The days of Chicago Bears fans comparing everything Caleb Williams does to Justin Fields are over, but there is still one stat that Williams finished below Fields that is hard to ignore. Williams had the third-worst off-target throw rate, per stat rankings. He was better than only JJ McCarthy and Michael Pennix and was one spot below Justin Fields, who was fourth on this list.
The Chicago Bears need Caleb Williams to be more accurate in 2026
Williams had a 21.7% off target throw rate while Fields was at 21.3%. This is disappointing for Bears fans because Fields was always known for having poor accuracy. His ability to run was supposed to be overcome the idea that he would always have a high off-target rate. Williams is supposed to be more accurate, so to appear anywhere near Fields is a surprise.
However, a lot of this can be explained away with context. Williams has 44 throwaways, so 6.7% of his pass attempts are made with the intention of being nowhere near a receiver. Meanwhile, Fields only had eight throwaways last year, which was a 3.9% rate. McCarthy had just five throwaways, which was a 2.1% rate and Pennix had a 6.2% throwaway, so even though his was more in line with Williams, Williams still threw the ball away more than anyone.
He did lead the league in throwaways. So, while it is fair to say that Williams is more accurate than expected, it is just as fair to question why he is ending so many plays on his own. This is likely less an accuracy issue and more a playcaller and quarterback issue.
Williams might not feel completely comfortable in his new offense yet. He has talked about the adjustment, and Johnson was his third play caller in two seasons, so there was a lot for him to unlearn and then learn on the fly.
This can result in Williams saving himself and the team by getting himself out of any plays that he did not feel comfortable in, or he did not see what he expected.
The step forward has to come this year, though. Williams is now expected to have a strong grasp of the offense, so he should know where to go with the ball more confidently.
If this does not result in a lower off-target rate, it is time to ask questions about Williams.
| More Bears News and Rumors |
Add us as a preferred source on Google