Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has wrapped his first organized team activities, where he got to practice with his new veteran teammates.
Williams had his share of ups and downs, as expected with any rookie, but he concluded OTAs with his best outing of the offseason ahead of mandatory minicamp. And he’s already winning over the leaders in the locker room.
“He’s competitive,” said linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. “As a rookie, he’s doing some things that are good to see. That’s the thing that gets me most excited and I think gets our team most excited.”
Running back D’Andre Swift praised Williams’ talent while noting he’s “somebody that’s willing to learn.” But the veteran newcomer also praised Williams’ natural leadership skills.
“You could tell it’s natural to him,” Swift said. “You could tell he’s trying to get comfortable with the offense and everything, commanding the offense. You stand in the huddle with a whole new set of faces, new group of guys, so it takes time for somebody to get comfortable and for that to be repetition-like. He’s doing a great job so far taking it day-by-day. I talked to him about it the other day. He’s doing great so far.”
There are a lot of expectations for Williams heading into his rookie season, especially given the ideal situation he’s landed in with Chicago. He’s got an arsenal of weapons, including DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet and Swift, along with an improved offensive line and a potential top-10 defense.
While Williams will no doubt have his rookie struggles as he acclimates to the pro game, and learns Shane Waldron’s offense, it sounds like he already has the respect of his new teammates.