How the Bears’ defense plans to challenge Williams
NFL defenses always want to make life hard on the offense in practice. Having a quarterback selected No. 1 overall in the draft might provide a little extra motivation for the Bears’ defense.
During organized team activities this time of year, defenses across the league are testing out their rookie quarterbacks. It’s no different for Caleb Williams and the Bears.
But the Bears, with a veteran defense that was on the rise in 2023, know that they will only go as far as Williams can take them in 2024.
“Sometimes it’s going to be back and forth and that’s how the season is going to be, week to week,” veteran safety Kevin Byard said. “Every week is not going to be great. Some week we’re going to have to be on two-minute drill, he’s going to have to go win us a game.”
The Bears’ defense is testing Williams at OTAs this spring. That was apparent during one practice last week that was open to members of the media. Williams struggled with several offensive starters unavailable.
It’s a tried and true rite of passage this time of year. The veterans test the rookies.
“I don’t think it matters who is out there (at quarterback),” Bears defensive coordinator Eric Washington said. “I think when we are out there, they take a lot of pride in just competing and winning and trying to get the best of that situation, the best of the person they are working against. It starts right now with Bears against Bears. We want to carry that into the preseason and, obviously, the regular season.”
The Bears had one of the best defenses in the NFL during the second half of the 2023 season. Head coach Matt Eberflus’ defense is now in its third year under his 4-3 defensive system. The Bears tied the 49ers for the league lead with 22 interceptions last season.
With the core of that group still intact, the hope is this group can build off that strong finish. The defense should be making life hard for Williams.
The goal is to prepare the rookie as much as possible for what he will see when the regular season kicks off against the Tennessee Titans.
“We like to think that that will be a byproduct of his growth and development, just having to go against some of the exceptional, seasoned players that we have on the line of scrimmage and in our back seven,” Washington said. “We all have a vested interest in wanting to see that young man grow and become battle tested and be ready on day one. We’re going to give him everything that we have every day.”
The Bears believe strongly in Williams. General manager Ryan Poles wouldn’t have selected him with the No. 1 overall pick if he didn’t.
Now is the time for Williams to struggle in practice. Rookie quarterbacks need to adjust barking out play calls and directing the offense. They need to adjust to the speed of the game. They need to adjust to the narrow throwing windows expected in the pro game.
Already, Williams has impressed some of his more veteran teammates. Byard, a safety who signed with the Bears as a free agent in March, sees it.
“You can see the talent,” Byard said. “You can definitely see that talent. You can see the arm strength. You can see those intangibles. I think, especially with a guy like him, especially just watching him in college, when you put those pads on and you actually get into live games, some of those intangibles, some of those off-script plays are going to show itself. It’s kind of hard to do that a little bit in a practice setting.”
Williams’ ability to play off platform is what made him a special quarterback at the college level. But he can’t play off platform with any success in the NFL until he masters how to play within the construct of coordinator Shane Waldron’s offense.
The defense is going to test Williams every step of the way.