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Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chicago Bears training camp: Takeaways from Day 8
The Chicago Bears were back at Halas Hall for the eighth practice of training camp on Wednesday, which featured some intriguing developments in the third padded practice of the week. The Bears passing offense put on a clinic in what head coach Ben Johnson previewed would be the longest practice to date, and it certainly was an intense session. Quarterback Caleb Williams and the starting offense thrived in the passing game, where he connected with rookie Luther Burden III and veteran Olamide Zaccheaus throughout practice. Burden had a monster performance, connecting with all three quarterbacks, and it's clear he's hitting his stride on his second full day of practice. Here's what we learned from the eighth practice of training camp, from Caleb Williams' best practice of camp to Luther Burden's playmaking speed. Offense had its best day of camp Before Thursday's practice, head coach Ben Johnson laid it all out on the table. This eighth workout would be the longest practice of camp and held roster spot and job implications. Which makes it even more impressive that the starting offense had its best day and was absolutely "firing," per Courtney Cronin, and "putting on a show," per Michal Dwojak, in the passing game. Quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent each thrived with their respective units, where rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III proved to be their favorite target. The only struggles for the starting offense came during the two-minute drill when they went four-and-out, per Dan Wiederer, that included an instant pressure sack and Williams turning the ball over on a fourth down scramble, which was intercepted by Tyrique Stevenson. Still, this was the best day for the offense so far -- and it came on the biggest stage so far. Caleb Williams was dealing While there were some early concerns about Caleb Williams' struggles to start training camp (which were by design by the coaching staff), he's shown progress as he's put together back-to-back-to-back "best practice so far." According to Larry Mayer, Williams had his best practice so far, which included some impressive throws: "Perfect touch floating long passes to Luther Burden and Olamide Zaccheaus and rifling completion to DJ Moore over middle." Greg Braggs said that Williams was "dialed in" and was "spraying the ball all over the field." 79th & Halas Podcast noted that the Bears were bringing the heat on Williams, and he still had his best workout of the summer. Every day, Williams appears to get more confident and comfortable in this offense. Rookie Luther Burden continues to flash It's only been two days, but it's clear the Bears have something special in rookie wideout Luther Burden III, who's been the standout performer for the past two days. But Wednesday's impression was just the appetizer for what was a monster practice for Burden, who succeeded with all three quarterbacks (Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum), per 79th & Halas Podcast. Before Thursday's practice, head coach Ben Johnson raved about Burden's "play speed," and that was on display in this session. According to Ryan Baker, it's "even more impressive in person." Burden made some impressive catches with the first and second team offenses throughout the day, where Alex Shapiro noted that "sometimes he's getting himself open, sometimes he's making grabs with solid coverage." Mark Carman said Burden "looked like the best receiver on the field." Olamide Zaccheaus continues to be a standout While it was the Luther Burden Show on Thursday and Rome Odunze and DJ Moore have been turning heads, there's been one standout flying under the radar in Olamide Zaccheaus. According to Mark Carman, Zaccheaus has impressed throughout training camp and Thursday saw "sharp routes" and "diving catches." Zaccheaus' best play of the day came when he hauled in a deep ball from quarterback Caleb Williams during 11-on-11 work, per 79th & Halas Podcast. The Bears receivers room is stacked with Moore, Odunze and Burden, but Zaccheaus is challenging for reps given his playmaking ability. Tyson Bagent impressed during reps with second team There's a competition brewing at backup quarterback between Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum, where the pair have been rotating with the second team throughout training camp. It was Bagent's turn with the second-team offense on Thursday, and he put on a show -- showcasing his connection with rookie wide receiver Luther Burden, which included back-to-back play-action completions from Bagent to Burden, per Dan Wiederer. "The second included a crisp route from the rookie and very nice touch on the throw from (Bagent)." @JAYChi_Bears added that Bagent connected with Burden "multiple times today for first downs and deep balls." But Bagent's strong showing is nothing