Chicago Bears make big Caleb Williams call
Quarterback Williams will sit out the preseason opener against the Dolphins as new coach Ben Johnson manages the offense ahead of the regular season.
The Chicago Bears kick off their preseason by taking on the Miami Dolphins at Soldier Field on Sunday (August 10), but quarterback Caleb Williams won’t feature in the game, it has been confirmed.
Why isn’t Caleb Williams playing against the Dolphins?
While it’s not unusual for starters to sit out the opening preseason game, the fact that the Bears have a new head coach, Ben Johnson, led some to expect Williams might play to give Johnson an extra chance to get Chicago’s offense into shape before the regular season opener against the Minnesota Vikings on September 8.
Reports from training camp suggest Williams and the Bears current offense haven’t been connecting as well as Johnson had hoped, adding to that feeling.
Several Chicago starters to miss Miami opener
However, Johnson told the media a number of starters wouldn’t be suiting up against the Dolphins. “I think we have about nine on O, nine on D. We’ll see how the day goes, maybe that number will change. So, we’ll make it through the day, and we’ll make those final decisions when we get there.”
When asked specifically about Williams, the new Bears coach said, “No. 18 is part of that group that won’t play.”
Williams’ rookie season with the Bears
Selected first in the 2024 draft, the 23-year-old started every game for Chicago last season and set an NFL rookie record with 354 consecutive passes without an interception. However, he was sacked a franchise-high 68 times, the third most in NFL history.
Chicago Bears’ preseason schedule
Williams is expected to make his preseason debut against the Buffalo Bills at Soldier Field on August 17 and also play against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on August 22, giving the Bears their last chance to fine-tune the offense before the regular season begins.
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