Tag: bears otas

Bears aren’t holding back with Caleb Williams: ‘We’re giving him the whole offense’

Bears’ OTAs continue this week, and head coach Matt Eberflus talked about his rookie QB Caleb Williams.

The Chicago Bears played football Thursday and, while it wasn’t a regular season game in front of thousands of fans at Soldier Field, they are in the first phase of preparation for what should be an exciting year.

Organized team activities kicked off this week at Halas Hall, where many Bears starters participated in the voluntary practices, giving veterans and rookies alike their first taste of football action in months.

The 2024 rookie draft class is in the spotlight through the first few practices, with many eager to see if rookie quarterback Caleb Williams will look every bit the wildly talented passer that he was last year with USC.

While Williams had his way with the defense on the first day of OTAs, per safety Kevin Byard, the defense fought back on Thursday. The offense struggled to move the ball against a much more experienced defense, as they learn Shane Waldron’s new offense and were down two starting wide receivers and two offensive linemen.

The leap from college to the NFL is massive; most rookies struggle to make the adjustment at first. But the Bears also aren’t taking things slow when it comes to Williams’ acclimation to the offense.

“We’re not holding back,” coach Matt Eberflus said. “We’re giving him a lot of information. We’re giving him the offense and you want to be able to go through the whole offense before the offseason gets done, primarily most of it, and work it into the summer. We’ll have a plan for him there and work him into training camp and then go from there.”

It’s easy to fall into the trap of scrutinizing every throw, catch, block and tackle when the fans have extremely limited access to what goes on behind the often-closed doors of Halas Hall.

It’s important to remember that the Bears have had several months off away from football — most of them did only light workouts to stay in shape. Offseason programs such as OTAs allow the players to shake off the rust and get back into playing shape. And, in this case, learn a new offense scheme. The Bears have a long way to go before they’re ready for the 2024 season.

Bears 2024 OTAs: Photos from Thursday’s practice

The Bears conducted their third OTA practice on Thursday. Take a look at the action:

The Chicago Bears kicked off the next phase of their offseason program this week with organized team activities at Halas Hall.

Chicago conducted their third practice of OTAs on Thursday, which was open to the media and allowed some glimpses at rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, wide receiver DJ Moore and the team’s ascending defense that made a strong impression.

Here’s a look at some photos from Thursday’s practice:

Bears OTAs: Keenan Allen, Montez Sweat among those not participating

A few Bears players were not present at Thursday’s OTAs, including Keenan Allen and Montez Sweat.

The Chicago Bears hit the field on Thursday for their third organized team activity (OTA) practice, but it was the first one open to the media, and a few prominent players were absent from the practice field. Wide receiver Keenan Allen, defensive end Montez Sweat, tackle Darnell Wright, guard Nate Davis, and wide receiver Velus Jones were not present. Rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze was in attendance but was not practicing due to a hamstring injury he suffered during rookie minicamp.

Missing two starting wide receivers and the entire right side of the offensive line might have played a role in the offense’s struggles throughout practice. Quarterback Caleb Williams was not sharp on Thursday, missing numerous passes and holding onto the ball too long, according to CHGO’s Nicholas Moreano. Head coach Matt Eberflus isn’t concerned with the attendance, however, and notes that everyone has been in the building at some point during the voluntary offseason program.

Thursday’s practice is the last one for the Bears this week. They will return to Halas Hall on Tuesday, May 28th.

 

Bears WR Rome Odunze expected to return to practice next week

Bears rookie Rome Odunze (hamstring) is expected to be back at OTAs next week.

The Chicago Bears are in the middle of organized team activities, which kicked off earlier this week and run through the end of the month.

There were several notable absences — due to a variety of undisclosed reasons, which is to be expected during voluntary workouts. That included rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze, who was held out due his hamstring.

Odunze missed the final practice of rookie minicamp due to hamstring tightness, and it’s clear the team isn’t rushing him back. But it sounds like good news is on the way.

Head coach Matt Eberflus told the media that Odunze is expected to return to practice next week. During Thursday’s practice, Odunze was spotted doing some light work and stretches.

Odunze was selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, joining No. 1 pick quarterback Caleb Williams as part of Chicago’s impactful class.

Odunze joins a loaded receiver room also featuring two of the game’s best in DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, where it could very well be a race to 1,000 receiving yards in 2024.

While Odunze hasn’t yet been on the field with his veteran teammates, he’s already gotten to start building chemistry with Williams both before and after the draft, including during rookie minicamp. Once he’s able to get back on the field, that should continue.

WATCH: Caleb Williams connects with DJ Moore, Cole Kmet at Bears OTAs

Caleb Williams connects with his new veteran teammates, including DJ Moore and Cole Kmet, in these Bears OTA clips.

The Chicago Bears kicked off organized team activities this week at Halas Hall, where they conducted two voluntary practices on Monday and Tuesday.

Before the Bears return to the field Thursday for their third practice, the team’s social accounts released some quick videos from the first two days.

That included a first look at rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, who was dropping dimes to his new veteran teammates including receiver DJ Moore and tight ends Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett.

There was also a glimpse of third-year cornerback Kyler Gordon during drills.

The Bears will continue OTAs on Thursday (with media in attendance) before additional practices May 28-29 and May 31. They’ll wrap things up with mandatory minicamp on June 4-6 before breaking for the summer ahead of training camp in mid-July.

