l The Chicago Bears? 11th practice of 2024 training camp was similar to previous sessions. There were some wow plays mixed in with some mistakes. The group was reconvening for the first time following their 21-17 victory over the Houston Texans in a weather-shortened Hall of Fame Game.
Cole Kmet, Kevin Byard, and, DeAndre Carter followed Head Coach Matt Eberflus at the podium.
Bears Training Camp Notes: Cole Kmet Letting Caleb Williams Learn
Cole Kmet Prefers to Let Leaders Lead
Kmet acknowledged that the offense has had some hiccups over the past few practices. He also noted how early they still are in training camp. He was asked if he was one to try to vocalize what needs to be corrected when those hiccups occur.
For Kmet, it is less about trying to be a voice in the huddle and more about letting rookie Caleb Williams learn as he goes.
?You want to let Caleb kind of handle that and let him deal with that; you don’t want to be the guy in the huddle you know always correcting him on what the play call maybe should be. You got to let him kind of ? in my opinion ? kind of let him go through that and figure that out. And he does a good job at making those corrections,? Kmet told Clocker Sports on Saturday.
?It’s cool to see how that kind of bothers him a little bit when he doesn’t get it right. And he’s able to correct it pretty quickly. So, yeah, he’s just going through that and we got to let him go through that, go through those kind of growing pains of the operation, of the Huddle. And we’re getting a lot of reps throughout camp, so I think he’s he’s been doing really well so far. But the more he does it, the more reps he gets at it, the better and better he’ll be.?
Kmet?s comments about Williams are not unique.
Teammates have continuously spoken about how fast of a learner he is and some of the advanced tendencies he displays. Kmet, for one, commended Williams at the outset of camp for how he corrected his issues with the cadence and general presence in the huddle.
Byard has also been among those who have been impressed by Williams. It is not just Williams’ talent but also his development since arriving in the spring.
Kevin Byard Sees Progress From Caleb Williams, Bears Offense
?Caleb has made crazy strides since spring up until now,? Byard told Clocker Sports after practice. ?Just been watching him, watching him in the huddle, watching the operation, watching how he’s getting the offense in out the huddle rather if it’s hurry-up, two-minute, first down ? first and second down, third down. I think he’s making tremendous strides.?
Byard said he believed Williams would say the offense is still a ?work in progress,? noting he [Byard] feels the same way about the defense and all 32 teams in the NFL at this point of the calendar.
The Bears got a head start on training camp and only just competed their second full week.
Byard also said he is ?excited? to see Williams play, whenever and for however long that may be in the preseason.
?He’s [Williams] making some really great improvements,? Byaard said. ?But as overall as the offense, man, you see every single day we’re kind of going back and forth. Kind of early in training camp, defense was kind of winning a lot of those days. But that’s usually normal. Normally the defense is ahead of the offense, especially when you got a new offense, new quarterback. So I’m really liking what I’m seeing.?
Byard also offered some insight into deciphering good and bad reps in camp.
He relayed an anecdote about a play in which Williams found Keenan Allen for a touchdown in a recent practice session. Byard noted that he could have made a play on the ball ? albeit perhaps not an interception ? but that he would have had to ?play through? Allen.
For a player like Allen, who has dealt with injuries in his career. The Bears are already battling some bumps and bruises, it is a wise strategy.
DeAndre Carter Studied XFL Tape
Carter did not return either of the two kickoffs the Bears fielded on Thursday. He said he made sure to get familiar with the new format beforehand.
?I got a couple friends that played in like the XFL and stuff, and so just watching that. So I’ve seen it before and, obviously, studying it getting ready for our season and stuff like that. So, yeah, I’ve seen it.?
Carter said he did not reach out directly to his XFL friends, instead relying on film study.
He also said he expects an uptick in scoring on kickoffs, especially early as teams continue to adjust to the new format.
Bears Injury List Growing
The Bears injury list continues to grow, an ominous sign as the critical training camp reps and preseason games add up. They have been without right guard Nate Davis for the past week and cornerback Kyler Gordon has been sidelined for roughly the same time.
Jaquan Brisker, Tyrique Stevenson, and Darnell Wright all joined Andrew Billings and Montez Sweat — who also sat out Wednesday’s practice — as non-participants.
Wright was not in attendance.
The Bears were also without depth players Noah Sewell and Jacob Martin. Eberflus said they will have an off-day on Monday. The hope is that that will help get some of the injured players back in the mix.
Former Bears QB Justin Fields Taking Advantage of Training Camp Opportunity
Williams? predecessor, Justin Fields, is also turning heads with his new team, the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers acquired Fields to back up Russell Wilson. Fields has taken advantage of the nine-time Pro Bowler?s calf injury to string together solid practices.
?Russ has been doing individual stuff. Fields has been leading team stuff,? NFL Network?s Ian Rapoport said on ?The Insiders? on August 3.
?It?s pretty clear watching him and talking to some of the Steelers people here, it has been an impressive couple weeks for Justin Fields. And it is obvious Russell Wilson came into this camp in pole position. It feels to me ? just to me ? that it is a little more open than maybe it was a couple weeks ago.?
Fields winning the starting job out of camp would be a boon for the Bears.
They are owed a conditional 2025 draft pick from the trade sending Fields to the Steelers. The pick can go from a sixth-rounder to a fourth-round based on playing time.