new. According to Wiederer, Bagent "has looked incredibly comfortable through the first two weeks of camp." Offensive line struggled The Bears starting offensive line has been solid for most of training camp, but Thursday's practice wasn't their best showing. It's worth noting that starting right guard Jonah Jackson remains day-to-day with a leg injury, so it wasn't the entire starting line. But according to 79th & Halas Podcast, the offensive line had a "rough day" with "false starts and botched snaps." The two-minute drill at the end of practice also wasn't pretty, and the offensive line played a role. According to 79th & Halas Podcast, there was "a lot of pressure coming" which resulted in Caleb Williams throwing an interception to cornerback Tyrique Stevenson on the final play of a "shaky" two-minute drill. Williams was sacked earlier in the series to set the offense back. Not the best day for the offensive line. Bears eyeing Week 1 return for Jaylon Johnson Before Thursday's practice, head coach Ben Johnson provided an update on cornerback Jaylon Johnson's potential return. Johnson suffered a leg injury while training before camp started, and we were told he'd miss a few weeks. But now it sounds like could be longer. As far as best-case scenario for Jaylon Johnson's return, Ben Johnson said "there is a scenario where he will be ready for Week 1" against the Minnesota Vikings, but also "it's still early" in his rehab process. It's not the most encouraging update, considering Johnson was originally supposed to miss a "few weeks," which indicated he would be back at camp at some point. But this latest timeline means he could miss closer to two months and puts his status for the start of the regular season in jeopardy. Long snapper Scott Daly carted off field The Bears have been pretty healthy at this point of training camp, outside of Jaylon Johnson (who injured himself before camp began). But there was an injury during Thursday's practice that could have implications. According to Courtney Cronin, long snapper Scott Daly was carted back to the locker room near the end of practice indicating he could have an injury. It's definitely concerning for the starting long snapper, but it's worth noting they have undrafted rookie Luke Elkin on the roster (who snapped the ball to punter Tory Taylor at Iowa). And Patrick Scales, the long-time Bears punter, remains a free agent. If healthy, he could be an option should Daly's injury be serious. This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Chicago Bears training camp: Takeaways from Day 8
USA Today
31-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Chicago Bears training camp: Takeaways from Day 8
The Chicago Bears were back at Halas Hall for the eighth practice of training camp on Wednesday, which featured some intriguing developments in the third padded practice of the week. The Bears passing offense put on a clinic in what head coach Ben Johnson previewed would be the longest practice to date, and it certainly was an intense session. Quarterback Caleb Williams and the starting offense thrived in the passing game, where he connected with rookie Luther Burden III and veteran Olamide Zaccheaus throughout practice. Burden had a monster performance, connecting with all three quarterbacks, and it's clear he's hitting his stride on his second full day of practice. Here's what we learned from the eighth practice of training camp, from Caleb Williams' best practice of camp to Luther Burden's playmaking speed. Offense had its best day of camp Before Thursday's practice, head coach Ben Johnson laid it all out on the table. This eighth workout would be the longest practice of camp and held roster spot and job implications. Which makes it even more impressive that the starting offense had its best day and was absolutely "firing," per Courtney Cronin, and "putting on a show," per Michal Dwojak, in the passing game. Quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent each thrived with their respective units, where rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III proved to be their favorite target. The only struggles for the starting offense came during the two-minute drill when they went four-and-out, per Dan Wiederer, that included an instant pressure sack and Williams turning the ball over on a fourth down scramble, which was intercepted by Tyrique Stevenson. Still, this was the best day for the offense so far -- and it came on the biggest stage so far. Caleb Williams was dealing While there were some early concerns about Caleb Williams' struggles to start training camp (which were by design by the coaching staff), he's shown progress as he's put together back-to-back-to-back "best practice so far." According to Larry Mayer, Williams had his best practice so far, which included some impressive throws: "Perfect touch floating long passes to Luther Burden and Olamide Zaccheaus and rifling completion to DJ Moore over middle." Greg Braggs said that Williams was "dialed in" and was "spraying the ball all over the field." 