Caleb Williams took a big step forward under Ben Johnson last season. While that has Chicago Bears fans excited, Johnson knows that one step is not enough and that there is still room for growth. Johnson recently highlighted specific areas where Williams needs to improve and noted that he expects a higher completion percentage from his quarterback in 2026.
The Chicago Bears need a higher completion rate from Caleb Williams in 2026
Williams completed just 58.1% of his passes last season. Among qualified quarterbacks, that ranked 43rd in the NFL. The only quarterbacks below him included Jameis Winston, Shedeur Sanders, Brandon Allen, Davis Mills, Brady Cook, J.J. McCarthy, and Russell Wilson. The names immediately above him included Dillon Gabriel, Tyrod Taylor, Cam Ward, and Michael Penix Jr. It is not exactly the group of quarterbacks that a franchise quarterback wants to be associated with.
Because of that, it is no surprise that the Bears expect significant improvement in this area. Many of the better quarterbacks in the NFL finished around the 62% range or higher last season. That means Williams does not need a dramatic jump to take a noticeable step forward. Improving by roughly four percentage points would put him in a much stronger position moving forward.
One reason for optimism is that Williams should be much more comfortable in the offense this season than he was a year ago. The Bears have put him through a lot of change early in his career. Williams has now worked with three different play-callers in his first two NFL seasons. Johnson was not only another new voice, but he also arrived with major changes to the offense and high expectations for everyone involved.
As a result, there were times when Williams looked outstanding and other moments when he appeared unsure of what he was seeing. That inconsistency showed up throughout the season. It is one reason why Williams led the NFL in throwaways despite a reputation for extending plays and creating outside of structure.
Too often, there were snaps where he did not seem fully comfortable with what the defense was presenting. Rather than forcing a throw, he would send the ball out of bounds and move on to the next play. While that avoided turnovers, it also hurt his completion percentage and limited the offense at times.
The good news for the Bears is that the fixes may not require major changes. Williams does not need to completely overhaul his game. Instead, he can improve by becoming more decisive, trusting what he sees, and taking some of the easier completions that are available within the offense.
If he can do that, the improvement could be significant. The two numbers worth monitoring throughout the season will be his completion percentage and his throwaway rate. The two are likely connected, and both should provide a strong indication of how comfortable and confident Williams is operating within Johnson's offense.
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