Why Bears have zero reason to hold Caleb Williams back from being a 'shot taker'

Looking at box score stats is a deceiving way to form an opinion. Many people who don’t follow the Chicago Bears throughout the year may see Caleb Williams’ 58.1 completion percentage and wonder how a quarterback with one of the league's lowest marks last season is considered an MVP candidate in 2026

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but that specific metric falls short of what head coach Ben Johnson’s offense is all about. Johnson hunts explosive plays.

The Bears’ offensive play caller does so in the run and pass game. The Bears finished with the fifth-most passing plays of 20 yards or more (60) and were third in rushing plays of 10 yards or more (67).

Bears need Caleb Williams to be a shot taker in 2026

This Bears offense is built on explosive plays and throwing the ball downfield, so there will naturally be some misses along the way. Williams was in the first year of Johnson’s offense and has a better understanding of what his head coach wants on every play. That alone should raise Williams’ completion percentage this season, but even if it doesn’t, it’s not the greatest indicator of the 24-year-old quarterback maturing and taking the next step in his NFL career.

If Williams wants to take another step in Johnson’s offense, he needs to continue making big plays downfield. There is no reason to restrict his aggressiveness. Now, that doesn’t mean Williams can ignore his head coach and go off script all the time. There will be opportunities for those types of plays outside of structure, but Johnson’s offense is designed to get big chunks.

Williams spoke to the media this week and was asked about Johnson’s influence on his deep-shot downfield. The Bears’ quarterback highlighted that he’s always “been an explosive play guy,” and he called himself “a shot taker.”

That’s the exact kind of mentality Johnson needs from his quarterback to maximize all of the weapons that Williams has on offense. Williams called his outside wide receivers, Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III, special talents. He also has a mismatch nightmare at the tight end position in Colston Loveland.

With those pass-catching targets and a run game that finished with the third-most yards in the NFL, the Bears should finish as one of the most explosive teams in the NFL for a second year in a row.

But it starts with the head coach and quarterback. The Bears have a dangerous combo in Johnson and Williams, and now they get to show the NFL what they can do in their second season together.

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