79th & Halas Podcast noted that the Bears were bringing the heat on Williams, and he still had his best workout of the summer. Every day, Williams appears to get more confident and comfortable in this offense. Rookie Luther Burden continues to flash It's only been two days, but it's clear the Bears have something special in rookie wideout Luther Burden III, who's been the standout performer for the past two days. But Wednesday's impression was just the appetizer for what was a monster practice for Burden, who succeeded with all three quarterbacks (Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum), per 79th & Halas Podcast. Before Thursday's practice, head coach Ben Johnson raved about Burden's "play speed," and that was on display in this session. According to Ryan Baker, it's "even more impressive in person." Burden made some impressive catches with the first and second team offenses throughout the day, where Alex Shapiro noted that "sometimes he's getting himself open, sometimes he's making grabs with solid coverage." Mark Carman said Burden "looked like the best receiver on the field." Olamide Zaccheaus continues to be a standout While it was the Luther Burden Show on Thursday and Rome Odunze and DJ Moore have been turning heads, there's been one standout flying under the radar in Olamide Zaccheaus. According to Mark Carman, Zaccheaus has impressed throughout training camp and Thursday saw "sharp routes" and "diving catches." Zaccheaus' best play of the day came when he hauled in a deep ball from quarterback Caleb Williams during 11-on-11 work, per 79th & Halas Podcast. The Bears receivers room is stacked with Moore, Odunze and Burden, but Zaccheaus is challenging for reps given his playmaking ability. Tyson Bagent impressed during reps with second team There's a competition brewing at backup quarterback between Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum, where the pair have been rotating with the second team throughout training camp. It was Bagent's turn with the second-team offense on Thursday, and he put on a show -- showcasing his connection with rookie wide receiver Luther Burden, which included back-to-back play-action completions from Bagent to Burden, per Dan Wiederer. "The second included a crisp route from the rookie and very nice touch on the throw from (Bagent)." @JAYChi_Bears added that Bagent connected with Burden "multiple times today for first downs and deep balls." But Bagent's strong showing is nothing new. According to Wiederer, Bagent "has looked incredibly comfortable through the first two weeks of camp." Offensive line struggled The Bears starting offensive line has been solid for most of training camp, but Thursday's practice wasn't their best showing. It's worth noting that starting right guard Jonah Jackson remains day-to-day with a leg injury, so it wasn't the entire starting line. But according to 79th & Halas Podcast, the offensive line had a "rough day" with "false starts and botched snaps." The two-minute drill at the end of practice also wasn't pretty, and the offensive line played a role. According to 79th & Halas Podcast, there was "a lot of pressure coming" which resulted in Caleb Williams throwing an interception to cornerback Tyrique Stevenson on the final play of a "shaky" two-minute drill. Williams was sacked earlier in the series to set the offense back. Not the best day for the offensive line. Bears eyeing Week 1 return for Jaylon Johnson Before Thursday's practice, head coach Ben Johnson provided an update on cornerback Jaylon Johnson's potential return. Johnson suffered a leg injury while training before camp started, and we were told he'd miss a few weeks. But now it sounds like could be longer. As far as best-case scenario for Jaylon Johnson's return, Ben Johnson said "there is a scenario where he will be ready for Week 1" against the Minnesota Vikings, but also "it's still early" in his rehab process. It's not the most encouraging update, considering Johnson was originally supposed to miss a "few weeks," which indicated he would be back at camp at some point. But this latest timeline means he could miss closer to two months and puts his status for the start of the regular season in jeopardy. Long snapper Scott Daly carted off field The Bears have been pretty healthy at this point of training camp, outside of Jaylon Johnson (who injured himself before camp began). But there was an injury during Thursday's practice that could have implications. According to Courtney Cronin, long snapper Scott Daly was carted back to the locker room near the end of practice indicating he could have an injury. It's definitely concerning for the starting long snapper, but it's worth noting they have undrafted rookie Luke Elkin on the roster (who snapped the ball to punter Tory Taylor at Iowa). And Patrick Scales, the long-time Bears punter, remains a free agent. If healthy, he could be an option should Daly's injury be serious.
