Chicago Bears fans have spent the offseason trying to figure out just how good Caleb Williams can become. It turns out NFL decision-makers may already have a pretty strong opinion.
Williams was ranked No. 9 in Albert Breer’s latest quarterback poll for Sports Illustrated, putting him among the 10 quarterbacks NFL coaches, general managers and other evaluators expect to be playing at a high level in 2026.
He received 104 ballots from people across all 32 teams, including 20 head coaches and 21 general managers. The group also included personnel executives, offensive coordinators, pass-game coordinators and quarterbacks coaches.
While he did not receive a first place vote, his ninth place finish still puts him ahead of every other quarterback in the NFC North as Jared Goff and Jordan Love tied for #11.
For a quarterback entering just his third NFL season, that is a pretty loud statement from people who spend their careers evaluating the position.
The Ben Johnson factor is a big reason
What Caleb Williams accomplished with Ben Johnson and the direction the Chicago Bears are heading give fans plenty of reason to believe another jump is coming.
“Caleb is an awesome talent,” one AFC offensive coordinator told Breer. “In a year or two, if he stays the course with Ben Johnson, he will be top three. His physical talent is freakish.”
The NFL is not simply looking at Williams as the quarterback who finished ninth in this particular poll. At least some evaluators are looking at him as a player who could climb dramatically once he gets more comfortable in Johnson’s offense.
Williams already took a significant step in his first season with Johnson as he threw for 3,942 yards and 27 touchdowns, setting a Bears single season record for passing yards – He also cut his sack total from 68 as a rookie to just 24 in his second season and led the Bears to an 11-6 record and a playoff win.
Now that does not mean Williams has already proven himself to be an elite quarterback. A ninth place ranking also means eight quarterbacks were viewed more favorably. But the trajectory matters.
Williams has a chance to make this ranking look low
Caleb Williams has already shown enough improvement for evaluators to believe another jump is possible as his completion percentage actually dipped from 62.5% to 58.1% last season, so there are still areas of his game that need to improve.
At the same time, the bigger picture was much more encouraging… Williams became more efficient at avoiding sacks, threw for more yards and touchdowns, and helped lead an offense that produced 441 points, the third highest total in franchise history.
The Chicago Bears also have a coaching staff that clearly believes there is more to unlock. During the offseason, Williams said, “There’s so much to unlock. There’s so much to get better at.”
If Caleb Williams takes another step in Ben Johnson’s offense, #9 could end up looking conservative. That is the part Chicago Bears fans should be watching as the 2026 season begins.
Bears Fans May Be Underestimating How NFL Insiders View Caleb Williams