jameis Winston, and Mac Jones.
However, one positive takeaway was his ability to protect the ball. Williams set an NFL record for the most consecutive pass attempts without an interception by a rookie (354) and finished the season with just six interceptions.
But Johnson has been analyzing the rookie beyond the records and in addition to being a fan of his throws, the former Lions offensive coordinator claims Williams’ playmaking ability and his explosiveness down the field is what sets him apart.
“He can throw the ball so, so well. There’s some throws he’s made on tape from last year outside the numbers on the rope, 20 yards down the field, that’s what certainly attracts your eye,” Johnson said on ESPN.
“But then you see the creation of plays when things break down and he’s having to evade the rush and break the pocket and in potential explosives down the field, that’s a little bit different dynamic than what I’ve been around, and I’m really, really excited to see where that can go for us…
“The pass rush is coming down, and to have an athlete like Caleb extend a play and potentially find an explosive [play] down the field, that’s what gets me going a little bit.”
Johnson also said he believes we’ll see a very “coachable” version of Williams next year and raved about how “hungry” he is to learn and get better.
For four seasons, Johnson revolutionized the Lions’ offense. What began as a steady growth soon turned into a juggernaut as Detroit was the best offense in the NFL in PFSN’s Offense+ metric.
And for those who have high hopes for Williams as the franchise quarterback in Chicago, Johnson paved the way for Goff to finish as an MVP finalist and the league’s second-best QB last season, according to PFSN’s QB+ metric.
Johnson could take the Bears’ offense to new heights and improve Williams from the No. 33 overall QB ranking he garnered this season. After all, Goff was sitting in 26th before Johnson took over play-calling duties in Detroit.
Johnson’s incredible combination of innovative passing sets and trick plays, combined with a bevy of creative rushing calls, made Detroit’s offense completely unpredictable. With Williams and a talented supporting cast of weapons, he has a chance to replicate some of that success in Chicago.