Bears’ Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams chase a new level of explosive play

Spend a few minutes watching Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson on the sideline and you’ll notice the glint in his eye – that restless, almost child‑like spark that says, “We’re onto something.” It isn’t just optimism; it’s a conviction forged during a winter‑time film session where Johnson replayed every scramble the Bears ran last season.

What he saw was a mixture of chaos and promise. The Bears vaulted from dead‑last in total yards in 2024 to a respectable sixth place in Johnson’s inaugural year, and leapt from 28th to ninth in points scored. Yet the tape showed far more than raw numbers. It revealed moments where quarterback Caleb Williams, with the poise of a seasoned improviser, broke the pocket and conjured miracles – think the fourth‑and‑8 “Jumpman” strike to Rome Odunze that kept the playoff hopes alive against Green Bay.

Those flashes were spectacular, but they were also fickle. Johnson estimates that when Williams escaped the pocket and launched a ball downfield, the Bears connected on just about 40 percent of those attempts. “He’s a great thrower on the run,” Johnson says, “but our receivers aren’t always in the right spots fast enough. There’s a lot of upside there.”

Assistant coach and receivers guru Antwaan Randle El echoes that sentiment. He calls the 2025 extended‑play inventory “both frustrating and encouraging,” noting that a handful of missed adjustments – a slightly off‑target throw, a receiver’s slow break, or a lack of separation – turned potential touchdowns into “what‑if” moments.

Instead of dwelling on those what‑ifs, Johnson has turned the scramble drill into a season‑long experiment, part science, part art, part traffic‑control study. The goal? To make every improvised scramble feel as rehearsed as a set play. “There’s something here,” he tells the team. “But it takes everybody – the QB, the receivers, the blockers – owning the process together.”

The stakes feel real, especially as the Bears gear up to open the 2026 campaign in Carolina. Williams, ever the charismatic leader, adds his own flair: “This piece of our offense could make us the most explosive unit in the league.” The question, of course, is how they’ll translate practice into performance.

One clue lies in the teaching tape Johnson dusted off during the offseason: a compilation of Aaron Rodgers’ extended‑play highlights from his Green Bay days. It’s not a secret strategy – many teams study Rodgers’ ability to turn a broken pocket into a yard‑gaining masterpiece – but it’s a template that fits Williams’ skill set perfectly.

“They were so defined in what they were doing,” Johnson notes, pointing to the rapid response, the urgency, the subtle non‑verbal cues that the Packers displayed. “You could see they rehearsed it. Aaron believed those plays were game‑changing, and the whole unit reacted as one.” Johnson believes those same principles can be transplanted to Chicago, especially with a quarterback who thrives on movement.

Even tight end Cole Kmet has a foot in that playbook. He spent two seasons under former coordinator Luke Getsy, who once worked directly with Rodgers. Kmet says the biggest lesson was learning to sync with a quarterback who operates on the move: “It’s about playing with that style, trusting the throw, and finding the right window.”

Last season, two of the most elegant scramble‑drill successes unfolded at Lambeau Field – a fitting backdrop given the Rodgers connection. In Week 14, with a play‑action concept stalling, Williams felt the pressure from safety Evan Williams, cut to the right, and found a lane. Kmet, recognizing the open sideline and the trailing linebacker Isaiah McDuffie, sprinted downfield for a silky 26‑yard reception that felt as inevitable as a scripted play.

Three drives later, a 24‑yard strike to Devin Duvernay showcased the same principle: Williams escaped a noisy pocket, rolled, and waited for his receiver to arrive like a practiced dance partner. “Cole made it known he was going vertical,” offensive coordinator Press Taylor says. “Caleb dropped it in on the sideline. Every time we show the tape, the guys see that now.”

What was once a series of fortunate improvisations is being reshaped into a repeatable weapon. Johnson’s enthusiasm is contagious; his players are buying into a vision that blends raw athleticism with disciplined timing. If the Bears can iron out those “small things” – quicker route adjustments, sharper separation, and cleaner throws – the payoff could be a seismic jump in offensive explosiveness.

In the end, the scramble drill isn’t just a practice gimmick. It’s a test of whether a modern NFL offense can harness chaos and turn it into consistency. The Bears are betting that, with Johnson’s guidance and Williams’ flair, the answer will be a resounding yes – and that Chicago’s fans will finally see those magical moments become a regular part of the game plan.