-
Courtney Cronin
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — As losses piled up during Caleb Williams’ rookie season with the Chicago Bears last year, something about the No. 1 overall pick changed. Something was missing.
It wasn’t just his confidence level or joy of the game that was challenged by a 10-game losing streak or a league-high 68 sacks, this was less nuanced.
Williams stopped painting his nails.
He became known for it during his Heisman Trophy run at USC in 2022. Loud colors (and messages) served as self-expression, and he carried it over to the Bears — at least in the beginning. But by Week 9 in Arizona, Williams’ nails were as colorless as an offense that would get OC Shane Waldron fired a week later.
«It was hard to do,» Williams told ESPN. «We were losing, and days were long trying to figure out how to get things back on track.
«I think also part of it was the rookie year. It got a little tiring at the end.»
How Aaron Rodgers won over the Steelers
• What’s Caleb Williams’ mentality in Year 2?
• Colts believe in Daniel Jones’ approach
• 49ers kicker Moody working on new tactic
• What Thielen’s exit means for Panthers
The Bears spent their first three draft picks on offense: tight end Colston Loveland (with the 10th selection), wide receiver Luther Burden III (No. 39) and OT Ozzy Trapilo (No. 56). There were several other additions, including on the offensive line, although in a tough NFC North, ESPN BET still has the Lions as the favorite, followed by the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Bears.
As Chicago nears its season opener, hosting the Vikings on Sept. 8 (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN), the months spent challenging and reshaping Williams — from his footwork in the shotgun to his body language — will soon get put to the test.
And when the learning curve produces an inevitable setback, general manager Ryan Poles is confident there won’t be a noticeable change in his quarterback this season.
«The one thing with Caleb is it doesn’t linger,» Poles said. «It’s not like if he has a rough day or the practice didn’t go the way they wanted, his body language isn’t great in the building. Even after a rough day he bounces back quickly.
«I’d be more concerned if I needed to go breathe some life into him. He’s in a good place.»
NOT LONG AFTER he settled in at Halas Hall, Johnson and Williams pored over film from last season. Johnson pointed out specific instances when his quarterback’s body language gave off a bad impression.
«It’s like, do we really want to … is this what we want to look like or not?» Johnson said. «We come to an agreement, no it’s not. OK, we learn from it, we move on to the next thing.
«We don’t want to be a ‘palms-up team’ where we’re questioning everything. No, no, no; to me that’s a little bit of a sign of weakness. We don’t want to [see] that from anybody on the team.»
DJ Moore and tight ends Cole Kmet and Marcedes Lewis called an impromptu meeting with Waldron. As the Bears licked their wounds from back-to-back road losses at Houston and Indianapolis to fall to 1-2, players feared their season was veering off course.
Williams, for one, demanded to be coached harder. He wanted to be held accountable and challenged in ways he felt he wasn’t.
Joe Burrow, Jared Goff, Baker Mayfield and Geno Smith — and none of them was in his second season while learning a new offense.
In one respect, Johnson’s pronouncement of such a lofty goal carried a level of accountability for Williams.
«Little bit,» Williams acknowledged. «I want to win for the city. I want to win for the Bears. I want to win for my teammates. I want to win — obviously, selfishly — I love to call myself a winner, and win in everything I do.»
Case Keenum to straddle the player-coach line and help Chicago’s young quarterbacks, including backups Tyson Bagent and Austin Reed, who spent the offseason on the 90-man roster as a backup.
Williams’ line of questioning has gotten deeper as his understanding of the offense has grown.
«There’s a lot more mastery and ownership of this offense,» Reed said. «Instead of just being like OK, this is what we do, he knows why we do it now.»
Watch your favorite events in the newly enhanced ESPN App. Learn more about what plan is right for you. Sign Up Now
But knowing why the Bears offense does things a certain way is half the battle. Putting it in action with a clean operation from start to finish is another.
During the Bears’ joint practice with the Dolphins on Aug. 8, former All-Pro offensive tackle Terron Armstead stood on Miami’s sideline and watched Williams struggle to identify where Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver was sending pressure from.
«Caleb’s process playing that quarterback position has to improve, and pretty fast, in my opinion,» Armstead said on his podcast, The Set with T. Stead. «On a consistent basis, Caleb was not able to recognize where he was in danger. He wasn’t feeling pressure, he wasn’t feeling blitzes. He wasn’t seeing blitzes pre-snap.»
Johnson said the starting point for the Bears offense in training camp is further along than when he began installing his scheme with the Lions when he first became offensive coordinator in 2022. But even with things being more «complex,» the Bears coach knows things may look worse before they look better.
«Anytime you’re a young player, there’s usually a couple of steps forward and one step back,» Johnson said. «And that has really been the story of this training camp.
«He and I have been really open and honest about it as we’ve gone through. And he’s had some really good practices, and he’s had a couple where it’s not good enough.»
The ebbs and flows took place in Chicago’s final two preseason games. In a blowout win against Buffalo — against mostly backups — Williams engineered a 92-yard touchdown drive on the Bears’ opening possession.
Williams stood tall in the pocket and delivered a 29-yard strike to Kmet. He went under center and found Loveland and used the chemistry he’s built with wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus on a 36-yard touchdown pass.
It was a different story, at least initially, against Kansas City on Friday. On the first play of the game, Williams’ fumbled a handoff on a jet sweep because he mistimed the exchange. He ran into a sack by Chris Jones after holding onto the ball for six seconds. Johnson was irritated with the same sloppiness that he said had «plagued» the Bears throughout training camp.
«If the first quarter was any indication, it was not good enough,» Johnson said. «We have to get better in a hurry.»
But as has been the theme throughout his second offseason, Williams found a way to turn his rough start into a solid finish by leading a two-minute touchdown drive at the end of the first half. It demonstrated the goal he set for himself to rebound in the moment and not let the way things started derail progress.
«This year for me, it was trying to take a step up in my leadership role and pushing the guys, and part of it is going out there and being right, doing everything right, getting the playcalls in fast, being out there, being confident, knowing what I’m doing,» Williams said. «The other half of it is, when things are messing up, let’s rehuddle, let’s get up, come on. Let’s get this thing going.
«In two-minute, encouraging the guys. It’s the fourth quarter, I know we’re in practice, it’s a hot day, it’s the fourth quarter in the game, it’s time to go win. Let’s go win this game. It’s small things like that. The encouragement, the belief in ourselves, the belief in our hard work that we’re putting in, and then other than that it’s going out there and having fun and showing it.»
