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Caleb Williams has not taken a snap during the Chicago Bears’ preseason schedule, but Ben Johnson does not appear concerned about his quarterback entering the regular season without exhibition-game work. Johnson made that clear when discussing Williams’ preseason plan. “Do I need to see Caleb Williams in the preseason? No, I don’t,” Johnson said, according to Courtney Cronin. It was a revealing admission from the Bears coach, especially after Williams and several other starters sat out Chicago’s 34-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns. Johnson has emphasized the overall volume and quality of Williams’ training-camp repetitions over the value of a few possessions in an exhibition game. Chicago’s joint practice against the Cincinnati Bengals provided Williams with another opportunity to work against unfamiliar defenders in a controlled environment. The Bears will have a similar session against the Tennessee Titans before their preseason finale. Those practices could be all Johnson needs to see from his franchise quarterback. Williams Has Already Earned Johnson’s Trust Williams is no longer preparing for his first NFL season. The former No. 1 overall pick started all 17 regular-season games in 2025 and helped Chicago win the NFC North. He threw for 3,942 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions before leading the Bears to their first playoff victory in 15 years. That experience separates Williams from a quarterback who desperately needs preseason snaps to become comfortable with the speed of an NFL game. Johnson also sees Williams every day in practice. He can create specific situations, repeat unsuccessful plays and control how much contact occurs around his quarterback. None of those advantages exist during a preseason game. Williams recently produced three consecutive touchdown passes during a red-zone period at practice, connecting twice with Rome Odunze before finding Colston Loveland. Those are the moments Johnson appears to value most. MORE: Chiefs sign UFL champion to help protect Patrick Mahomes Bears Can Avoid An Unnecessary Risk Playing Williams against Cincinnati would give fans their first look at Chicago’s starting offense in a game setting. It also would expose the most important player on the roster to unnecessary hits. The Bears already are dealing with injuries at several positions. Running back Kyle Monangai is week-to-week with a knee injury, while backup quarterback Tyson Bagent has missed practice time. Chicago’s offensive line also remains unsettled at left tackle. Johnson eventually could give Williams a brief preseason appearance, but his comments suggest he does not believe it is necessary. The Bears coach is evaluating preparation, not chasing meaningless August statistics. If Williams reaches Week 1 healthy and ready to build upon his breakout 2025 season, nobody in Chicago will care that he spent the preseason on the sideline. More NFL news: - Vikings lose Jamal Adams to brutal season-ending injury - Seahawks 2nd-round S Bud Clark gets bad news on starting job for Week 1 - Will George Kittle be ready for Week 1? 49ers TE explains why he has 'chance' to play vs. Rams