Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is primed for a breakout season under first-year head coach Ben Johnson, who’s one of the brightest offensive minds in the NFL. But not everyone is high on Williams following his quietly impressive rookie season.

The former first overall pick didn’t have the best situation in his chaotic rookie season that included a 10-game losing streak, two different head coaches, three offensive coordinators and 68 sacks en route to a 5-12 record. Still, Williams showed his playmaking potential that made him an appealing quarterback for Johnson, who chose Chicago over several other jobs.

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FOX Sports’ Henry McKenna recently ranked all 32 NFL starting quarterbacks ahead of the 2025 season, where Williams landed at 21st. There’s plenty of debate to be had about the list — including Williams should be higher — but it’s his placement among his fellow 2024 draft quarterbacks that’s most baffling.

Williams was the fifth-ranked quarterback from the 2024 draft class behind Jayden Daniels, J.J. McCarthy, Bo Nix and Drake Maye, which comes as a massive shock considering he broke NFL and franchise rookie records and managed to impress despite coaching malpractice and the worst offensive line in the league.

“Williams remains one of the best young QB prospects in the NFL,” wrote McKenna. “Now, he has one of the best situations in the NFL. Let’s see some results.”

While Williams didn’t have the results like Daniels or Nix last season (who were in better situations, notably from a coaching standpoint), he had more success than Maye, and he actually played, unlike McCarthy, who missed the entire 2024 season due to injury.

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Expectations are high for Williams heading into the 2025 season following the offseason dedication to build around him. Whether it’s the hiring of Johnson as head coach, retooling the interior offensive line or adding more weapons, Williams is positioned to take a big leap and establish himself as one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears’ Caleb Williams disrespected in FOX Sports’ QB rankings