Caleb Williams is already giving NFL defenses something else to worry about.
After a breakout 2025 season, the Chicago Bears quarterback showed up to the first day of training camp practice with a noticeable change: he said he dropped 10-15 pounds this offseason and expects that to help him move better and faster. ESPN NFL reporter Courtney Cronin relayed Williams’ comments, saying, "Caleb Williams says he lost 10-15 pounds this offseason and feels he’ll be able to move better and faster," and added, "A combination of eating clean, not eating past 7 p.m. and focusing on sleep is how the QB was able to shed weight."
That matters because Williams already showed how dangerous he can be with his legs. He ran for 489 yards as a rookie in 2024, then added 388 more on the ground last season.
He’s not a quarterback who runs just for show, either. Williams can escape the pocket, throw on the move, or just take off and pick up yards himself.
And while he’s known more for wanting to throw the ball, the added quickness could make that part of his game even more threatening. Defenses already had a hard enough time dealing with him in the pocket. Now they may have to account for a lighter, faster version of a quarterback who just posted 3,942 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while leading an NFL record seven comebacks and game-winning drives for the Bears in 2025.
That’s the part that should get the league’s attention: Williams is still ascending, and he may be getting harder to catch.
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