The Chicago Bears’ 11th practice of training camp was a closed session, off-limits to the public and the media. Afterward, special teams coordinator Richard Hightower joined defensive lineman Dayo Odeyingbo and right tackle Darnell Wright in speaking with reporters.
Quarterback Caleb Williams also shared a noteworthy message.
Bears Get In Closed Session for 11th Practice of Training Camp
Bears Bookends Looking to Make Presence Felt
Two years ago, at the 2023 trade deadline, the Bears acquired Montez Sweat in a trade with the Washington Commanders. This offseason, the Bears signed Odeyingbo from the Indianapolis Colts in free agency.
Together, they hope to help revitalize a pass rush that finished middle of the pack in sacks in 2024.
“It’s been great just being able to learn from him and also talk through my game, and his game, and compare things, and talk about goals for this year, etc.,” Odeyingbo told Clocker Sports after Monday’s practice. “It’s been great being able to work with him and be next to him, and the rest of the guys on the D-line.”
As for those goals, Odeyingbo said it was more about “winning,” the “ultimate goal.”
Odeyingobo and Sweat are coming off down seasons, with the former notching 3.0 sacks in 2024. He recorded a career-high 8.0 sacks in 2023, though, and had 5.0 sacks the year before that.
Sweat notched 6.0 of his 12.5 sacks in 2023 with the Bears, earning Pro Bowl honors for his efforts. However, Sweat logged 5.5 sacks in 2024 and had 8.0 in 2022.
The Bears need both Odeyingbo and Sweat to return to form in 2025.
Bears Pleased With Former 4th-Round Pick’s Development
Hightower had high praise for Bears second-year punter Tory Taylor and how he has progressed when asked how they measure his progress.
“You measure his development from this year to last year. So, where he was every rep that he took last year around this time, you look at what it was last year, compare it to his charts to all the stuff that we do on film and analytically, when you look at it and see where his numbers are, and they have grown tremendously. So, that’s how we measure it,” Hightower told Clocker Sports on Monday.
“Then, how he is as a person and how much more mature he is now, and how he’s working now, is definitely showing in his punting. He’s hitting the ball really well right now. He hit some of those out the back of the end zone the other day. Returner couldn’t even get to it.”
Punting is a glamorless job, but the Bears put theirs in the spotlight when they selected him in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, potentially passing on addressing other roster needs.
Taylor ranked second in total punts in 2024.
He finished his rookie season ranked 15th in yards per punt, 20th in net yards per punt (which is also on the coverage units), was better than league average in touchback percentage, and worse than the NFL mean in the percentage of his punts downed inside the 20-yard line.
Again, that is not all on Taylor, but the Bears will need him to be as dynamic a weapon in games as he can be more consistently.
Caleb Williams Shares Defense After Near-INT
Williams has been under even more intense scrutiny amid the Bears’ offseason changes, including hiring Ben Johnson as head coach.
It has not been smooth, though the Bears have remained pleased with Williams’ progress.
Still, after he threw a near-interception during the Bears’ Family Fest that wide receiver Rome Oduzne prevented cornerback Nick McCloud and safety Elijah Hicks from taking away, NFL Network’s Kyle Brandt spoke out.
Brandt did not chide the miscue, which came as Williams faced pressure, but the reactions to it.
Williams retweeted Brandt’s video. He has also shared words from defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh urging the Bears and others to let Williams be himself off the field to help him on it. On the field, Williams has already impressed coaches and teammates with his arm and playmaking.
The Bears’ offense has lacked the level of consistency that they will need as soon as their preseason opener at home against the Miami Dolphins on August 10.
They will need to find that stride even more by their regular-season opener against the Minnesota Vikings at home on Monday Night Football. Johnson and Co. willingly overloaded Williams to start camp.
It will be interesting to see how they scale things back and the impact it may have on Williams.
The Bears and Dolphins will have joint practices on August 8. Hightower noted it will be highly collaborative between both clubs, but the players noted their eagerness to face another group of players besides their own. Most, if not all, eyes will be on Williams and the starting offense. But the Bears have plenty to monitor.