Bear Digest

Ben Johnson explains why Caleb Williams will start against Bills

Coach Ben Johnson says the schedule is different for preseason week No. 2 and so the starting QB and the rest of the first-team players will go at Soldier Field Sunday night.
Gene Chamberlain|
Caleb Williams will see his first preseason action Sunday night.
Caleb Williams will see his first preseason action Sunday night. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Quarterback Caleb Williams will be allowed to play along with all the Bears starters in preseason Game 2 at Soldier Field against the Buffalo Bills.

Coach Ben Johnson explained his decision and where Williams is at in the offense.

"Our starters are going to play, everyone is going to play," Johnson said. "Last week and really all through camp I've been pretty consistent with the thought of reps, reps, reps are the most important thing to get him (Williams) up to speed. By the plan that a week go we were able (use) to get him probably somewhere between 80 and 100 more reps than we would have been able to do had he played in the game.

"This week it's a different schedule, a different length of time in terms of between games, and all that. So our plan right now is the guys that sat out last week they will be playing this week."

Progress made has been a determining factor, in part.

"I'm pleased with how he is able to spit these plays out right now," Johnson said. "He's made significant progress in that regard and once we get going here in a game week, we're going to condense the verbiage even more, but we have challenged him. It's been a lot.

"That was by design and so if we struggle at all in the huddle to get the play out, then the delays are going to pop up. That's a little bit part of the learning process and us growing, but by design we have made this very challenging and hard and we know what we need to do as a staff to elevate some of that pressure. I think Week 1 we're going to be in a good spot."

The length of their playing time won't be determined until later in the week, possibly after the practice Friday against the Bills at Halas Hall.

“There’s things that you kind of have in the back of your head when you make the plan for training camp and as you go through training camp, things change," Johnson said. "And that’s what we do, we adjust.

"We like to say upstairs, ‘No one adjusts better than us.’ I think our players understand that, and so what we do as coaches is we … flow, we get the numbers from sports science, whatever we need to do what’s best for the team, what’s best for each individual player, that’s how we determine that.”

Johnson also had an update on the injuries to cornerbacks Kyler Gordon and Jaylon Johnson. For Johnson, it's still a long wait but things are looking better with his injury.

"He's right on track, he's right where he need to be," Johnson said. "It's really like I said, those type of injuries you really don't know. Short term, long term, every guy is a little bit different, but I think we're going in the right direction."

Gordon's is more likely to be healed sooner.

"He's more week to week right now but hopefully before camp ends we'll be able to get him back."

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.