The Chicago Bears had an interesting 2026 NFL Draft, where they made some good selections that will help their team, as well as some questionable ones that make you scratch your head. The truth is, however, that all of these picks have the potential to benefit quarterback Caleb Williams at one point or another. As early as 2026, he will be a better player because of them.
For one, all of the defensive players — safety Dillon Thieneman, cornerback Malik Muhammad, linebacker Keyshaun Elliott and defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg — should make that side of the ball deeper. If they continue to create turnovers, and perhaps improve against the run and with their pass rush, Williams will have less pressure to score an unrealistic amount of points on average. Having the ball in his hands more will give him a better chance to win games for Chicago.
The offensive players — center Logan Jones, tight end Sam Roush and wide receiver Zavion Thomas — all possess something that will directly help Williams out while he’s on the field. With Ben Johnson leading the way, he is going to scheme up ways for Williams to be successful. A lot of that will come from the weapons that have been put around his quarterback.
The Jones pick addressed a big need at center following the surprise retirement of Drew Dalman. And while Garrett Bradbury, who was acquired via trade before free agency, could very well start in 2026, Johnson singled out Jones as the long-term option at center, pairing him and Williams for the foreseeable future.
Was it strange at first to see the Bears draft another tight end early in the draft process? It sure was. However, some deep thinking will suggest that it will help the Bears in the long term.
Chicago doesn’t really have a tight end quite like Roush. His best talent is being a blocking tight end, which is not something Colston Loveland or Cole Kmet could say. Kmet is a more efficient blocker than Loveland, but he wants his pass targets as well. Roush, at least at first, will be a primary blocker. Johnson loves to run 12 and 13 personnel, which is where Roush will come in.
Thomas also adds more speed to the offense and another downfield weapon for Williams, while also providing some special teams value as a return specialist.
All of these weapons and possible schemes will help Williams improve the offense even further. It may take more time for the defense to be Super Bowl caliber, but the defensive draft picks are going to try to make a difference, which in turn will also help Chicago’s quarterback.
So far, Johnson has lived up to the hype that came with him being hired as the head coach. Part of that has been the well-being and development of Williams, which seems to be going well since Johnson took over.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: How Caleb Williams will benefit from Bears’ 2026 draft class
Reporting by Vincent Parise, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
