Why Bears' Caleb Williams isn't the NFC North QB under most pressure
New head coach Ben Johnson is an offensive genius, but it won't all click perfectly in year one. It's about developing good habits, creating chemistry, and adding more talent at consequential positions on both sides of the ball. Nothing will matter, however, if Williams doesn't take a step in his development.
With all of that said, it is obvious that Williams is not the NFC North quarterback with the most pressure on him coming into 2025 camp.
He has more pressure on him than Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions because Goff is an NFL veteran who has strung together some all-pro caliber years in Detroit. Williams also has more pressure on him than J.J. McCarthy of the Minnesota Vikings, who is coming into his first year as a starter, as he was injured for the entire 2024 season. The Vikings also have one of the best rosters in the NFL around him, which should help him get his feet wet.
The quarterback in the division with more pressure on him than Williams is Jordan Love of the Green Bay Packers. After a wildly impressive 2023 season, which included a playoff win, Love took a step back in 2024. He was reckless with the football and put his team in tough positions.
For being one of the highest-paid players in the NFL, Love has to be better for the Packers to have a good return on investment. Williams doesn't have that kind of financial commitment on him. He is also going into a de facto rookie season with a rookie head coach. It may take some time to gain chemistry with his new play-caller.
Williams just needs to show high-end signs of development in 2025. Love has to have the Packers looking like a Super Bowl team. Otherwise, it's a failure. If Love plays as he did in 2024, it will be more of the same in Green Bay (an okay team that gets eliminated in the first round).
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