USA Today
30-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Caleb Williams Watch: How Bears QB performed on Day 6 of training camp
The Chicago Bears continued training camp on Tuesday morning with their sixth practice of the summer, and there was plenty to break down from Day 6 -- including the performance of quarterback Caleb Williams. Williams is entering his second season following a rocky rookie year that included two head coaches, three offensive coordinators, being sacked a league-high 68 times, a 10-game losing streak and a 5-12 record. But the Bears prioritized Williams' development this offseason with the hiring of offensive guru Ben Johnson as head coach, overhauling the interior offensive line and adding even more weapons to the mix. All eyes will be on Williams this summer as he continues to learn Johnson's offense and looks to find a rhythm heading into Year 2. We're taking a look at the good, the bad and the noteworthy with Williams from the sixth practice of Bears training camp: The Good Before Tuesday's practice, head coach Ben Johnson talked about Williams' progress to this point, and he raved about the work the second-year quarterback is putting in -- and they're seeing the dividends on the field. According to Greg Braggs, "You can see how much he's working on the play action game and getting his head turned around to get his eyes where they need to be." Williams "wasn't perfect but you can see clear improvement." Bear Report's Zack Pearson highlighted a couple of good throws from Williams. His best completion was to wide receiver Rome Odunze, where Williams stepped up in the pocket to deliver the completion. But his best throw was a deep ball to receiver DJ Moore, which fell incomplete after cornerback Kyler Gordon was called for defensive pass interference. The Bad Williams and the offense had thrived during the two-minute drill up until this point, but the defense had its way with them on Tuesday. The offense was down 28-23 at their own 47 with :54 seconds remaining. The two-minute drill went like this, per Zack Pearson: "Throwaway, incompletion, sack, pass for 10 yards, turnover on downs." Things really heated up, per 79th & Halas Podcast, where "even Montez Sweat was barking," yelling, "get y'all a** off the field!" Still, it was "overall still a good day for Caleb and the offense" where "it's very evident that he's starting to click." The Noteworthy Apparently I can't stop writing about the Caleb Williams-Colston Loveland connection. Although, technically, they're responsible. It's evident after just two practices that Chicago might have something special brewing with Williams and his rookie tight end, as evidenced by Tuesday's practice. Loveland had an impressive third-down grab from quarterback Caleb Williams over the middle of the field during 11-on-11. It's been just a short time, but Williams and Loveland are developing a good connection that could make them a special duo. 'An open-or-not type read, sit it down if you need to, if there's space. That's all it was,' Loveland said after practice. 'Caleb found me, did a good job finding me and we converted, which is always what you're trying to do on third down.' Caleb converts on 3rd down to Loveland in the middle of the field 🔥 Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
USA Today
29-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Chicago Bears training camp: Takeaways from Day 6
The Chicago Bears were back at Halas Hall for the sixth practice of training camp on Tuesday, which featured some intriguing developments from their second padded practice. The Bears ramped up the intensity on Tuesday morning, where the offense got off to a strong start while the defense put a stamp on practice during team and two-minute drills. There were plenty of highlights to come out of this sixth practice, including quarterback Caleb Williams' continued progress, position battles heating up and Chicago's young weapons turning heads. Here's what we learned from the sixth practice of training camp, from the most physical practice so far to Williams' progress to Colston Loveland already making waves to the defense's strong finish. Most physical day of training camp so far The Bears were in pads for the second straight day, but just as head coach Ben Johnson promised, the intensity and physicality ramped up Tuesday. According to Greg Braggs, it was the most physical practice of training camp so far. There was "tough tackling, loud pads being popped and good competitiveness." Da Windy City Productions noted that you could "hear the pads thumping." Matt Zahn noted there was "live tackling" for the time in camp. And the best part was there weren't any injuries sustained. According to Alex Shapiro, T.J. Edwards, Elijah Hicks and Tysheem Johnson had the biggest hits of the day. Defense finishes strong with two-minute drill While it sounds like the offense had a strong start to practice -- once again led by quarterback Caleb Williams -- the defense put an exclamation on practice with an impressive two-minute drill. According to Bear Report, the "offense struggled in team drills and two minute," where the defense ramped up the intensity. According to Greg Braggs, the first-, second- and third-team offenses "had no answers" for the defenses