The Chicago Bears will only go as far as Caleb Williams takes them, and the team reportedly is busy putting a plan in place for the rookie signal-caller ahead of the 2024 campaign.

“The Bears are working overtime to get him used to taking the ball under center, shotgun, play-action, all the nuances of their NFL-style offense, which he didn’t always use at USC,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said during Sunday’s SportsCenter. “I’m told he’s really taken to that.”

It was long assumed well before the 2024 NFL draft that Williams would be the No. 1 pick, which allowed him to prepare for his specific role with the Bears.

“I’ve spoken to his personal quarterback coach Will Hewlett, who got him ready for the draft, who says since early April he’s been working on the Bears’ scheme, cadence, footwork and that he knows that’s going to protect him long-term,” Fowler said. “He’s also using his arm strength to try to see what he can get away with at OTAs, resulting in the occasional inaccurate pass to interception. That’s okay, trying to work out the kinks until September.”

From Chicago’s perspective, whether Williams lives up to expectations or not will determine the fate of the franchise for years.

Everything the front office has worked toward in recent seasons on the offensive side while trading for DJ Moore, trading for Keenan Allen, drafting Rome Odunze, drafting Cole Kmet, signing D’Andre Swift and bolstering the offensive line relies on Williams being the long-awaited answer at quarterback.

The weapons are in place for a serious playoff run if he succeeds, especially since a defense that looked strong down the stretch of the 2023 campaign returned many of its key pieces.

However, the same quarterback issues that have haunted the Bears throughout the team’s history will be louder than ever if Williams ends up failing at the NFL level. This is the only team without a 4,000-yard passer in NFL history, and poor quarterback play has undercut strong rosters a number of times in the past.

Given the stakes in place when it comes to Williams, it is anything but a surprise the team is “working overtime” to help him succeed.

If he does, there could be some playoff football as soon as this season in Chicago.