Story perspectives

Bears Target 70% Completion, Tackle Battle Intensifies

7/30/2026

Summary

Williams Aims 70%

Coach Ben Johnson set a 70% completion target for quarterback Caleb Williams at camp opening.
Williams ended the season with a 58.1% completion rate after a 62.5% rookie rate.
Johnson said receivers must run better routes and get open, naming Luther Burden III and tight end Colston Loveland.
Williams pledged to take easy throws, stay confident and trust teammates to lift his efficiency toward the 70% goal.

Summary

Bears Tackle Battle

The Bears’ left-tackle battle intensified after Ozzy Trapilo ruptured his patellar tendon, leaving Braxton Jones and Jedrick Wills Jr. to compete.
General manager Ryan Poles said the team will investigate ways to improve a pass rush that posted 35 sacks last season, keeping veterans Joey Bosa, Jadeveon Clowney and Brandon Graham on the radar.
The nickel cornerback spot became a priority as rookie Malik Muhammad and veteran Cam Lewis battled for the role.

History

Historical Context

In the early 1990s the 49ers bolstered their defense with veteran free agents, then Steve Young’s MVP 1994 season (324 completions on 461 attempts) and Jerry Rice’s 1,499 receiving yards propelled a 13-3 record and a Super Bowl XXIX win. That five-Super Bowl dynasty (1981-1994) created a model of precise passing and elite talent that today’s Bears and USC seek to copy.

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Williams Aims 70%

Coach Ben Johnson set a 70% completion target for quarterback Caleb Williams at camp opening.
Williams ended the season with a 58.1% completion rate after a 62.5% rookie rate.
Johnson said receivers must run better routes and get open, naming Luther Burden III and tight end Colston Loveland.
Williams pledged to take easy throws, stay confident and trust teammates to lift his efficiency toward the 70% goal.

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