Former NFL GM Makes Strong Caleb Williams Prediction for Bears Season
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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Caleb Williams is heading into his third season as the Chicago Bears' star quarterback, and fans have plenty of reason to be excited after last season's magical run to the postseason.
Williams guided the Bears to improbable wins throughout the season, and the Bears captured the NFC North and the No. 2 seed in the NFC Playoffs. While they fell short of reaching the NFC Championship Game, he still showed there is much more to come as he develops and emerges as a superstar.
As part of ESPN's "Get Up" panel, former New York Jets General Manager Mike Tannenbaum offered a strong prediction regarding Williams' upcoming season.
"Caleb Williams is an MVP candidate without question. We saw the explosive plays ... It's more of the down-to-down aspect of the game that has to be cleaned up," Tannenbaum said .
"58% is way too low. He's way too talented. If those receivers can be healthy, and that's a big if right now- Luther Burden, Rome Odunze with a foot, if those guys stay healthy with Colston Loveland and this offense, he'll be an MVP candidate," the former NFL GM said.
An MVP contender is a strong prediction, and it's certainly a possibility if Williams keeps improving. There's no denying he's among the league's most entertaining escape artists, getting away from chasing defenders and scrambling for rushing yards or finding teammates to throw the ball to in a tight spot.
The glaring issue with Williams' game through his first several seasons is his disappointingly low completion percentage. He completed 62.5% of passes in 2024, which was 31st in the NFL out of 36 quarterbacks.
In 2025, he was even worse, with a 58.1% completion percentage, which was 32nd of 33 qualified QBs, per ESPN's statistics.
As mentioned, several injuries are currently plaguing the Bears that could hinder Williams' success in the upcoming season. The team lost Luther Burden III for the remainder of the preseason due to a groin strain.
Rome Odunze previously dealt with a left foot stress fracture in 2025. According to the Chicago-Sun Times , Odunze said he "doesn't feel it" and views the difference between his injury last season and now as "the new normal."
The encouraging aspect is that Odunze has been participating throughout training practices. Burden III's injury return timeline could see him back for Week 1, but that's currently unclear.
Caleb Williams and the Bears visit the Carolina Panthers to start their regular season on Sunday, Sept. 13.
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