The Chicago Bears received more hype than they deserved last season, by myself included, but they still woefully underachieved. Forget the playoffs. At minimum, this franchise was supposed to march toward a promising direction. While there were some positive aspects, the 2024-25 NFL season was mostly characterized by coaching incompetence, a porous offensive line and on-field disorder (ties into the first problem). If one sifted through the rubble and anguish, however, they could discover the seeds of a competitive football team.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles and ex-head coach Matt Eberflus did not nurture those seeds, however, nor did they plant them atop a suitable foundation. Bad game-planning, bad execution and a bad culture created a nightmarish scenario for the entire team and fan base. It did not have to go that way. Respectability was more than attainable.
Following a disastrous year in The Windy City, it seems hazardous to buy back into the Bears. They have betrayed people's trust too many times, with least season unleashing a unique brand of visual punishment. Why risk more humiliation? The answer is simple: this year really does feel different.
Former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson brings his innovative offensive mind to Chicago, determined to help renovate another run-down organization. Poles gave the O-Line a dramatic makeover. Young players like Williams and Rome Odunze should be more prepared heading into their second NFL campaign. And most importantly, Soldier Field is bustling with energy. It does not seem like the artificial kind, either.
Intensity does not always correspond with success. There are still uncertainties aplenty throughout this roster, including in the rookie HC's office. A vaunted division and grueling schedule only compounds a longstanding tradition of pain and unmet expectations. Fans can actually identify a clear blueprint now, though.
That signals progress, which, fittingly enough, will be the prevailing theme in our bold predictions for the upcoming season. Let's jump in and see if we can stoke the flames of optimism one more time.
Caleb Williams will throw for 30 TDs
Bears fans have worn multiple badges of dishonor over the last several years, but the most unfathomable one is arguably that no franchise quarterback has ever thrown for 4,000 yards in a season. I am not going to touch that benchmark here. Williams should be more than capable of breaking that dry spell at some point in the near future, but the statistic that could show his true growth is passing touchdowns.
Chicago was a bottom-barrel offensive team last season, ranking last with 284.6 total yards per game, 31st in passing yards (181.5) and 28th in points (18.2). A poor game plan and feeble offensive line significantly contributed to those dismal results, but Williams himself definitely shares in the blame. He holds the ball too long and did not make the right reads frequently enough. That should change with Johnson at the helm.
Williams has the ability to anchor a successful offense. He needs someone to check his worst impulses, though. The 2024 NFL Assistant Coach of the Year can be that guy. He helped Jared Goff find his way back to Pro Bowl-caliber QB play, and with some patience, Johnson can have a similarly transformative effect on the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner. Williams, for his part, has to be a willing and enduring student.
He seems to be taking to Johnson's complex system fairly well. Despite hitting some bumps this summer, the 23-year-old had an encouraging preseason. He completed 17-of-25 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Yes, those stats are modest, and yes, these are just exhibition games, but Williams is seemingly making progress. And that is a start.
Yup Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson is ELITE
— Polymarket Football (@PolymarketBlitz) August 18, 2025
Besides the strides the former No. 1 overall draft pick has made on an individual level, the support system around him is much better.
Ryan Poles acquired All-Pro Joe Thuney, former Pro Bowler Jonah Jackson and reliable center Drew Dalman to patch up a previously leaky offensive line. Williams was sacked a whopping 68 times as a rookie, making it extremely difficult to get comfortable in the pocket. He should have more peace of mind moving forward.
The young signal-caller will ideally have enough time to take advantage of a talented pass-catching group that now includes tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden III. Veteran DJ Moore remains a force, and Rome Odunze, who we will get to in a second, is positioned for a breakout year. Caleb Williams has more protection, more firepower and more direction. The result should be many more touchdowns.
Rome Odunze will record 1,000 receiving yards
When Chicago selected the All-American and former Washington Huskies star with the No. 9 pick in last year's draft, I, like many others, believed Poles got a steal. He did not have the NFL pedigree that Marvin Harrison Jr. had, nor did he have Malik Nabers' explosiveness, but Odunze possessed a skill set that should translate nicely to the professional level.
His superb body control and contested-catching ability did not shine as brightly as I anticipated, and the initial buzz surrounding the 6-foot-3 wide receiver significantly diminished. He was a product of his environment, however, perhaps even more so than Williams. Odunze is an impactful playmaker, and with more offensive stability, he will remind fans of that fact.
The 23-year-old was actually quite effective in his first year when considering the circumstances. He totaled 54 receptions for 734 yards and three touchdowns. With a crafty play-caller like Johnson now on the sidelines, a sturdier O-Line manning the trenches and a potentially improved QB under center, Odunze should only boost those numbers. And I expect a big boost.
Moore commanded 130-plus targets in each of the last two seasons and should still garner plenty of attention, Burden could get ample work out of the slot and you know Johnson is champing at the bit to use a tight end like Loveland, but Rome Odunze is maybe the most important component of this passing attack. He has the ability, experience and demeanor to excel in the NFL.
Although Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams have a few mouths to feed, No. 15 will make sure he has a full belly. A more flexible playbook will lead to more Odunze highlights. A 1,000-yard season seems incredibly achievable.
Bears sneak into playoffs with a 9-8 record
I know what you're thinking: the Bears hype train is at full force again. People boarded it in droves last year, and they were enjoying a fairly smooth ride for the first six weeks. Ultimately, however, a 4-2 start gave way to a season-derailing 10-game losing streak that forced fans to jump for cover. It was an ugly scene, to say the least.
It is only natural for apprehension to linger going into the new campaign. Questions surround an unproven QB and unproven head coach, and Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson is dealing with groin and calf injuries ahead of Monday's game against the Minnesota Vikings. Following an auspicious offseason and summer, the pendulum could swing in the other direction and crush Chicago just like last year.
Changes have been made, however. Yes, those words have been uttered before, only for the team to suffer the same troubling afflictions again and again. But this time, the Bears have conducted business in a manner that inspires genuine hope.
Chicago checked off several key boxes that can produce favorable results in the modern NFL. An offensive-minded HC? Check. Revamped O-Line? Check. A plethora of versatile skills position players? Check. An experienced defensive coordinator? Check — Dennis Allen has value to offer even though he failed as a HC. The pieces are in place for a franchise resurgence. Now, the Bears must use them to overcome the third-hardest strength of schedule in the league.
This team will quickly see what it is made of when it begins the season with two divisional matchups — home versus the Vikings and at the Detroit Lions. Games against the AFC North later on will also push Chicago to its limit. Earning a winning record, let alone a playoff berth, will require strenuous effort. Keep in mind, though, the NFC is deep. And with depth, can come parity.
If the conference beats itself up, 9-8 can clinch the third and final Wild Card slot. The Bears were 1-5 versus the NFC North and were 3-6 in one-score games last season. They have made enough adjustments to improve both of those records this year.
Assuming they do, I believe this squad will win nine games for the first time since 2018-19 and make the playoffs for the first time since 2020-21. It is not wishful thinking when the right process is in place.
