Things have certainly changed with the Chicago Bears over the last year, as they went from rebuilding the team in 2025 to now spending the 2026 offseason trying to build a Super Bowl-caliber roster.
One of the big reasons for the turnaround was Bears quarterback Caleb Williams playing some great football late in games, leading the team to seven comeback and game-winning drives. Despite all the good that Williams did, there are still questions about his accuracy as he went from 62% in 2024 to 58% in 2025.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles spoke with the media at the NFL Combine, where he was asked about the team. Poles noted that Williams has to improve and continue to carry the vision Bears head coach Ben Johnson has for the team.
"(Caleb Williams) knows he’s got work to do, Ben (Johnson) has been very clear with a vision and I know he’s going to put in the time to get to that," Poles said via The Score's Chris Emma. "But that needs to get to that point. But if all of that falls into place, I think we strategically have to understand how does that change our formula as we move forward and make decisions for the future. For the organization, that’s a great thing to be on that path and feel like you have a long-term quarterback solution."
Ryan Poles optimistic that Caleb Williams, Bears will improve
Williams still had a great 2025 season as he broke the franchise record for passing yards in a season with 3,942 and added 27 touchdown passes to six interceptions with three more rushing scores on the ground. There was a change in Williams's game as his confidence grew when the team needed him the most.
Accuracy has been a topic of discussion, as Williams was inconsistent with it all year. Bears head coach Ben Johnson chalked it up to Williams trying to learn the offense and adding more to his plate.
Read more: Mel Kiper picks the exact prospect Bears fans expected him to in his mock draft
Johnson and Williams have laid the foundation for the Bears to have a strong future, as the team went 11-6 and reached the NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs. Chicago is in a different spot from where it was just a year ago, and that's a great feeling for Bears fans to have with Williams leading the way.