How will the Vikings defend Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams?

He has proven to be most dangerous when he can freelance in the open field.

As the Vikings prepare for the Chicago Bears this weekend, defensive coordinator Brian Flores has already spent countless hours in the lab trying to figure out how to stop rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.

That could be easier said than done. He was the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft for good reason.

There is so much talent packed into that 6-foot-1, 215-pound frame, even if the production from Williams to this point might not jump off the page. He has the arm talent to make every throw if given enough time. He also has the mobility to escape pressure and make a big play if the moment presents itself.

“It’s the mobility that stands out to me,” Flores said. “We’ve got to do a really good job from a pass rusher awareness standpoint of trying to keep him in the pocket.”

Though he has demonstrated that he can operate the offense, Williams has proven to be most dangerous when he can freelance in the open field. That’s why the Vikings are so focused on keeping him contained.

“We might be in the perfect position with the perfect call,” Flores said. “He spins out and the next thing we know it’s a ball downfield.”

Maybe the biggest challenge of preparing for Williams is the fact that he’s working with a new play caller.

After some continued struggles moving the ball, the Bears fired former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron last week, replacing him with current offensive coordinator Thomas Brown. The early returns were a step in the right direction last weekend as the Bears put up a fight before narrowly losing to the Green Bay Packers.

It’s not a coincidence that Williams looked much more comfortable in and out of the pocket. He completed 23 of 31 passes for 231 yards through the air, while also adding 70 yards on the ground.

“I thought they did a nice job,” Flores said. “We watched it as a staff and tried to see some of the differences there. It’s not totally different. There is some carryover from what they’ve done in the previous games.”

It’s going to be hard for the Vikings to pick up on any tendencies heading into the matchup with the Bears because of the small sample size with Brown serving as the play caller. Asked how he planned to navigate that, Flores emphasized that the Vikings have to be able to adjust on the fly if that’s what’s required of them.

“They’ve got enough different types of players to really play any style,” Flores said. “We will see what we get from them.”

Whatever the Vikings end up getting against the Bears, they know stopping Williams is of the utmost importance.

“They’re starting to put some things together,” Flores said. “It’ll certainly be a challenge for us.”