The Chicago Bears won't be back on the practice field until late July, but in limited action in OTAs and minicamps throughout the months of May and June, Chicago's prized #1 overall pick Caleb Williams has already made a great first impression on his coaches, teammates, and Bears fans alike.
Whether it's Caleb Williams' magnetic personality, his Mahomesian ability to make mind-boggling throws, or his competitive fire, thus far the former Heisman Trophy winner is checking all boxes. But for Bears head coach Matt Eberflus, what's been most impressive is Williams' ability to process information at lightning speed and put it to use on the field.
“The development of Caleb, in terms of what he's gotten to do this offseason, has been outstanding. Taking him from, knowing just a little bit about the scheme from that pro day at USC all the way to where he is now, it's really good. He's been able to really refine his understanding of the scheme,” Matt Eberflus said while addressing the media at the conclusion of Bears mandatory minicamp. ESPN's Courtney Cronin added that Eberflus is pleased by Williams' ability to, “chunk information, put it in buckets and operate.”
By no means has Caleb Williams been perfect, but those who were expecting him to be right out of the gate were being unreasonable. Not only is Williams a rookie, joining a team with a new play caller and no shortage of new weapons, but he's been going up against what should be a top ten defense in the league this year. Even still, he's had his moments where both he and the offense have shined, and according to Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, it comes down to Williams wanting to know the ‘why' with everything he's doing.
“His willingness to learn, his desire to know the ‘why’ on everything that is happening so that he’s not just out there robotic, trying to just run a play. He’s out there really learning it, really understanding it,” Waldron said as mandatory minicamp wrapped up, per Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic. “Knowing there is a long way to go in terms of going from one offense to another but not skipping any of the steps and knowing in order to achieve greatness, he has to put in a lot of hard work. And he’s backed that up with what he’s demonstrated so far in the time we have been around him.”
Because quarterback is the most important position on the field, and because the Bears have such a spotty (or non-existent) history of developing star quarterbacks, much of the attention will remain on Caleb Williams throughout the year. But there's good reason why most draft experts believed Ryan Poles crushed this year's draft, and it's not just Caleb Williams.
Rome Odunze, Bears rookies find early success in spring practices
Rome Odunze
The 9th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft was kept out of action for most of May as he dealt with a minor hamstring injury, but when Rome Odunze has been on the field, he's looked like a player worthy of as much hype as Caleb Williams. According to Courtney Cronin, Odunze has lined up “at all three receiver spots (X, Z, slot)” and the Bears have “even experimented with Odunze on punt return.” Why not put the ball in the hands of one of your best playmakers as much as possible?
Much like Caleb Williams, Odunze has been lauded for his ability to learn the Bears offense quickly throughout the offseason.
“Some guys just have a knack to do it, right?” Matt Eberflus said, per Kevin Fishbain . “They can see the pictures, the drawings in the classroom, and they can apply that right to the field. He’s able to process a bunch of information at the same time and then take it to the field. He’s really good that way.”
Kiran Amegadjie
The Bears held Kiran Amegadjie out of all spring practices as he recovers from a quad injury, but Chicago's 3rd round pick is expected to be ready for training camp, where it's possible he could compete for a starting job on the interior of the offensive line, or potentially down the line, at tackle on the opposite side of the line as 2023 1st round pick Darnell Wright.
Tory Taylor
Initial reaction to the Bears selecting Iowa punter Tory Taylor in the 4th round of the 2024 NFL Draft was mixed, but as some expected, Taylor has already made his presence felt in Chicago. The 26-year-old Aussie is booming punts on a regular basis and leaving spectators at minicamp stunned by his ability to pin punts within the opponents 5-yard-line. Bears insider Adam Hoge even crowned Taylor the MVP of practice on June 5th.
Austin Booker
If Austin Booker can quickly establish himself as the pass rusher off the edge opposite of Montez Sweat, this could go down as one of the best value picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. All you need to know about Booker at this point is he's saying all the right things… like “F*** Green Bay.”
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