during the two-minute drill. As for the first-team offense, things really heated up, per 79th & Halas Podcast, where "even Montez Sweat was barking," yelling, "get y'all a** off the field!" The two-minute drill went like this, per Zack Pearson: "Throwaway, incompletion, sack, pass for 10 yards, turnover on downs." Still, it was "overall still a good day for Caleb and the offense" where "it's very evident that he's starting to click." Caleb Williams had his best practice of camp Technically, this was the same takeaway from Monday. But it's once again true as quarterback Caleb Williams had another impressive practice with the pads on. According to Greg Braggs, "You can see how much he's working on the play action game and getting his head turned around to get his eyes where they need to be." Williams "wasn't perfect but you can see clear improvement." Williams nearly connected on a deep touchdown to wide receiver DJ Moore, but cornerback Kyler Gordon was called for defensive pass interference. Williams also continues to build his bond with receiver Rome Odunze and rookie tight end Colston Loveland. Before Tuesday's practice, head coach Ben Johnson talked about Williams' progress to this point, and he raved about the work the second-year quarterback is putting in -- and they're seeing the dividends on the field. Luther Burden participated in team drills, but made mistakes Rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III participated in team drills for the first time during training camp on Tuesday, but he wasn't without his mistakes. According to Zack Pearson, head coach Ben Johnson "wasn't happy with Burden" and pulled him out of a drill after it appeared Burden had trouble lining up in the right spot. You know, the things the offense struggled with earlier in training camp. According to Greg Braggs, "Burden appeared to have two different line of scrimmage penalties" with Johnson's outburst coming on the first one. But Johnson talked about Burden being behind in the on-field aspect of things after missing the first four practices and most of the offseason program. It'll take Burden some time, but it's clear he's working through things behind the pace of the offense right now. Luther participated in team drills, but he wasn't part of the live tackling portion of 11-on-11. That's expected to come later in the week as he continues to ramp up. Colston Loveland could be very special It's been three days of full-go for rookie tight end Colston Loveland, and he's made headlines on each day. Loveland had another impressive outing during Tuesday's padded practice, where Greg Braggs was impressed by his "combination of speed and size," while noting that Loveland "shows wide receiver tendencies at the line of scrimmage." Loveland had an impressive third-down grab from quarterback Caleb Williams over the middle of the field during 11-on-11. It's been just a short time, but Williams and Loveland are developing a good connection that could make them a special duo. It also sounds like Loveland worked primarily with the first-team offense on Tuesday while Cole Kmet got work with the second team, per @PolesIsHim. Bears finding ways to get DJ Moore in space Before Tuesday's practice, head coach Ben Johnson said the team was exploring ways to get wide receiver DJ Moore the ball in space. And that's exactly what transpired on the field on Tuesday, where according to @ilannfl, "DJ Moore was in motion consistently" and "expect more of that during the season." Like Monday, Moore saw some carries while continuing to showcase his pass-catching talent. Moore also showed he can excel in the deep passing game as quarterback Caleb Williams threw a beautiful deep ball that Moore would've caught in stride had cornerback Kyler Gordon not taken him down on a defensive pass interference call. Left tackle resolution could be taking shape Before Tuesday's practice, head coach Ben Johnson said they're "getting more clarity every single day" on the left tackle competition. On Tuesday, rookie Ozzy Trapilo and Kiran Amegadjie split some first-team reps, where (according to Greg Braggs), "Ozzy had the better day." That included Trapilo going toe-to-toe with edge rusher Dayo Odeyingbo, where the rookie won most of them. But it still sounds like veteran Braxton Jones has the upper hand in the competition. According to Herb Howard, the left tackle battle "may be starting to crystallize just a bit" as he noted Jones took most of the first-team reps on Tuesday. But that could also be part of the rotation. Still, it's hard to deny his experience will be a benefit in this competition. Injury updates The Bears were without rookie defensive tackle Shemar Turner (ankle), offensive lineman Bill Murray and rookie cornerback Zah Frazier (personal) once again. According to Brad Biggs, Turner is expected to miss four weeks with a high ankle sprain. So that'll give other plays, including Chris Williams and Zacch Pickens, a chance to step up in his absence. Defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon and offensive lineman Doug Kramer were back at practice on Tuesday. Meanwhile, rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III participated in team drills for the first time in training camp, and he's in the middle of his ramping up period.
