If you thought Ben Johnson had no reason to regret choosing the Chicago Bears over the more stable Detroit Lions, today might give you second thoughts on that assumption.

BOn the opening day of Bears training camp, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams — the centerpiece of Johnson’s new offense — threw a pick on his very first throw in 11-on-11 drills. The offense, led by the first unit, was so out of sync that Johnson yanked them off the field in frustration.

Of course, Williams deserves time to adjust to NFL camp speed after a lackluster rookie year in Chicago. He did fine when he had protection in 2024, but that was rare — he faced more unblocked pressure than any QB, rookie or veteran, last season.

The Bears upgraded up front, adding Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, Jonah Jackson, and rookie Ozzy Trapilo, who’s already taking first-team reps. That gives Johnson hope to get far more out of Williams than what he saw today.

Still, this wasn’t Williams’ first interaction with Johnson. He should’ve expected how demanding Johnson’s practices would be, yet he looked completely unready on day one of training camp.

That’s a red flag if you’re trying to bounce back from a rookie year reportedly undermined by former coach Matt Eberflus, who allegedly didn’t even review plays with Williams.

Johnson probably isn’t phoning Detroit to undo his decision, but he’s surely feeling a jolt of reality going from Jared Goff’s  well-run Lions offense to this raw Chicago group.

Reports earlier today revealed Johnson gave Williams “homework” — reading the playbook daily for 30–40 minutes, sharpening footwork, and improving throws to the left, a known weakness during OTAs.

Johnson clearly has a plan to mold Williams in year two. But it’ll be up to the QB to follow through. That’s quite a shift from the Lions QB who was desperate to shed the “bust” label and did whatever it took.