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There are two areas of concern Caleb Williams needs to work on.
When the Chicago Bears drafted quarterback Caleb Williams with hopes of finally solidifying their quarterback position, many believed he would show immediate signs of being the savior in Chicago.
But as Zachary Pereles of CBS Sports recently underscored, no amount of infrastructure can fully protect a quarterback who struggles to avoid negative plays and capitalize on big ones. If Williams wants to learn from his unfortunate road bumps during his rookie season, he must address two glaring weaknesses according to Pereles: eliminating negative plays and improving his accuracy on deep throws.
Caleb Williams Must Clean Up Two Important Areas to Head in the Right Direction
Sacks were arguably the most damaging aspect of Williams’ rocky rookie campaign. He took an astonishing 68 sacks in 2024, 16 more than any other quarterback. The impact on expected points added (EPA), the advanced metric that new Bears head coach Ben Johnson emphasized as a critical factor in determining wins, was catastrophic. Chicago lost an estimated 108 points on sacks alone, second-worst in modern NFL history behind Bryce Young’s infamous 2023 season.
EPA is not just an abstract stat that analytics people love to use to confuse fans. It reflects the real, tangible effect every play has on a team’s likelihood of scoring.
A sack on third down in field goal range doesn’t just kill that particular drive; it can swing momentum, impact field position, and drain a quarterback’s confidence. Williams’ tendency to hold the ball too long was a major contributor to this problem. Even when the protection broke down, his internal clock would often fail to match the urgency required. As a result, Williams lost an estimated 52 points on sacks between the 20 and midfield alone, the worst by any player since 2000.
The Bears are betting on Johnson’s offensive mind to help. Jared Goff had the 13th-lowest sack rate in the NFL last season with Johnson calling the shots, despite not being as athletic as Williams. Chicago also invested in the offensive line, acquiring Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson via trades, drafting Ozzy Trapilo in the second round, and signing Drew Dalman to fortify the interior.
With better protection and a more coherent plan, it’s on Williams to cut down his sack number. But he isn’t alone this time. Reinforcements and an added emphasis on quarterback development are expected to dramatically help Williams get back on track.
The Deep Ball Issue
As harmful as sacks were to the Bears’ offense, Williams’ struggles with the ball were nearly as damaging. Despite having one of the strongest arms in the league and receivers capable of stretching the field, Williams completed only 22 of 80 passes thrown at least 20 yards downfield. Even more concerning, over 41% of those attempts were off-target. This inefficiency left Chicago’s offense in a perpetual state of wasted opportunities.
“Williams just never looked comfortable,” Pereles pointed out. “When he tried to play quickly and/or always on time, he looked robotic, and it took away from his freelancing abilities. When he tried to freelance too much, it resulted in disastrous sacks. Plenty of times, he didn’t even have a chance to do either.”
While Pereles highlighted Williams’ alarming rookie shortcomings, he also noted some bright spots. Despite everything, Williams posted one of the league’s lowest turnover-worthy throw rates, demonstrating he wasn’t reckless with the football. He also flashed undeniable improvisational talent when plays broke down, which was, unfortunately, most plays last season.
The Bears’ challenge, and Williams, is to harness that natural ability without letting it turn into chaos. If he can reduce negative plays and improve on his deep ball, there’s no telling how good the Bears will be.
Isaac Zuniga is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, and Las Vegas Raiders. He also covers the Chicago Bears for LastWordOnSports.com. More about Isaac Zuniga
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