Chicago Bears fans have always known quarterback Caleb Williams could produce some of the flashiest highlights in the NFL. What they weren't sure about was his ability to become the sort of efficient signal caller capable of piloting their team to Super Bowl glory. This season the former No. 1 overall pick has take a massive step forward in his ability to make the sort of boring throws required to transform Chicago to Super Bowl contenders.

Williams led his team to a 24-20 victory over the Patriots on Thursday Night Football. He became the first quarterback in Bears history to throw for over 300 yards in consecutive games, since Mitch Trubisky managed the feat back in 2018. Perhaps more importantly, the victory upped the Bears record to 5-2 which keeps them within hailing distance of the Vikings in their quest to win the NFC North.

It's worth mentioning that Chicago has been forced to play without their offensive talisman on three occasions this year. They are 3-1 with Williams under center. His presence on the field makes their offense one of the most dynamic forces in the league.

A quick look at WIlliams' statistics on the season reveals the biggest leap he's made at the game's most important position. He's completing 71% of his passes, which represents a major step up from the 58.1 completion percentage he posted a season ago. That's great news for head coach Ben Johnson and the offensive system he's installed during his tenure with the franchise.

Predictably, Williams' increase in completion percentage does coincide with a mild decrease in his average depth of target on the season. That figure has dipped from 8.5 last year to just 7 yards per attempt in 2026. That's a tradeoff the Bears are more than happy to make. Williams still threatens opposing defenses with his willingness and ability to push the ball deep down the field. Now he just does a better job taking advantage of opposing secondaries that try too hard to stop him from making big throws over the top of their safeties.

What does the rest of the 2026 season hold for Caleb Williams?

Expect for Williams' completion percentage to normalize somewhere in the mid-60s as the regular season rolls along. Defensive coordinators who are preparing to face the Bears will take note of his increasing willingness to accept check downs to keep the chains moving. That will cause those defenses to be more aggressive when trying to combat short and intermediate throws.

Johnson and his coaching staff will pivot by giving Williams more freedom to take deep shots down the field. That will cause his average depth of target per throw to start to creep back up. Finishing the season with something around 7.5 yards per attempt would represent a solid mark for a player with Williams' arm talent.

Williams will always be a big game hunter, but Johnson deserves credit for helping fuel his growth in efficiency. That's permitted his quarterback to blossom into a legitimate MVP candidate. It's also been enough to turn the Bears into dark horse Super Bowl contenders.