Bears vs Bills contains Williams in game action

Caleb Williams will get his first chance to run Ben Johnson’s offense in a live game against Buffalo.

Caleb Williams to face Bills in first game action this weekend

The Bears announced on Wednesday that their starting unit, including quarterback Caleb Williams, will play Sunday night against the Bills. Williams did not appear in Chicago’s preseason opener versus Miami. Head coach Johnson said the focus remains on giving the rookie enough reps to learn the play calls and rhythm, noting that Williams likely saw between 80 and 100 more reps in practice and games than if he had sat out this past weekend. The plan for the current game is not finalized; how long Williams and the starters will play will depend on the flow of the game and Friday’s joint practice with Buffalo.

The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Sunday and will be broadcast on Fox. While the plays are expected to be vanilla, the session offers Williams an important chance to hear Johnson’s calls in real time and to test his ability to execute under game tempo. The joint practice on Friday could influence how reps are divided in the game, potentially shaping Williams’s early rhythm in the offense.

This outing is a step beyond the controlled tempo of practice. It tests Williams’s ability to recognize and respond to a game-day pace, while giving Johnson a live glimpse at how his rookie quarterback handles the playbook under pressure. The plan to feed him extra reps signals patience, but it also raises questions about how quickly Chicago wants to push him into meaningful in-game situations. If Williams adapts quickly, the Bears gain momentum in his development. If not, the coaching staff may retool the approach for the remaining preseason games.

The Friday joint practice adds a layer of unpredictability. A strong performance could accelerate Williams’s learning curve and boost confidence in the coaching staff, while inconsistency could reveal gaps in play design or tempo that go beyond this single game. Either way, the result will shape how Chicago pursues quarterback development this season and how fans gauge the Bears’ long-term trajectory.

Highlights

The real work starts when the whistle ends and the playbook is put to the test in real speed.