Caleb Williams is expected to be a star as a rookie — but that doesn’t mean that success is expected to trickle down to his team.
At BetMGM, Williams is the +160 favorite to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. He’s at -115 to throw over 22.5 touchdowns (former Bears QB Justin Fields threw a combined 33 touchdowns over the past two seasons), and he’s at -120 to accumulate over 3,465.5 passing yards (Fields threw for an average of 2,402 over the past two seasons).
However, although Williams’ Bears are -125 to make the playoffs, they are expected to finish third in the NFC North (+375 to win the division), and with that, bettors are all in on them missing the postseason.
Chicago is -165 to win over 8.5 games, and +140 to win under 8.5 games.
Last season, the Packers were the only team to make the playoffs with fewer than 10 wins (9).
Recent history says that bettors could be onto something.
The Bears have not made it to the playoffs since 2020, and have not won a playoff game since 2010. They are 1-3 in the four playoff games they’ve played dating back to 2010, and last made it to the Super Bowl in 2006.
Chicago has made considerable moves on the offensive side of the ball this offseason. In addition to taking Williams at No. 1 in the 2024 NFL Draft, it traded for star wideout Keenan Allen, drafted star college wideout Rome Odunze at No. 9, and nabbed free agent running back D’Andre Swift, who racked up 1,049 rushing yards with the Eagles last season.
Allen, 32, spent his first 11 seasons with the Chargers, racking up over 1,000 receiving yards in six of those seasons, including 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns in 13 games last season.
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