Bears' Ben Johnson reveals ‘70%' goal for Caleb Williams
As the Chicago Bears officially begin training camp this week, head coach Ben Johnson has outlined an ambitious target for second-year quarterback Caleb Williams heading into the 2025 NFL season.
Advertisement
Speaking on a recent episode of the CHGO Bears Podcast, Johnson revealed he wants Williams to complete 70 percent of his passes this season.
'I told [Caleb] I would love for him on the season to complete 70% of his balls,' Johnson said.
The Bears' rookies reported to training camp on Saturday, with veterans arriving Tuesday at Halas Hall. With on-field sessions now underway, Johnson and his staff are focused on elevating a young roster that finished 5-12 last season. At the center of that development is Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner and former No. 1 overall pick.
Ben Johnson sets high bar for Caleb Williams as Bears build around second-year quarterback
In his rookie year, Williams completed 62.5% of his passes, throwing for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He also added 489 rushing yards on 81 carries. While his first season showed flashes of promise, Johnson's 70% goal would represent a significant leap in efficiency and execution.
Advertisement
Johnson, hired this offseason after serving as the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, is expected to bring a more innovative and quarterback-friendly system to Chicago. The Bears also promoted Declan Doyle to offensive coordinator, adding further continuity to the offensive coaching staff as Williams enters Year 2.
Chicago made several additions this offseason aimed at improving the supporting cast around its young quarterback, including upgrades at wide receiver and along the offensive line. With training camp underway, Johnson's high expectations reflect the organization's belief in Williams' potential to develop into a franchise cornerstone.
The Bears will continue preparations over the coming weeks as they look to end one of the NFL's longest quarterback droughts and compete for a turnaround in the NFC North.
Related: Caleb Williams sets Bears history-making goals ahead of training camp
Advertisement
Related: Bears' Jaylon Johnson injury update mars start of training camp
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a few seconds ago
- Yahoo
Teddy Bridgewater set to return to the NFL with the Buccaneers to back up Baker Mayfield
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Teddy Bridgewater is nearing a return to the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said Bridgewater is visiting the team and the Bucs plan to sign him. The Buccaneers will be the eighth team in 12 seasons for the 32-year-old Bridgewater. Bridgewater coached his former high school in Miami to a Class 3A state championship last fall and then returned to the NFL in late December to serve as a backup to Jared Goff for the playoff-bound Lions. He would provide insurance for the four-time defending NFC South champions behind Baker Mayfield. The Buccaneers also have veteran Kyle Trask, who has thrown 11 passes in four seasons since he was a second-round pick in 2021. Mayfield returned to practice Tuesday after missing a couple of days because of a hand contusion. Bridgewater said last month that he was suspended from coaching Miami Northwestern High School because he provided players with financial benefits that he says he reported to the school. 'I'm not going anywhere,' Bridgewater said on social media post. 'And if it comes down to it, I will volunteer from the bleachers like I used to in 2018 and 2019 when no one had a problem.' Bridgewater, a first-round pick by Minnesota in 2014, is 33-32 as a starter and made the Pro Bowl after his second season when he led the Vikings to an 11-5 record. He also spent time with the Jets, Saints, Panthers, Broncos and Dolphins. Bridgewater has completed 66.4% of his passes for 15,120 yards, 75 touchdowns, 47 interceptions and a 90.5 passer rating. Buccaneers offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard was an assistant coach in Miami in 2022 when Bridgewater backed up Tua Tagovailoa. Buccaneers defensive line coach Charlie Strong was Bridgewater's head coach at Louisville. Tampa Bay's quarterback room also includes Michael Pratt and Connor Bazelak. Pratt, a seventh-round pick out of Tulane by Green Bay in 2024 who signed to the Buccaneers' practice squad last August, has been sidelined by a back injury. Bazelak signed as an undrafted free agent out of Bowling Green where he spent the final two of his six college seasons. ___ AP NFL: Rob Maaddi, The Associated Press
Yahoo
a few seconds ago
- Yahoo
FOX analyst suggests Michigan Wolverines football legend J.J. McCarthy has little room to improve in the NFL
FOX analyst suggests Michigan Wolverines football legend J.J. McCarthy has little room to improve in the NFL originally appeared on The Sporting News Despite Shedeur Sanders' status in the Cleveland Browns' quarterback battle and Caleb Williams' persistent struggles producing most of the mainstream headlines out of training camp, there seems to be a growing concern with the Vikings' young signal-caller. J.J. McCarthy missed his rookie season after numerous complications following a torn meniscus, so naturally, there will be growing pains as he acclimates himself to the league. It doesn't help that he will be under center for a team coming off a 13-win campaign, which was a game away from winning the division and being the top seed in the NFC. Coach Kevin O'Connell and star wideout Justin Jefferson have defended the 22-year-old's development, but the local media beat hasn't been impressed with his performance. On his show "The Herd," responding to a report that McCarthy is working on his touch as a passer, Colin Cowherd scoffed at the notion he's in a similar position as a young Josh Allen. "Josh Allen was a total project, but he was a moldable piece of clay," Cowherd said. "McCarthy got three years of great coaching from Jim Harbaugh—you're looking at what he is. This idea that he's going to go two or three levels up from what he's been is unlikely." Suggesting that young talent can't improve in the NFL if they had elite college coaching seems a bit tone-deaf. There are too many cases of backups at blue-blood programs turning pro and outproducing their draft slot. McCarthy is still raw—it's not like Michigan asked him to command its offense. Who knows how well he could diagnose defenses and grasp a scheme? Maybe we should let him play a few meaningful games first before suggesting his ceiling is capped.
