Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson gives concerning quote on Caleb Williams’ development

The Chicago Bears hired Ben Johnson to replace Matt Eberflus in the hopes the genius behind the Detroit Lions offense could jumpstart Caleb Williams in 2025.

After winning 15 games in three seasons, how Williams does with Johnson will define the legacy of general manager Ryan Poles.

During his presser at the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday morning, Poles said he’s entrusting Johnson to build a strong relationship with Williams.

“We’ve had good conversations about this past year, but at the end of the day, that’s going to be Ben’s expertise,” Poles said. “So let him do his thing and build the relationship, build trust, and coach him up.”

A few hours later, Johnson met with the media at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis. The new head coach dropped a concerning quote on just how much of a foundation he’ll have to reset with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft.

The Chicago Bears have to restart Caleb Williams’ development

In an answer about what steps the Bears plan to take to develop Williams in the spring, Johnson said the whole team, including Williams, would be going back to the basics. He also stressed Williams would have to work on something that plagued his rookie season–nailing his cadence and pre-snap routine.

 “We’re going to go back to the basics, and that’s the fundamentals of each position, blocking, tackling, catching the football, running after the catch, ball security,” Johnson said. “We’re going to break it down to the studs and work to develop it from there. And so for Caleb, it’s what are the important things about playing the quarterback position at the NFL level.

“It’s as simple as the procedure in the huddle, breaking the huddle, using cadence, motion, shifts, all those things that can help attack a defense, that we feel like can take another step here in Chicago. That’ll be the starting point. And, and we’ll look to build around him as well with the talent level, and the rest of the support staff.”

Ben Johnson will have his hands full in Year 1

Cadence was an issue for Williams from the moment he was named a starter before rookie OTAs all through training camp and into the fall. The Bears finished 2024 tied for fifth place in the league for false-start penalties with 28. As Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune noted before Week 18, many of those issues were on Williams and the cadence.

Williams is starting at ground zero with Chicago in year two. Hopefully, Johnson can quickly get the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner up to speed by the end of OTAs in June.

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