Caleb Williams opens Bears training camp with unique play – NBC Sports Chicago

LAKE FOREST, Illinois — The Bears’ training camp finally got underway Saturday with a short practice that featured just one 7-on-7 period and two 11-on-11 periods.

As has been the case for much of the offseason, the Bears’ first-team defense prevailed over quarterback Caleb Williams and an offense that is still in the process of being established.

The Bears opened the first 11-on-11 “move the ball” period on their own 25-yard line, needing a first down to win the drill.

Williams hit running back D’Andre Swift out of the backfield for a gain of 4. The offense struggled to break the huddle for second downs, causing head coach Matt Eberflus to call a timeout. It was the offense’s only operational problem that day.

On second-and-6 from the 21, Williams hit tight end Cole Kmet for a 2-all gain, and the progress stopped there. On third-and-4, Williams connected with running back Roschon Johnson on a swing pass to the left that resulted in no gain.

Williams went all out on fourth down, attempting to hit DJ Moore for a touchdown on a post route, but the pass was knocked away by safety Elijah Hicks.

The first team’s offense made one more attempt after losing the drill, but Williams’ screen pass to Swift was quickly picked off by defensive end Jacob Martin.

The Bears closed the first day of training camp with a two-minute drill with the offense trailing by four points with 1:10 left on the clock and the ball on the opponent’s 40-yard line.

Williams opened the drill with a smooth lateral pass to Keenan Allen for a 5-point lead.

The next match was the most notable of a quiet opening day of training at Halas Hall.

On second down, Williams went back to throw, looked to his right and fired a pass that defensive tackle Gervon Dexter knocked into the air. Williams reacted quickly, caught the ball and sprinted for a short gain.

“That’s pretty cool, right?” Eberflus said after practice was over. “He’s fast. You saw that there. He’s fast, clearly a good athlete.”

With the clock under a minute, the Bears’ offense needed to get going on third down. However, Williams’ pass to Tyler Scott on the right sideline was incomplete due to a miscommunication that forced Scott to move forward when Williams thought he was going to sit on the sideline.

Williams’ fourth-down pass to tight end Stephen Carlson was also not completed down the right sideline, ending the drill.

Though the defense got the win, the Bears were pleased with the first day of the 50-day march to Week 1.

“I thought it was solid,” wide receiver Keenan Allen said. “I thought it was a great start for us, actually all day I thought it was a great start for us. We looked really solid. Like I said, no repetitions and everybody was on the same page.”

Here are more notes from day 1 of camp:

— Williams went 3-for-4 in his only 7-on-7 drill, including short, game-winning passes to Moore and Velus Jones Jr.

— Safety Jaquan Brisker made the play of the day during 7-on-7 when he broke up a pass from Williams to Scott. Williams tried to find Scott on a corner route, but Brisker read the play, broke on the ball and knocked it away.

— Left tackle Braxton Jones and linebacker TJ Edwards are both out of starting camp.

— Larry Borom took the first-team left tackle reps with Jones out. Ryan Bates got most of the first-team reps at center, while Doug Kramer got a few first-team reps. Kramer only took a few snaps with those at a time when reserve center Coleman Shelton was working with the second-team offensive line on a different field.

— Rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze missed Saturday for a personal reason. He is expected back Sunday.

— Tight end Gerald Everett and rookie offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie sat out the non-football injury list after opening practice.

The Bears were aware of Everett’s problem, and they do not believe it is serious.

“It was something we knew from practice,” Eberflus said when asked about Everett after practice. “It was from practice, and we’ll see where it goes. It’s day-to-day, and we’ll see where it goes. It wasn’t anything big. And that’s what it is.”

— The Bears will not host a Family Fest at Soldier Field this season due to a scheduling conflict with a concert.

Click here to follow the Under Center Podcast.