Jordan Love’s Pressure Problem Makes Bears’ Young Core Look Even Better

The gap between Chicago and Green Bay might be getting wider than anyone expected. And it’s not just about the standings.

ESPN dropped its under-25 talent rankings this week, and the Bears landed at No.3 in the NFL. That’s a big deal for a franchise that spent years trying to build anything that looked sustainable. Now they’ve got a quarterback who looks like the real deal and a supporting cast that’s almost entirely 24 or younger.

Caleb Williams threw for 3,942 yards and 27 touchdowns in 2025. That’s not a rookie fluke anymore. That’s a second-year quarterback putting the league on notice. NFL executives, coaches and scouts ranked him the No.10 quarterback in the league this year in ESPN’s annual poll. That puts him ahead of Jordan Love, Sam Darnold and Jayden Daniels.

Here’s where it gets interesting for the Packers.

Insider Bill Huber pointed out something rough about Love’s 2025 season. Among 38 qualifying quarterbacks who had at least 85 dropbacks under pressure, Love was the only one who didn’t throw a single touchdown pass in those situations. He threw four interceptions instead. Meanwhile Williams threw seven touchdowns and just one pick when defenses got in his face.

The Bears didn’t just luck into Williams. They built around him. Tight end Colston Loveland, receivers Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III are all under 25. Safety Dillon Thieneman joined the defense as a rookie with high upside. This isn’t a collection of castoffs. It’s a real core.

League evaluators talk about Williams like he’s a problem they don’t know how to solve. Elite arm talent. Dynamic athleticism. The kind of instinct that breaks defensive game plans. That’s the kind of praise that usually gets attached to guys who play in January for a decade.

Chicago has been the punchline for so long it almost feels weird to write this. But the numbers and the rankings and the tape all point the same way. The Bears have a young roster that’s built to compete. And their division rival is staring at a quarterback question that nobody saw coming two years ago.