The Bears are finally supporting a young QB the right way

The Chicago Bears are having a moment.

Four years after the Bears started their rebuild by tearing the roster down to the studs, Chicago finally has a team they can potentially put hope in. An offseason of positive moves has the Bears feeling like a trendy new playoff team, because they’ve finally built an appropriate team around a young QB.

Let’s start with how to build this team around rookie signal caller Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Most teams have the three P’s in order to help a young QB survive his early years in the NFL: protection, playmakers and playcalling. Throughout this entire offseason, the Bears have continue to built their playmakers and playcalling up to be at a high level for their new QB.

Let’s start with the defense, because there are defensive playmakers on the Bears’ side of the ball. Trading for EDGE Montez Sweat in the middle of the season helped lift the Bears’ defense to a high level. After trading for Sweat, the Bears finished fourth in the NFL in defensive EPA per play and top ten in defensive Success Rate allowed. Sweat finished with six sacks after being traded and helped the rest of the defense fall into place in Chicago. The Bears gave Sweat an extension, then in the offseason extended CB Jaylon Johnson, who played really well in a contract year. Chicago’s defense could use another pass rusher, but they’ve done a good job of rebuilding it in the Matt Eberflus era.

Offensively, to say the skill position group has undergone a facelift would be an understatement. Let’s just compare the two depth charts on the surface. This is from 2021, after the Bears selected QB Justin Fields in the first round:

Now, let’s look at what the Bears will be rolling with going into 2024:

Not only have they raised the ceiling of their offense, but a lot of their skill position talents complement each other really well.

DJ Moore is explosive after the catch and downfield, with most of his big plays coming 20+ yards downfield. Meanwhile, acquired WR Keenan Allen is one of the best at getting open in the NFL, especially in the short to intermediate areas. If you follow ESPN’s Receiver Analytics, Allen finished the 2023 season first in their Open score, which means he was getting open and creating separation regardless of the route and how deep the route is. Allen will provide the easy button for the offense and Moore provides the downfield explosion. On top of that, the Bears used the ninth overall pick on Washington WR Rome Odunze. The beauty of Odunze’s game is that he’s so reliable in every area of the field. He can operate in the in-between areas, creating layers for the offense. The offensive line is still coming along, but with two building blocks in guard Teven Jenkins and RT Darnell Wright the line has an identity of physicality.

Which brings us to the playcalling. After hiring Shane Waldron in the offseason, the Bears should have something that finally resembles an NFL offense. Waldron has gotten the best out of QB Geno Smith in Seattle, and having a wide zone background should help the offense continue to get better. Where Waldron can help Williams on the field with his playcalling is by making the pictures easier to see. While Williams was a very good processor pre and post-snap at the college level, the NFL game is very different, obviously. NFL defensive coordinators are going to throw a lot of different coverages and looks post-snap at Williams, and where Waldron can help his young QB is by giving him tools in his toolbox to help decipher these looks.

Whether it be through use of motion or formation, Waldron can give his QB the answers to the test before the questions get unveiled. Then, that’s where Williams can shine. Williams is a natural playmaker, one who can create something out of nothing both from within and outside the pocket. Where this meshes with Waldron and his playcalling is in the use of play-action. The Seahawks were 11th in play action dropbacks last year, and with Waldron being a McVay disciple, the use of play action combined with Williams’ feel for the game will mesh in his ability to create on the move.

The Bears have everything they need to help foster the growth of a young QB. Now, it’s time for them to execute it.