The expectations were sky high for the Chicago Bears' offense last year, but it quickly became a nightmare as they finished dead last in total offense. Some things have changed, including a couple of rookie playmakers and a retooled offensive line.
ESPN writer Bill Barnwell isn't going to make the same mistake he made last year with his rankings of playmakers on each NFL offense. Last year, Barnwell ranked the Bears sixth, but this year dropped them to 25th.
"The Bears got disappointing performances from just about every one of their skill position players, with veterans DJ Moore and Keenan Allen looking as if they were running underwater (or wishing they were) in a scheme that didn't play to either's strengths. Rookie first-rounder Rome Odunze simply wasn't thrown many catchable balls, as his 58.9% expected catch rate was the league's sixth lowest for receivers with at least 100 targets. He managed only a 54.0% catch rate, which suggests he wasn't an entirely innocent party in the equation.
The arrival of new coach Ben Johnson suggests the offense will be put in much better positions to succeed, and indeed, it will hardly be a shock if the Bears go from one of the league's worst schemes to one of its best."
How will things be different in 2025?
For one, Johnson is currently in Chicago. His offensive schemes can help bring out the best in everyone. He can find ways to utilize running back D'Andre Swift and tight end Cole Kmet in the same way he used Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta in Detroit last year.
Allen is out, and the Bears brought in rookie second-round pick Luther Burden III to take over as the number three receiver. This helps quarterback Caleb Williams get young targets that he can build chemistry with, like he is doing with Odunze.
Another aspect of the offense is that this could help Kmet's career. Last year was his worst season since his rookie year. Yes, rookie first-round pick Colston Loveland could take targets away from him, but Johnson loves using tight ends in his offense, so both guys will get enough touches.
There will be much more stability among the Bears in 2025, with no sudden coaching changes, or at least the threat of it, week after week. The new regime is here to stay through the year, which will give Williams and the offense the proper time needed to gel together and improve throughout the season.
Read more: PFF ranks Bears' secondary high despite "weak spot" CB holding them back
The good news for the Bears is that it literally couldn't get worse than last year. Chicago can only go up from here, and they have the right pieces in place for Williams to be way more successful than in 2024.