Early in their partnership at the heart of the Chicago Bears offense, quarterback Caleb Williams feels a strong bond forming with rookie head coach Ben Johnson.

Williams, who was coached by Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma and later at USC, begins his first full NFL offseason getting to know Johnson, the ex-Detroit Lions offensive coordinator hired in January.

“I can usually tell when I click with someone, connect easily with them,” Williams said Tuesday during a break at Halas Hall, where the Bears gathered for voluntary offseason workouts. “It felt a lot like when I met Lincoln (Riley) five years ago, which is wild to think about. Very similar feeling.”

The top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Williams had several play-callers and head coaches — Thomas Brown was interim coach after Matt Eberflus was fired in November — in his rookie year. General manager Ryan Poles got the green light from ownership and team president Kevin Warren to go all-in on Johnson, a first-time head coach known for his offensive mind and quarterback development.

Williams said the tests and challenges — literally speaking — began with Johnson on Monday and carried over into Tuesday morning.

“This morning we had our first quiz in the QB room,” Williams said, laughing. “Ben came in, threw the door open, made a big entrance, and got right to it by testing us on what we covered yesterday. He’s already testing us. Everyone loves a good challenge. That’s one of the best parts of the game. Every day brings something new.”