Bear Digest

Caleb Williams logs voluntary OT to improve grasp of Bears offense

The Chicago Bears QB showed up for a session of OTAs that was meant for younger players and special teams in order to sharpen his command of the attack.
Gene Chamberlain|
Caleb Williams put in work that wasn't really required Tuesday as he threw to less experienced players in a session of OTAs.
Caleb Williams put in work that wasn't really required Tuesday as he threw to less experienced players in a session of OTAs. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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Caleb Williams' commitment to improvement is such that he showed up to run the Bears offense with younger players and extras in the final few OTA practices this week, even when veterans were not pressured to attend.

"Yeah, I think he's committed to learning the offense," Bears coach Ben Johnson explained on Tuesday. "We're not where we need to be yet as a team and he understands that.

"Any chance he gets to get a few more full speed reps it sounds like he wants them."

Johnson described the process and where it stands while giving a positive overall assessment of where his quarterback stands going into training camp.

"We've loaded him up," Johnson said. "We've tried a number of different things. Long play calls, multiple plays at the line, we've dabbled, tempo, we've dabbled here, there and everywhere, really, throughout the springtime and some comes a little bit more natural than others for him. But I think we've seen him get better in, really, all facets."

Johnson has been vocally critical of his QB during practices at times but generally sees progress made and likes how Williams has adjusted to harder coaching.

"There's always a throw or two every single day, the movement stuff outside the pocket, it's what we thought coming into town here, was the ability to create," Johnson said.

Johnson's offense in Detroit was run by stable, experienced pocket passer Jared Goff. Williams is the mobile, unpredictable second-year QB who is trying to learn. It makes for an interesting dynamic between an expert play caller and someone who could do just about anything at any time.

Johnson admits sometimes going off the cuff can be beneficial.

"Sometimes you get wrapped up when you're in the multiple play-call game being in the perfect play all the time for the perfect coverage--that look of the defense," he said. "And really, with him, it doesn't matter so much what the play call is, it's the perfect play vs. (the defense), if it's there then it's great and if it isn't OK then he's able to find a way to make it work."

The ability of Williams to play in time from the pocket wasn't necessarily anticipated by many because of his reputation from college and his experience last year with the Bears, but Johnson says it's a situation they're managing.

"I think he's going to play on time when the receivers present themselves that way and if they're not there, if No. 1 (target) or No. 2 is not there, then he's got the ability to make it right for us," Johnson said.

The Bears who were available to work with Williams focused on red zone plays Tuesday.

"That's always the one that I think takes the longest as an offense, is to get really good at the red one passing," Johnson said.

They can stack that onto Williams' pile of things to do once real training camp starts late in July.

"He's working hard," Johnson said. "There's still some hiccups out there when you're watching it, some turnovers, or needs to play more time and that's part of the growing process."

They're well into the start of that process after three weeks of OTAs on the field and a couple of minicamps. Work like Tuesday's can only lead to ending the hiccups once training camp begins.

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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.