Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is walking into 2026 with the kind of buzz that can change a season before it even starts.
That’s what happens when a third-year quarterback comes off a 2025 campaign that checked just about every box. Williams threw for a franchise-record 3,942 yards and 27 touchdowns against only seven interceptions, then piled up an NFL-record seven comebacks and game-winning drives. The result was an 11-6 record, an NFC North title and a playoff win over the Green Bay Packers.
Now the question around Chicago isn’t whether Williams flashed last season. It’s how much more he has in the tank.
D’Andre Swift gave the clearest answer yet at Bears training camp, and he didn’t hold back. Speaking to the media for the first time there, the veteran running back pointed to Williams as the team’s most improved teammate.
"Just seeing his poise right now and his process," Swift said via ESPN Bears reporter Courtney Cronin. "I get there pretty early, so I see the little things he's doing on the daily in his second year in the system. I just like his approach right now and his focus."
That’s the kind of line that gets attention fast, especially when it comes from a teammate who sees the work up close every day.
Williams already has the tools that make people believe he can be one of the league’s best. The throws were there all last season, and so was the athletic ability.
But what really separates him is the way he handles the moment. He showed better composure when games started to tilt the wrong way, and that clutch feel is a big part of why Chicago keeps believing.
The completion percentage will keep getting dragged into the conversation - he finished at 58% - but that number doesn’t tell the whole story. Drops from the wide receivers were part of the picture, and the source material notes that those misses would have put him around 65%.
Just as important, Williams has worked to keep the Bears from getting buried by mistakes. The 13 interceptions in his first two seasons are part of that story, showing a quarterback doing what he can to stay away from becoming the reason Chicago loses.
Swift’s praise only adds to the sense that the Bears think their franchise quarterback is still climbing. If Williams really is taking another step, Chicago could be staring at the kind of 2026 season fans have been waiting for.
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Caleb Williams Keeps Showing One Bears Problem Fans Know Too Well
Caleb Williams has spent training camp reinforcing a familiar trait for the Bears: he may take a little while to settle in, but he tends to find his rhythm as the work goes on. During a recent practice, he again showed some early struggles before finishing stronger, a pattern that echoes last season, when he helped fuel one of the leagues most comeback-minded stretches and kept Chicago in games long after things had gone sideways.
For the Bears, the concern is less about whether Williams can recover and more about how often the offense is putting itself in that position in the first place. Analysts around camp have pointed to the same issue the team carried through much of last year, when penalties piled up at an alarming rate and mistakes kept the offense from building cleaner drives. Williams resilience is already established, but Chicago still needs a version of this team that does not have to keep relying on late fixes. [Read more 🡒]
D'Andre Swift Faces A Bears Camp Battle With Big Money At Stake
DAndre Swift is back in the familiar grind of training camp, and for the Bears, his role still starts with being the lead back in a new setup under Ben Johnson. Swift has stressed the importance of attention to detail and preparation as the staff pushes through camp, a fitting focus for a player trying to keep his place at the center of the offense while the roster around him keeps changing.
The bigger question is how much work Swift will actually get once the games begin. Chicago is expected to share the backfield with rookie Kyle Monangai next season, a setup that could leave Swift fighting not just for touches but for clarity about where he fits long term. With his contract running down, every carry in camp carries a little more weight than usual. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Just Added Veteran Insurance To A Secondary Battle Fans Were Watching
Training camp has already started sorting out the Bears secondary, and the latest roster move adds another layer to a competition that was worth watching. Chicago brought in veteran defensive back Xavier Woods, a well-traveled NFL defender who should give the back end some depth and a little more pressure on the players fighting for jobs and roles.
The corresponding move came with Dallis Flowers heading to reserve/injured after a serious training-camp injury. For a secondary still trying to settle itself before the real games begin, it is the kind of pivot teams have to make quickly this time of year, blending opportunity for one player with a setback for another. [Read more 🡒]