LOOK: Caleb Williams dropping dimes at Bears OTAs

Caleb Williams is dropping dimes at Bears OTAs. Catch a glimpse here:

The Chicago Bears kicked off organized team activities this week at Halas Hall, which has consisted of two voluntary (and closed) practices on Monday and Tuesday.

We finally got a first glimpse of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams in action throwing to his veteran teammates in this first video from OTAs, where Williams scrambles and drops a dime to tight end Gerald Everett with cornerback Kyler Gordon in coverage.

It’s the first of what’s sure to be many plays by Chicago’s No. 1 overall pick, who has an arsenal of weapons at his disposal between DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet and Everett.

We also caught a first glimpse at All-Pro cornerback Jaylon Johnson sporting his new number.

The Bears will continue OTAs on Thursday (with media in attendance) before additional practices May 28-29 and May 31. They’ll wrap things up with mandatory minicamp on June 4-6 before breaking for the summer ahead of training camp in mid-July.

Best photos from Chicago Bears’ 2023 offseason

The Bears concluded their offseason program last week at Halas Hall. From rookie minicamp to veteran minicamp, here’s a look at the action:

The Chicago Bears concluded their offseason program with mandatory minicamp last week at Halas Hall, ahead of training camp in late July.

As the Bears head into their summer break, here’s a look at the best photos from their 2023 offseason program — from rookie minicamp to OTAs to mandatory minicamp.

WATCH: Bears QB Justin Fields mic’d up at OTAs

Get a glimpse at Bears OTAs through the eyes of QB1, Justin Fields.

Bears quarterback Justin Fields has been making waves this offseason, where his teammates and coaches have noticed improvement from the third-year signal caller.

Fields has improved his mechanics and has a better grasp of the offense, as he heads into his second season in Luke Getsy’s scheme.

Left guard Teven Jenkins said Fields carries himself like a “10 year vet,” and that’s something that’s had an impact on his teammates.

“Seeing how he commands that huddle and what he wants to see out of all of us,” Jenkins said, “it’s a wake-up call for me that I need to push myself to be on his level because he’s demanding a certain effort out of all of us.”

To catch a glimpse of that, here’s a look at Fields mic’d up during OTAs:

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Bears rookie Tyler Scott turning heads with impressive speed

Rookie Tyler Scott has been turning heads with his game-changing speed during the Bears’ offseason program.

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When the Bears drafted wide receiver Tyler Scott in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft, they already knew he had blazing speed. Scott ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at his pro day, and his speed was something that made him an appealing addition to this offense.

But it’s something else entirely to see that applied on the practice field, where Scott has been turning heads with his game-changing speed during the team’s offseason program.

“His speed shows up, his suddenness shows up, and his moves and run after the catch show up,” wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert said, via NBC Sports Chicago. “He can catch a ball, make a guy miss, turn around, get going really fast. Like zero to 60. Obviously, he has deep speed. And his knowledge, he doesn’t make the same mistake twice. There are some things that we put in, everything’s new to him, and we’ll put in something that’s new and he doesn’t make the same mistake twice. That’s always a good sign for any player, much less receiver.

“You have to worry about breaking the huddle. There’s motions, there’s shift. Where’s my split? What’s the depth of my route? Certain defenses make a route convert into another route. It’s a lot of things going on at wide receiver. It’s not just lining up on the right side, going 10 yards, going right, and catch the ball. There’s a lot of things that go on that people don’t realize. But he doesn’t make the same mistake twice. He does a really good job.”

Scott was brought in to serve as another weapon for quarterback Justin Fields, where Scott’s speed can help open up the vertical passing game.

While Scott’s speed is his trademark, there are other aspects of his game that have impressed the coaching staff as he continues to develop.

“The way that he came in, he’s got some stuff to him that you like,” offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said. “His approach — he’s got toughness. He’s a smart guy. I’ve been really pleased with him. By no means is he where he needs to be, but where he’s going and his approach and the way he attacks every single day.”

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Bears safety Jaquan Brisker promises a ‘different No. 9’ this season

Jaquan Brisker breakout season incoming?

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Bears safety Jaquan Brisker wasn’t satisfied with how his rookie season unfolded. That’s to be expected when your team goes 3-14 and the defense struggles.

But Brisker fared better than a lot of his fellow rookies, showing potential as a physical strong safety on a bad Bears defense. Brisker moved all around on defense, whether that was in the box, battling slot receivers or blitzing. He led the team with 4.0 sacks and had the second-most tackles (104). Brisker was solid against the run and in coverage, although he showed room for improvement as a tackler.

Following his first season and a beneficial offseason, Brisker already feels more like himself in this defense.

“I felt like I could have been more involved in the defense,” he said. “This year, I feel a lot more comfortable with the coaches, with the defense and the players. I feel like myself. I feel like it’s going to be a way different year than it was last year.”

Brisker already feels the difference during voluntary workouts, where he’s more confident and in control, and that could lead to a breakout season for the second-year safety.

“Last year I was just moving too fast,” Brisker said. “I caught up to the game, but I messed up my thumb. When I came back, I was trying to move too fast instead of being under control, being myself, making plays and not giving up certain things or not being consistent.

“Usually I’m a consistent leader. You see it during the OTAs this year — a lot different energy. I’m flying around playing both safeties. So definitely going to get a different [No.] 9 this year.”

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