Every Chicago Bears fan is hoping that quarterback Caleb Williams has a chance to prove to everyone in Week 1 that he is the MVP of the NFL in 2026.
Last year, Williams took major strides in his development, throwing for a franchise-record 3,942 yards and 27 touchdowns, while throwing seven interceptions. He helped the Bears go 11-6, win the NFC North, and beat the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card.
After leading an NFL-record seven game-winning drives, Williams now has a chance to take the next step in his career with an award to win. That all starts in Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers.
Caleb Williams can use Bears-Panthers game to start MVP campaign
Before Williams can prove he's the MVP, he has to show he can improve the small things at quarterback. This offseason, that's been his focus and what his coaches have been asking for.
Bears head coach Ben Johnson and quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett have publicly talked about how they want Williams to sit in the pocket and make the throws instead of always running around to play backyard football. That, in turn, could lead to the biggest issue Williams has to fix: accuracy.
Last season, Williams only completed 58% of his passes. Despite the drop in passes, there is a lot left to be desired in the young quarterback's ability to place the ball where it needs to be.
Once he can figure that out, though, the possibilities are endless for the franchise signal-caller. Williams will be able to unlock his potential as a star quarterback in this league and become the MVP everyone believes he can be.
He certainly has the weapons to put up big numbers as well. Adding in guys like Colston Loveland, Rome Odunze, and Luther Burden III should help Williams become one of the top quarterbacks in the league.
Entering the Carolina game, this is a Panthers defense that is a bit banged up, but new addition Jaelan Phillips could still give Williams a handful to deal with. In the secondary, Mike Jackson and Jaycee Horn are both very capable corners who can make plays.
Read more: Ben Johnson's vague answer on Rome Odunze injury with Bears said it all
It might just be one game, but Williams needs to get off to a fast start, unlike other top quarterbacks like Matthew Stafford and Drake Maye, who dropped dud performances in Week 1. If Williams can show off why he is the MVP, that hardware should be coming home to Chicago in his hands at the end of the year easily.
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