The NFL offseason will soon transition into mandatory minicamps, with training camps set to follow in July. Teams have stayed busy throughout free agency and the NFL Draft, while OTAs have allowed clubs like the Chicago Bears to evaluate the state of their current rosters.
One area where the Bears have no doubts is at starting quarterback. Caleb Williams made a tremendous sophomore leap in 2025, and the organization believes he is only scratching the surface. In fact, quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett already knows what Williams must do to reach the next level.
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Williams has built his reputation as a big-play quarterback. His signature “Iceman” moment against the Green Bay Packers in the wild-card round highlighted that ability. Barrett, however, believes the next step in Williams’ development is learning to consistently take what the defense gives him.
“We don’t have to work as hard for our money. There’s times where we could just work through our progression and get the ball out on time instead of having to create and extend plays,” Barrett told the Chicago Sun-Times.
“Late in some of those games, we were making some heroic plays … but it wasn’t necessary if we execute in the first quarter and second quarter,” Barrett said.
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What stood out most to Williams’ coach, however, is how early efficiency can create late-game separation.
Conclusion
“We might be up two touchdowns by the time we get to the fourth quarter … We can be efficient and take what the defense is giving,” he said.
Williams is far from the first quarterback to face this type of progression. Ben Roethlisberger, Patrick Mahomes, and Aaron Rodgers all had to learn that not every play needs to become a highlight. Sometimes, quarterbacks must take the easy completion to keep drives alive.
That mindset does not eliminate the opportunity for explosive plays when the moment calls for them. Roethlisberger, Mahomes, and Rodgers each built legacies filled with clutch moments and signature plays. What separated them, though, was their ability to embrace efficiency and trust that patience would eventually lead to bigger rewards later in games.
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There is little reason to believe Williams cannot follow the same path. Head coach Ben Johnson arrived in Chicago to maximize Williams’ potential, and the early signs suggest he is doing exactly that. Now, the next step is helping Williams evolve while still allowing him to make the plays that make him special.