Louis Riddick hails former Browns RB as missing piece that will unlock Bears QB Caleb Williams in Ben Johnson’s offense

Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears are entering a new era in the 2025 season. A new head coach in Ben Johnson, an offensive line improved by trades for Pro Bowl guards Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney, and new weapons in tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden III - there is much reason to be optimistic for this team.

But for Louis Riddick, said optimism will only increase if general manager Ryan Pace signs veteran running back Nick Chubb. Speaking on ESPN's NFL Live, the former safety said:

"How do you protect (Williams)? By running the football setting up play action. Have a real, credible running threat, right? Nick Chubb needs to go ahead right now and beating down the doors. 'Look, I want to run behind this offensive line. I want to be a part of this', and Caleb Williams should be going, ‘Yeah, Nick, come play for us.’"

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The mutiple-time Pro Bowler has remained a free agent even after the Draft, having played out contract with the Cleveland Browns.

Terry Bradshaw warns new Bears HC Ben Johnson over Caleb Williams' sack problem

One stat that supporters of Caleb Williams would like to forget is that he was sacked the most times of any quarterback in the NFL as a rookie - 68. He also lost a league-worst 466 from them; but in fairness to him, his offensive line was very weak.

But for 2025, he will have one of the better starting lines, at least theoretically. Besides the two aforementioned Pro Bowl guards, he will also have a decent tackle duo in Darnell Wright and Braxton Jones (with sophomore Kiran Amegadije and rookie Ozzy Trapilo as backups) and an underrated center in Drew Dalman.

Yet for Terry Bradshaw, avoiding sacks goes beyond the offensive line. Speaking recently on WFLD 32, Fox's Chicago-area station, he said:

“Johnson’s a smart guy. He knows. And the other thing is you’ve gotta teach your QB where the weaknesses are versus the blitz and where your picks are, where you gotta go with the football and so and so forth.”

Bears OTAs begin on May 20 and will last until June 11. A mandatory minicamp will be held from June 3 to 5.

About the author

Andre Castillo is an NFL journalist at Sportskeeda who holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Master’s degree in Journalism. He has over seven years of working experience and has also covered MMA with FanSided, wrestling with The Sportster, and automobiles with Hot Cars.

Andre follows the New York Jets and the Washington Commanders, mostly because he likes their colors. His favorite position is tight end, and players like Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce have always drawn Andre's attention when watching a game. Bill Belichick is his favorite coach, and his all-time favorite Super Bowl is the XLII edition, when the underdog New York Giants upset the then-undefeated New England Patriots.

If he can change one moment in NFL history, it will be from the NFC Championship Game in January 2019. In that game, a highly controversial no-call cost the Saints what would have been Drew Brees' second Super Bowl visit, where he would have faced Tom Brady and the Patriots.

Andre is always on the lookout for fresh perspectives in a story and ensures complete factual accuracy by double-checking all information before using it in his articles. He has an innate understanding of how to present information in an efficient and compelling way.

Outside the writing realm, Andre is a professional licensed teacher. His hobbies include watching UFC, MotoGP, playing the piano, and travelling.

Know More

Chicago Bears Nation! Check out the latest Chicago Bears Schedule and dive into the Bears Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Andre Castillo