Yahoo
a few seconds ago
- Yahoo
NFL holdouts, contract negotiation tracker: Now that Kyren Williams has a deal, how close are other stars to getting their own?
NFL training camp season is officially upon us, which means holdout/hold-in season is too as players seek new contracts. While Rams running back Kyren Williams was never a hold-in, his contract situation was one of the buzziest this year. On Tuesday he agreed to a reported three-year, $33 million deal with Los Angeles, including $23 million in guaranteed money. [Subscribe to Yahoo Fantasy Plus and unlock Instant Mock Drafts today] Williams was more diplomatic than some of his peers seeking new contracts have been, which isn't to say there's a right or wrong way to go about it. All situations are different. But now that Williams' deal is done, how close are the other star players seeking new contracts to sealing theirs? Let's take some temperatures, from closest to furthest. Buffalo Bills RB James Cook This is a bit of a dart throw. After participating in camp each day from the start, Cook has now sat out Bills practice two days in a row due to "business." Sounds like the situation is getting more tense, not less, right? Well, now that Kyren Williams' deal is done, it can provide some semblance of a template for the $15 million a year Cook is seeking. It won't be straightforward — negotiations rarely are — but Cook's agent works for LAA Sports, which just resolved Shemar Stewart's flap with the Bengals, which was a more difficult situation than this. (We think.) Given how valuable Cook is to the Bills' offense, we're going to assume this gets done by end of next week. Cincinnati Bengals pass rusher Trey Hendrickson Hendrickson still hasn't practiced since reporting to camp on July 30, and the Bengals's offer is reportedly well past $30 million, per Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer. The issue remains the guarantees structure, but the Bengals already softened a clause in Shemar Stewart's contract to get a deal done, and we're guessing they'll do more softening with Hendrickson's wishes by the end of preseason since he's the reigning sack king and their best defender by a mile. San Francisco 49ers WR Jauan Jennings Jennings has yet to practice since reportedly aggravating a calf injury on July 27. Is that time missed injury-related, or business-related? "You can ask him that," 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday. Jennings is reportedly seeking a new deal after a breakout 2024 season, and is set to make $7.5 million this season on the final year of a two-year extension. We're guessing the, shall we say, extra time away from the field will help expedite a deal here before the season kicks off. Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons Micah Parsons requested a trade late last week. Jerry Jones said Cowboys fans shouldn't lose sleep over it. It's wildly difficult to envision a scenario in which Dallas trades Parsons, who looked very engaged not just with players but also with team leadership — minus the Joneses — on Monday, per Yahoo Sports' Jori Epstein. This has all the earmarks of a deal that gets done the week the season kicks off — especially, as Yahoo Sports' Nate Tice pointed out on the latest episode of "Football 301", considering it would steal some headline thunder from the rival Eagles hosting the opener as Super Bowl champions. Washington Commanders WR Terry McLaurin McLaurin has been standing on his trade request since July 31, and while there isn't a ton of animus here, the moving parts indicate a new contract could take a while to get done, if it does at all. NFL Network reported teams haven't exactly been burning the Commanders' phone lines inquiring about McLaurin, and there appears to be a significant gulf between what McLaurin and his team thinks he's worth (north of $30M per year) and what Washington does (maybe closer to the $23 million per year Courtland Sutton just got). McLaurin is officially designated on the PUP list with an ankle injury. Who knows how soon he'll move off it. Green Bay Packers OL Elgton Jenkins Jenkins is moving from guard to center, and wanted a reworked deal that reflected it. It sounds like he won't get it before this season, and that Jenkins has made peace with that. There are two years left on his current contract extension, which reportedly includes non-guaranteed base salaries of $11.7 million this season and $18.5 million in 2026. All signs point to zero movement here until after the season.
