Head coach, Caleb Williams and the biggest offseason questions Bears need to answer

The Chicago Bears, especially in recent years, have been a franchise with far more questions than answers. Whether it's on the field or off, few things have gone right for the Monsters of the Midway, which is why this offseason is such a critical one.

At this time last year, optimism was flowing through the fanbase. The Bears had missed the playoffs yet again, but they'd closed the season strong, and by virtue of their 2023 trade with the Carolina Panthers, they had the number one pick in the draft to finally grab their quarterback of the future.

General manager Ryan Poles drafted Caleb Williams with that pick, and he made some splashy moves elsewhere on the roster, such as signing D'Andre Swift to be the team's starting running back and trading for Keenan Allen to give Williams another weapon to target.

It's kind of wild now to think that for more than two-thirds of the year, Bears fans were feeling good about the direction the franchise was headed. Optimism persisted all through the spring and summer, and the Bears' appearance on HBO's Hard Knocks had fans salivating over finally getting to see their team take the field.

The Bears rewarded that optimism with a 4-2 start to the season, but then the bottom fell out in spectacular fashion. Ten straight losses and the firing of head coach Matt Eberflus followed, with the Bears only barely salvaging any bit of pride by squeaking out a win over the Green Bay Packers in Week 18.

Now the offseason is here again, and Bears fans are in a very different head space. There's no optimism. There's no belief. The core message in the heart of every Bears fan is "Prove it." The Bears need to prove that they're worthy of the love they receive, prove that they're worth supporting every Sunday, and prove that Bears fans should ever have any reason to feel optimism again.

It's not hyperbole to say that this is a make-or-break offseason for the franchise. The other three teams in the NFC North are better than ever, and if the Bears don't figure things out in a hurry, they'll be left behind for the foreseeable future. Here are the three biggest questions the Bears need to answer before next season begins.

Will the Bears finally get serious about signing a top candidate as their new head coach?

The Bears have been trapped in a cycle of coaching mediocrity since firing Lovie Smith after the 2011-12 season. Lovie's 81-63 record made him unquestionably the best Bears coach since Mike Ditka, but the coaches that have followed him have repeatedly fallen short. Marc Trestman, John Fox, Matt Nagy, Matt Eberflus and interim head coach Thomas Brown have combined for a 76-120 record, which is why the Bears are once again in need of a new voice.

Every offseason, there are a couple of candidates that are the most sought-after hires in the league, and they're typically the most exciting up-and-coming coordinators. This offseason is no different, as Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is viewed by almost everyone as the prize of this coaching class.

Johnson has reportedly shown interest in the Bears job, and he's set to interview for the position on Saturday, though it should be noted that he also has interviews lined up with the Patriots, Raiders and Jaguars, as well.

The Bears have never, not once in their long history, made a splashy head coaching hire. Matt Eberflus was the epitome of this, as his hiring was met with a collective shrug and an "I guess?" from the fanbase.

Hiring a long string of middle-of-the-road coaching candidates is precisely why the Bears keep needing to hire someone new every few years. If you buy cheap shoes, you need to keep replacing them. Splurge for one good pair and you're set for a while. You get what you pay for.

In addition to Johnson, the Bears have sent out interview requests to over a dozen candidates already, many of which make absolutely no sense. Bears fans are terrified that the team is going to screw it up again. The Bears need to quit playing games and prove that they're finally a serious organization by taking a big swing. Go get Ben Johnson, or even trade for a proven commodity like Kyle Shanahan or Sean McVay.

How will Ryan Poles improve the offensive and defensive lines?

Roster-wise, the Bears need a lot of help in the trenches. Despite signing D'Andre Swift, the run game was not good this year, and Caleb Williams was sacked more than any other quarterback in the league. Right tackle Darnell Wright is the only offensive lineman that's a lock to retain his starting spot next year.

The Bears dropped defensively from first against the run last year all the way to 28th this year by giving up nearly 50 more yards on the ground per game. The pass rush was improved, but only to league average levels, as the Bears went from 31st in the league with 1.8 sacks per game in 2023-24 to tied for 16th with 2.4 this year.

The Bears have the fifth-most cap space in the NFL with over $83 million. They also have the 10th pick in the draft and two early second-rounders.

Poles needs to pour every available resource into improving both lines. Notable free agents include Trey Smith, Ronnie Stanley and Drew Dalman on the offensive line, and Josh Sweat, Osa Odighizuwa and former Bear Khalil Mack on the defensive front. The draft is also full of impact players, such as defensive linemen Mason Graham and Abdul Carter and offensive linemen Will Campbell and Kelvin Banks Jr.

Poles hasn't been shy about making trades during his time as Bears GM, and he could look to the trade market in addition to free agency and the draft to bolster the lines. These are areas that have been ignored on this team for far too long, so everything should be on the table.

What can the team do to help Caleb Williams take a leap in Year 2?

Answering our first two questions will go a long way towards answering our third.

Hiring an offensive-minded coach is a must to make sure that Williams doesn't retain any bad habits going forward. Ben Johnson has made Jared Goff into one of the most reliable quarterbacks in the league. Brock Purdy is poised to make a leap from being Mr. Irrelevant to getting a big payday, and Kyle Shanahan played a large part in that. The Bears need to find a coach that will maximize Williams' prodigious talents.

Improving the offensive line is also non-negotiable, as it's just not sustainable for Williams to take so many sacks year after year. There have been many young quarterbacks whose confidence has eroded behind a bad offensive line, and the Bears can't let Williams become another one.

Outside of those two things, as long as Williams puts the work in, he should take a sizeable leap in his sophomore season. He already did a lot of impressive things as a rookie, such as only throwing six interceptions all year. His 3,541 passing yards is the fifth-highest single-season total in Bears history, and with another year of good health, he should be able to surpass Erik Kramer's team-record 3,838 yards with ease.

Most of Chicago's offensive skill position talent is already in place for next year. DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, D'Andre Swift and Cole Kmet are all still under contract, but Poles will have a decision to make with Keenan Allen, who's due to become a free agent for the first time in his career. Allen had his ups and downs in his first season in Chicago, but he was targeted 121 times by Williams, the second-highest number on the team. The Bears need to either bring him back on a team-friendly deal or replace him with someone that can make a difference.