Albert Breer’s Top 5 Bears Camp Takeaways: Caleb Williams Is Starting to Put It All Together

All right, we're here at Hallis Hall, Lake Forest, Illinois.

My 14th training camp stop.

We got 5 takeaways from the Bears.

Takeaway number 1.

Caleb Williams is in a much different place than he was a year ago.

If you guys remember, last summer, With Ben Johnson as the new coach, they tried to get him drinking out of a fire hose, and the idea was, even though if it didn't look good at times, and it didn't look good at times, they wanted to see what he could handle, they wanted to test him, and they wanted to use the information they were able to gather doing that.

To build an offense for him, which they were able to do.

And now in year two, Caleb has proof of concept that's allowed him to move through the offseason with more confidence, that's allowed him to move through the offseason with more ownership of the offense, and ultimately that's enabled him to become a better leader.

And what they really see from Caleb, which is interesting is He's really operating with a joy and a focus to the way that he's working, which is a good sign that he's been able to meld his personality with the program that Ben Johnson is setting up here.

Arrows pointing up on Caleb.

Takeaway number 2, the arrow is also pointing up.

On Colton Loveland going into his 2nd year, very comfortable as a blocker now.

The Bears have a great idea how to use him, and he's elicited comparisons internally to Travis Kelsey.

Now he's not as big and broad and strong as Kelsey, but he might be faster and smoother, and he's made a ton of circus catches early in camp.

And what really excites the Bears is what they're going to be able to do with multiple tight ends on the field.

There's going to be some 12 personnel.

There could be some 13 personnel too.

With Loveland and the rookie from Stanford, Sam Rausch, and of course veteran Cole Kamet, part of that mix.

And that's not an indictment on the receiver group.

Take away number 3, the tackle position here, bears watching.

Uh, Kyron Amagadji, the 3rd round pick out of Yale from a couple of years ago, Jedrick Wills, who comes over from Cleveland, and Braxton Jones, who's been their left tackle here over the last few years, and he's back on a 1-year deal.

Those 3 guys are competing for the job.

Ozzie Tilla, who would have been the incumbent, he became the left tackle late in the year.

He's coming back from a torn patellar tendon.

He's not part of the equation now, but he is ahead of schedule and maybe back out on the field a little earlier than people expect.

For now though, Wills, Amagaji, Jones, the Bears have to find an answer at that position.

Takeaway number 4, if there's a position that's a little better than expected, a little deeper than expected, it would be defensive tackle.

Now Gervin Gervin Dexter and And and Grady Jarrett are back as the starters.

The Bears think that they can go 6 deep at that position.

Dayo Odeyingbo is part of, part of that equation as a guy who plays outside on early downs, moves inside on, on passing downs.

But there's another name to watch here, Jordan Vandenberg.

Jordan Vandenberg, remember that name.

He's a 6th round pick out of Georgia Tech.

His story is really interesting.

Grew up in South Africa as a rugby player.

10 years old, moves here.

He's a latecomer to football.

They feel like there's a lot of growth potential with Jordan Vandenberg, and he is going to be part of the plan at defensive tackle again.

They feel great about their depth there, and that rookie, that really interesting rookie 6th round pick, is going to be part of the mix.

Finally, take away number 5.

One thing that they're going to have to work out over the next few weeks is how they deal with the loss of Kobe Bryant.

That was a very difficult one.

He'd already emerged as a leader on the defensive side of the ball.

They loved the idea of having him next to Dylan Tieneman, their first round pick.

So that goes out the window now.

And then Cam Lewis, who, who replaced him in the first few days after he got hurt, he went down and practiced.

Um, a couple of days ago, and so now they're scrambling and looking for some answers there.

So, they're gonna have to work out that, that, that, that safety spot next to Dylan Tieneman, and how they do that, of course, could have an impact on where they're at early in the year.

The hope is that they get Bryant back at some point in October.