The only way the Chicago Bears overcome bad ownership is by their bright stars working together.

Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears | Michael Reaves

I want to believe in the Chicago Bears, but I just cannot. There will always be a limitation with the McCaskeys owning the franchise and Kevin Warren being in the building.

While I do not trust general manager Ryan Poles in the slightest, I can potentially get behind the idea of head coach Ben Johnson building a tremendous rapport with second-year quarterback Caleb Williams. But this isn’t a good start to that.

Rather than putting in necessary reps to get better in a brand new offense, Johnson has elected to hold Williams out of the Bears’ first preseason game of the summer vs.

the Miami Dolphins. While Chicago has looked like the far better team in their joint practices, this team is only going to go as far as Johnson and Williams allow each other to go.

I feel that they are not speaking the same language.

I wrote about this a little over a week ago. Williams seems to be giving off the vibes that he and the Bears can win a Super Bowl in something like 10 years.

It is a bit debonair for me. I get the sense that Johnson is operating with a far greater sense of urgency. It only takes a few years for the Chicago faithful to run you out of town. Matt Nagy was a can’t-miss head coach when he was hired.

For a guy learning a new system who struggles to play in structure, why are we punting on this game?

The Bears still have a chance to post a winning record this season, but they have no margin for error.

Not playing Caleb Williams in preseason opener is bad news for the Bears

Williams was the first of six quarterbacks taken inside the top 12 in the 2024 NFL Draft. Through their first years in the league, only Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix have really accomplished anything.

Williams, Drake Maye and Michael Penix Jr. all got to start games last fall, while J.J. McCarthy had to watch it all from the sidelines due to a preseason injury. Maybe that is what is keeping Williams out?

I think a big difference that a lot of these second-year quarterbacks have working for them that Williams does not is being in the same offensive system for a second consecutive season.

Daniels can lean on Kliff Kingsbury in Washington. Penix can entrust Zac Robinson in Atlanta. McCarthy can grow from Kevin Stefanski in Minnesota. Nix has Sean Payton giving him all the answers in Denver.

Maye is in a similar bucket as Williams in that he has a new offensive mind in his year already in day two. For as good as Johnson was in Detroit, Josh McDaniels made a career for himself as an elite offensive coordinator during his two previous stints in New England.

Once again, the Bears seem to be behind schedule with Williams, while other players who are not as talented are surpassing him.

The Bears have a huge season ahead of them

While I do understand that I may be making a mountain out of a molehill with this, if you want to be offseason champions, Bears, then go be offseason champions!

This team finished in last place in the NFC North for a reason a season ago. Although there is a chance they could be better than one, maybe two of their bitter division rivals, I am struggling to see the Bears being a worst-to-first team.

Ultimately, Williams came into the NFL dripping with talent, but the concerns about him above the shoulders, character and whatnot, still remain.

It was Johnson’s dream job to leave the Detroit Lions to come coach this guy. Be careful what you wish for. I want Williams to be a sensational player for the great people of Chicago.

I really do. He needs to be more of a Cam Newton than he is a Jeff George.

I may end up eating a lot of crow with Chicago this year, but the last thing we need to do is crown him.