The headline of Caleb Williams' rookie season was the number of sacks he took (a league-high 68). If he wasn't as mobile as he is, he might have obliterated the NFL single-season record for sacks taken, and a good number of the sacks he took were attributed to him holding the ball too long.
Williams is also not the first, and he won't be the last, rookie quarterback to struggle with pocket presence, the "speed of the game", etc. Things should slow down for him this year, under the steady and demanding hand of head coach Ben Johnson.
Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings looks like a less than ideal matchup for a Bears' offense that is still working through some kinks. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores' scheme is predicated on player versatility and related variability of fronts and coverage, which can leave quarterbacks of any experience level looking for answers.
Key matchup for the Bears vs. Vikings in Week 1 is abundantly clear
Mason Cameron of Pro Football Focus has identified a matchup to watch for each Week 1 game. For Bears-Vikings on Monday night, it's Williams vs. the Vikings' blitz packages.
"Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores has made a name for himself with exotic blitz packages that tie young quarterbacks in knots. Last season, the Vikings sent a blitz on pass plays more than any other team in the NFL (54.8%)."
"Although Caleb Williams struggled in his rookie campaign, he was at his best when matched against the blitz, particularly when facing the Vikings. During their Week 12 matchup in Chicago last season, Williams went 18-for-24 with 214 yards and three big-time throws on his way to a 92.2 PFF passing grade against the Vikings' blitz."
Williams was sacked five times in two games against the Vikings last season. According to Pro Football Focus, he was blitzed on 50.5 percent of his drop-backs in the two games (45 of 89). But just one of those sacks came on those blitzed drop backs, as he was pressured on one-third of those blitzed drop backs (15) over the two games.
Overall against Minnesota/Flores' blitzes last year, Williams had an 88.9 PFF passing grade (92.2 in Week 12) while completing 69.2 percent of his passes (27-for-39) with three touchdown passes, four "big-time throws" and zero turnover-worthy plays. That last number is the most important, and it jives with Williams having just two turnover-worthy plays when blitzed all of last season.
Read more: Week 1 quarterback ranking show how much Caleb Williams has to prove in 2025
Flores probably knows Williams had some success against his blitzes last season, and he will adjust accordingly. But Flores is also not going to totally change his stripes as a defensive play-caller, and Williams has to be up to task against the Vikings' blitz packages if the Bears are going to leave their homefield with a Week 1 win.