After Aaron Rodgers said that the Chicago Bears might finally have enough to beat the Green Bay Packers, Caleb Williams' recent training camp highlight only reaffirmed it. If Williams, a dynamic quarterback, and former Heisman Trophy winner, can live up to the hype surrounding him, the Bears could be very good again next season and maybe even beat the Packers. But if Chicago can complete passes like these to Allen with Williams under center, then the Bears will be able to live up to the hype.
Some may say this isn't special since it's only a practice highlight, and the players aren't even in pads. To them, this is just eye candy for the Bears hyping up their time on HBO's Hard Knocks. However, the naysayers get much quieter, considering that Williams could deliver a pass into such a tight pocket while rolling to his left with both feet planted on the ground.
With Allen working towards the sideline, Williams puts this throw in a perfect spot, encapsulating what's brewing in Chicago. This is why expectations continue to be so high for the Bears this upcoming season, with many believing that Williams and Allen can ignite a Chicago offense back to the playoffs.
What to expect from the Bears this year
Fans have been arguing that “this year is the year” for Chicago for nearly a half-decade. However, with Caleb Williams now as the quarterback for the Bears, it might finally be real.
Williams landed in the best spot a top pick has ever had with weapons like Allen, D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, D'Andre Swift, and plenty of others to keep opposing defenses guessing. The offensive line is much improved as well, although possibly a bit oversold regarding its effectiveness. Nevertheless, Chicago's offensive line should be capable of keeping Williams upright, giving him clean pockets to throw from.
Defensively, the Bears appear to be taking the shape you'd want for head coach Matt Eberflus's scheme. Adding a few off-ball linebackers made sense for his scheme last offseason, and things took off when Montez Sweat was acquired in a midseason trade. However, Chicago would be much more lethal defensively if they were to add a few pass rushers to complement what they're growing.
Either way, Chicago has the pieces on either side of the ball to compete and, given the matchup, possibly dominate. However, they share a division with the Packers and Detroit Lions, who, like the Bears, are expected to be in the playoffs next year. Depending on how things go in the division, Williams could take Chicago back to the postseason for the first time since 2020 or be watching the postseason from his couch. That's just how tough and talented this division is.