The Chicago Bears offensive line took plenty of criticism for their performance last season, but rookie quarterback Caleb Williams did them few favors. While facing pressure, Williams ranked last in expected points added (EPA) among 40 qualifying quarterbacks with a minimum of 175 dropbacks, per FTN Fantasy.
In the first offseason under new head coach Ben Johnson, the Bears revamped their offensive line in an effort to provide Williams with more time in the pocket.
The Bears bolstered the interior of their offensive line by acquiring All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney and Pro Bowl right guard Jonah Jackson in trades. They also added center Drew Dalman in free agency, rounding out a vastly improved starting offensive line that should be able to move bodies in the running game.
Bears offensive line should help Caleb Williams’ struggles against pressure
Williams was touted as a generational prospect when the Bears selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. So far, the USC product hasn’t been able to live up to the billing — Williams’ rookie season was mired by poor coaching, late-game blunders and negative plays.
While it’s easy to pin the blame for Williams’ struggles on Chicago’s protection, the offensive line didn’t perform as poorly as perceived last season. The unit ranked No. 21 in pass-blocking efficiency rating (84.1) with four of their five projected starters receiving overall PFF grades above 70.0. While that’s far from the elite unit fielded by the Philadelphia Eagles, it shouldn’t have resulted in a league-high 68 sacks.
Responsibility for the team’s high sack total can also be attribute to Williams, whose propensity to hold onto the ball often resulted in preventable sacks. The first-year quarterback allowed a sack on 28.2 percent of his pressures last season, per Pro Football Focus.
As Williams gains experience and learns how to process the field, he should be able to speed up his process to make the correct read on time and in rhythm. Until then, Johnson will have to alleviate pressure on his young quarterback by paving more rushing lanes for Chicago’s running backs and providing more time in the pocket.
Last offseason, Bears general manager Ryan Poles surrounded Williams with an abundance of offensive weapons. Heading into his sophomore season, the quarterback should find more time to operate behind an improved offensive line and deliver the ball to wide receivers DJ Moore and Rome Odunze.