The Chicago Bears decided to go all-in on the Caleb Williams experience, as the hiring of former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as head coach was done with the sole purpose of getting the most out of both Williams and young wide receiver Rome Odunze.
Johnson's offensive genius is held in very high regard, so much so that many outlets out there are projecting that his additions to the Williams-Odunze pairing will be enough to take those two individuals to the upper tier among the rest of the common rabble in the NFL.
Pro Football Focus listed both Williams and Odunze on their All-Breakout team, as they are trying to drink as much of the Johnson Kool-Aid as possible. After the magic he worked in Detroit and the promise these two Top 10 picks have shown, the hype around what this offense can do makes a ton of sense.
Bears QB Caleb Williams, WR Rome Odunze tabbed as breakout candidates in 2025
Williams threw for 3,500 yards, 20 touchdowns, and six interceptions as a rookie. Despite suffering through two head coaches and three offensive coordinators last year, Williams set an NFL record for most consecutive passes by a rookie without an interception.
Williams is not going to take that next step unless he fixes his biggest issues, namely a propensity for holding onto the ball too long and taking bad sacks. With Johnson having remade the offensive line overnight, Williams won't have linemen breathing down his neck all the time.
Odunze hauled in 54 passes for 734 yards while finding the end zone three times as a rookie. Odunze will likely be in for a heavy WR2 workload in Johnson's offense this season, as the loss of veteran Keenan Allen should free up even more targets for the ex-Washington star.
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While Odunze lacks the separation skills underneath of Amon-Ra St. Brown and the long speed of Jameson Williams, his ability to make tough catches and solid movement skills for a bigger target should be all that Johnson needs to turn him into a serviceable complement to DJ Moore.
The Bears, for the first time in what feels like forever, are positioned to go into the year with an alleged franchise quarterback on the roster with a well-respected offensive coach at the sticks. In a very difficult NFC North, Chicago will need every ounce of talent milked out of Johnson, Williams, and Odunze in 2025.