The 22nd practice of Chicago Bears training camp was conducted in shells and featured plenty of work for the starters. There was also a significant number of players sidelined with injuries. Quarterback Caleb Williams had a couple of touchdown passes, one each to tight end Cole Kmet and wide receiver Keenan Allen.
He also had an ill-advised ball to Rome Odunze that Jaquan Brisker intercepted and celebrated.
Bears head coach Matt Eberflus spoke to the media after the session and set what he called ?goals? for the next few days with the Bears off until Wednesday; after roster cuts. New Bears Darrell Taylor and Chris Williams also spoke.
Bears Training Camp Notes: Matt Eberflus Sets Goals
Matt Eberflus: Bears Must ?Improve Our Conditioning? After Training Camp
?We got, really, some goals here to accomplish leading into this next few days,? Eberflus told reporters on August 24. ?No. 1 is to really improve our conditioning; mental and physical conditioning. We’re getting that done here the next couple days, making sure we stay healthy. So the guys are going to be working with the strength staff performance staff on the tables, making sure their bodies are right.
?Then, really refining and improving our fundamentals and our skill sets. And with that, finding our winning way in terms of our skill sets. We got to be able to do that here in the next few days before we go on break over the weekend and get into the real season. So we’re excited about that part of it.?
After more than one month of training camp, players are ready for the break and for the regular season to finally arrive.
They went undefeated in the preseason.
There is a lot of hype around this group, especially with Williams under center. But there are also veterans in the Bears locker room who remember the confidence the group carried into 2023 only to begin the season 0-4.
That is why, despite expressing interest in the in-house crop of candidates, Bears general manager Ryan Poles traded for a pass rusher, also adding defensive tackle help.
Those additions loom large as the August 27 roster cutdown date approaches.
Ryan Poles? Could Be Thinking About 2025 With Darrell Taylor Trade
Taylor arrives with 14.5 sacks over the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Eberflus said Taylor will be part of a rotation. The Bears already have veteran DeMarcus Walker and rookie Austin Booker opposite star Montez Sweat.
Adding Taylor in particular could also be foresight by Poles.
He is headed for unrestricted free agency after the 2024 season, which means he could factor into the compensatory draft pick formula for 2025. Taylor would have to stick with the roster through the end of the season so his contract expired.
The Bears traded a sixth-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks for Taylor, so the chance to get something back if he does not pan out is a sound way to hedge the bet.
Williams will be a restricted free agent after the 2024 season.
The Bears surrendered a seventh-rounder for him. But he would not count in the compensatory formula even if the Bears decided not to tender him a qualifying offer and let him hit free agency. Both players project as depth options rather than outright solutions for a looming issue.
Roster Roundup Ahead of Cutdown Day
The Bears have already made a slew of cuts ahead of the deadline, waiving defensive tackle Keith Randolph Jr., terminating the contract of tight end Tommy Sweeney, and waiving safety Douglas Coleman with an injury designation.
Coleman will revert to injured reserve if he goes unclaimed by August 28.
This comes after the team waived defensive end Khalid Kareem and wide receiver Freddie Swain with injury settlements. Swain had gone on injured reserve on August 21.
The Bears? roster stood at 87 players as of the end of Saturday?s practice. That means the Bears must cut (or trade) another 34 players from the roster before the 4:00 p.m. ET deadline on August 27.
Taylor and Williams? arrivals change the math on the defensive line.
It is also unclear if the Bears are truly satisfied with the group. Will they pursue a veteran who gets cut on Tuesday? Do they have another potential trade target in mind?
They still have six picks in the 2025 NFL Draft after trading for Taylor and Williams, including two in the second round. Taking the patient approach could be the most prudent path forward, lest the Bears feel they have to make a move.
Injury Roundup & Former Bears News
In addition to Coleman, the Bears placed rookie running back Ian Wheeler and veteran wide receiver Nsimba Webster on IR. Wheeler suffered a torn ACL versus the Kansas City Chiefs while Webster has a groin injury.
The Bears also remained without Pickens ? who is supposed to be the third defensive tackle in the rotation ? starting safety Kevin Byard, and backup running back Roschon Johnson.
A slew of players not projected to make the 53-man roster also remained sidelined.
Among that group were preseason notables Collin Johnson and Dante Pettis at wide receiver, and offensive linemen Ryan Bates and Theo Benedet. Bates was supposed to battle Coleman Shelton for the starting center job but filled in [capably] at right guard for Nate Davis.
Davis is back and Shelton is entrenched as the starter at this point barring unforeseen struggles to start the season.
Bates will for sure command a roster spot despite not yet being back in action.
In a bit of wholesome former Bears news, David Montgomery and Justin Fields reunited on the field after the Detroit Lions? preseason finale win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Bears let Montgomery walk in free agency in 2023 and traded Fields during the 2024 offseason.
Bears Record Prediction
Clocker Sports has laid out who will and will not make the final 53-man roster. This roster is talented, more so than in either of the previous two seasons under Poles.
DraftKings set the Bears? over/under at 8.5, which would be a one-game improvement over their 2023 mark. That may seem modest considering the hype around this group. But the transition to a new offensive coordinator and a rookie quarterback is bound to produce hiccups.
Seven or eight wins should be a baseline expectation. 10 wins should be another goal.
That would have been good enough to nudge out the Green Bay Packers for a spot in the NFC Wild Card Round in 2023.