Chicago just went from worst to first in the NFC North, thanks in large part to Ben Johnson tapping into Caleb Williams’ rare ability. But the first-year head coach wasn’t the only person to help the second-year quarterback. Four rookies played crucial roles in a Bears attack that went from dead last in total offense in 2024 to No. 6 in ’25. Let’s start at the end with Kyle Monangai, a seventh-round steal who ran for 783 yards at a healthy 4.6 a pop. The bowling-ball back provided the thunder to D’Andre Swift’s lightning, giving Caleb the enviable support of a top-three ground game. Frankly, that was Chicago’s offensive base all season long. But the Bears also got cooking through the air, especially once their top two picks were fully integrated into the offense. From Week 10 through the end of the regular season, Chicago boasted the two most productive rookie pass catchers in the entire league: WR Luther Burden III topped the board in that span with 481 receiving yards, while TE Colston Loveland ranked just behind him with 479. And Loveland continued to ascend in the postseason with nearly 200 more yards in two games.
