On a day when his backup, Tyson Bagent, received a contract extension, and defensive teammate, lineman Gervon Dexter Sr., went down during practice with an injury, Chicago Bears starting quarterback Caleb Williams continued to deliver.
Williams has turned around his initial trend at training camp.
That bodes well for a Bears team looking forward to a legitimate challenge from the Kansas City Chiefs in the preseason finale.
Caleb Williams Stacks Another Good Practice on Busy Day in Bears Camp
Bears QB Caleb Williams in Noticeable Rhythm
Williams’ practice reviews to begin training camp often equated to inconsistency. Sometimes it was due to his pre-snap operation. Others, it was delivering the ball accurately, on time, during the play. Lately, Williams and the Bears’ starters have turned the tide.
Williams had no more than a handful of incompletions on Wednesday. He threw a multitude of passes in team periods.
It was a padded practice, so the periods featured live tackle, i.e., the real thing.
Again, Williams delivered, completing passes for tight ends Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland and wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus frequently. He also found wideouts DJ Moore and Rome Odunze.
There continue to be hiccups that could prove costly if committed during a game, especially in the regular season.
Williams expressed frustration with himself on one miss, a pass targeting Zaccheaus.
The second-year QB also incurred a delay of game penalty and would have been sacked in at least two instances, once by Montez Sweat. The good news for the Bears is that those errors were rare for the bulk of the day.
Chicago’s pre- and post-snap penalty issues are on more than just Williams, but they will stay in most games if he can translate his recent clean, but explosive play to the regular season.
Bears Injury Round-Up
Dexter’s injury paused practice. The third-year second-round pick suffered the injury during a run play. He remained down for a short while before lingering behind the group, all while the training staff looked him over.
Dexter was able to walk quite some distance from the practice field the Bears were on into Halas Hall, and the medical cart never approached the scene.
Sweat immediately threw his helmet down in frustration, an apparent indication of the severity.
There were no official updates after practice, with head coach Ben Johnson speaking before the session. However, defensive tackle Andrew Billings spoke with reporters after practice and said Dexter is “gonna be alright.”
Dexter is coming off a career-best 5.0-sack season. Moreover, he has received praise from teammates and coaches for his performance and leadership.
He would be a significant loss on a revamped defensive line that now includes Grady Jarrett.
Johnson announced before practice that cornerback Terell Smith is out for the season. Smith suffered a knee injury against the Buffalo Bills in preseason Week 2. Rookie undrafted free agent running back Deion Hankins was placed on injured reserve with a quad injury.
Hankins was also dealing with a shoulder issue, while the Bears still have not gotten veterans Roschon Johnson, Travis Homer, or rookie Kyle Monangai back practicing.
The Bears reunited with Royce Freeman amid their injury woes.
Add those players to a list of absentees that included safety Elijah Hicks, nickelback and special teamer Josh Blackwell, and defensive ends Austin Booker and Dominique Robinson, and it is clear the Bears are feeling the sting of attrition.
Cornerback Jaylon Johnson also remained out and does not have a firm timeline to return. Ben Johnson said the veteran remains on track to return for the regular season opener, though.
The Bears will host the Minnesota Vikings on “Monday Night Football” to kick off the campaign.
On a positive note, the Bears did get starting nickel Kyler Gordon back for a limited session. Bears rookie fifth-round pick Zah Frazier was also spotted, though he went back inside soon after, presumably to work with the training staff since he has missed so much time.
The Bears are likely looking forward to the downtime between the end of the preseason and the start of the regular season, with 17 days from facing the Chiefs to hosting the Vikings.
Bears Teammate Sets Record Straight About Tyson Bagent
Bagent’s extension made waves, due not only to the surprising nature of the decision, but also because of his reaction when discussing the implications for himself and, more importantly, his family.
It also sparked controversy.
Not over the QB1 spot, as one might expect given the support Bagent has received from Bears fans, which he said he has been grateful for.
Instead, safety Jaquan Brisker had to clarify his comments about an anonymous “they” turning “their back” on him. Some fans took that as Brisker, who is in the final year of his rookie contract, feeling negative about Bagent getting paid before him.
Brisker vehemently denied that, saying he and Bagent share a mutual respect.
Brisker also said he would never speak like that about any of his teammates. Many of them have cited him as an emotional leader and spark.
The 2022 second-round pick has also seen Gordon and Johnson receive extensions in the past year-plus.
He has also navigated injuries. Brisker missed 12 games in 2024 with a concussion. Concussions had been a minor issue over his first two seasons. If Brisker can stay healthy and on the field this season, he could see his big payday soon enough.