Ben Johnson sees a familiar dual-threat spark in Sanders' game. The Bears coach notes the rookie's playmaking ability, a trait reminiscent of another top QB.
The Chicago Bears take on another rookie quarterback in Week 15, as they return home to face Shedeur Sanders and the Cleveland Browns.
Sanders will be the second rookie quarterback that the Bears must prepare for. They already played New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart earlier this year and won 24-20.
Sanders has 769 passing yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions.
Head coach Ben Johnson discussed facing Sanders and noted how good he is at extending plays with his legs. Extending plays is something Caleb Williams has been able to do as well, drawing a similarity in the two quarterbacks' playing styles.
"I think he's doing a great job as a rookie," Johnson said. "You know, he was able to sit in and soak in that offense over the course of the summer and early in the season, and you can tell that's probably benefited him to a degree because now he's able to go out there and let it loose. He does a great job of extending the play and creating on his own as well."
Unlike Williams, Sanders wasn't the starter right away for the Browns. Sanders has started three games for the franchise thus far. He sat behind Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel before being moved into the starting role.
Williams showed strides as a rookie, too, throwing for 3,541 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He currently has 2,908 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2025.
Sanders has shown the ability to score while running the ball as well. In Week 14, he scored a rushing touchdown in the 31-29 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
One area where the two differ is when they were selected in the NFL Draft. Williams was selected No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, while Sanders went in the fifth round in April.
Sanders finished that game with 364 passing yards, 29 rushing yards and four total touchdowns.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Browns quietly have one of the best pass defenses in the league. Cleveland is allowing 188 passing yards per game, the second fewest in the NFL. The one team ahead of them is the Buffalo Bills, who allow 185.5 passing yards per game.
The two will meet at Soldier Field as adversaries on Sunday, as the Bears look to recover from the 28-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers.