More than any team in the NFL, the Chicago Bears have seen how important it truly is to have a good quarterback. General manager Ryan Poles and staff are hoping they finally have one in Caleb Williams. The USC star has been under pressure since his arrival in Chicago. This season more than ever, with his team constructed around him, he holds the Bears’ potential success in his hands.

In the latest Bears Wire feature, Caleb Williams is named the second most important Bear for this upcoming season. Here are Brendan Sugrue and Alyssa Barbieri’s thoughts on this ranking:

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“With a new scheme, a coach that has a history of getting the most out of the quarterback, and quality players at crucial positions, everything should be in place for Williams to take a leap in Year 2. It always comes down to the quarterback and whether or not he can be the transcendent signal caller that has eluded this franchise for years. While Williams has plenty to clean up going into this season, he set the bar higher than any other Bears rookie quarterback ever has. No quarterback in team history ever had a season with 3,500 passing yards, at least 20 touchdowns, and fewer than 10 interceptions before Williams. Add in that Johnson and his staff are working to break Williams of his bad habits and play within structure, and the stage is set for a leap forward in production. Just a few days into training camp, it’s impossible to tell whether or not Williams will succeed. He has the tools and the resources to get there, though, and much of the Bears’ success will hinge on his development.”

Last season the media was saying Caleb Williams had the most to work with out of any rookie quarterback in NFL history. That did not turn out to be true. This season, with an even better supporting cast, the expectations are high for Caleb. Even in the toughest moments last season Caleb showed flashes of potential. This season the Bears will need a lot more than flashes to take back the NFC North.

The Bears can make all the additions they want, and they can hire the best coaching staff possible, but it will ultimately come down to Caleb Williams. Will he be exactly who we thought he was? With the talent Caleb Williams has, and the winning mindset he owns, we could see 2022 USC Trojan Caleb Williams. That would result in a very successful year for the Bears as they begin the Ben Johnson era.

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Caleb Williams named second-most important Chicago Bear this season