Bear Digest

Bears Camp Observations and Trends with Pads on the Way

Analysis: The Bears put the pads on Friday, a day underscored throughout the offseason as when things become more clear, but some trends have already developed at practices.

Gene Chamberlain

Caleb Williams Early Progression.mp4
Caleb Williams Early Progression.mp4 /
In this story:

It's only been four practices and they've been without pads at that, but trends are forming and some are easier to spot than others.

The Bears return from a day off on Thursday and then on Friday begin wearing pads.  

The pads don't affect quarterback Caleb Williams directly but do impact his receivers as defensive backs become all the more aggressive. But the threat of a running play in a scrimmage—even one done to "thud" tempo rather than full speed—is enough to keep the defense a little more off balance and afford the quarterback more of a game-like look.

There could be more trends forming here after those padded practices begin.

Here are observations made of the trends or situations developing based on four Bears practices.

1. Better Offensive Efficiency

You're not seeing all of the pre-snap penalties normally associated with installing a new offense, and also using a rookie quarterback. The operation noticeably smoother than it did in OTAs, when it seemed a chore just to get the ball snapped. Even Andrew Billings, who had been fouling up their cadences with fake cadence yells from the defensive line during OTAs, notices the difference.

Coach Matt Eberflus has spoken to this a few times already.

"I can see that operation getting better every single day," Eberflus said. "The pre-snap penalties are down, getting in and out of the huddle is good. That's just because we're learning the system, learning how to do it and we're learning how to break the huddle, get to the line of scrimmage and operate our motions and shifts and make our calls.

"I think that's really been good. And Caleb is the apex of that. He's just going to keep getting better at it, keep progressing every single day."

2. Crisper Passing

When they started OTAs, the number of plays when Williams could actually drop back and get the ball out in time even during 7-on-7 to a receiver open enough in a route to catch it seemed depressingly low.

Now the 7-on-7 drills look more like coaches want. The ball is almost always caught. When the defense switches up coverages, then it's different and there's more pressure. However, when the Bears work against base zone coverage, the timing on pass routes now seems to be there. It's a step forward.

Even when the overall passing looks sharper, they haven't always been effective. There were five consecutive plays when the blocking either broke down or Williams couldn't find someone open in a Monday sequence and had to improvise.

The defense is going to try to keep making it hard on Williams.

"We're going to give him some looks that are going to be hard for him," Eberflus said. "Then he's gonna learn from them, grow and go to the next step. That's him learning the game up here, learning the speed, learn how the windows close faster. And when he does that he's just gonna keep growing and learning.

"That's not just during training camp. That's going to be the first game all the way up to the last game. He's going to keep learning, keep stacking them up and keep learning."

3. Defensive Crowing Is Down

The brash play of their secondary and also the post-play reactions have been a little more subdued than during offseason work. The trash talking and taunting received some attention during OTAs and minicamp and it's possible this got the secondary to tone it down a bit.

What looks to be more the case, however, is how the defense is being tested too much to worry about running the mouth.

The secondary sees the possibility of getting beat for big plays now and can't be as bold in their gambles.

Another reason is the team gets closer as they've been around each other more, so there's less of defensive side enjoying the offense's problems. Players all feel the need to be one group rather than offense and defense.

Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson has been the secondary member most often beaten for bigger plays when they do happen, and this is understandable considering he lacks the experience the other four players have. Tyler Scott got behind him deep at Tuesday's practice. However, Stevenson also has come up with big plays, including an interception. He remains more high-risk, high-reward for the secondary to some extent, but his level of play has also risen.

When the secondary is this advanced yet also being beaten, it can only be a positive sign for both sides in their quest to "sharpen iron."

4. Coaching Still Matters

Even their backup cornerbacks are difficult to shake. This goes right down through the second-team cornerbacks.

Cornerback Greg Stroman Jr. makes plays constantly, and had an interception on Tuesday, but he will be greatly challenged to make the roster even if he did turn out as a dependable reserve  last year when too many injuries hit at once.

They keep coming up with cornerbacks who can play. This isn't all on the personnel department.

Eberflus sees a good reason why Stevenson can come on strong in the second half of his rookie year, why Terell Smith continues to push Stevenson and why Kyler Gordon has been an effective slot cornerback.

It's the same reason he thinks Jaylon Johnson had his career interception total rise from one to five last year. It's cornerbacks coach Jon Hoke.

"He's got the best corner coach in the league," Eberflus said of Johnson. "I'm telling you, Jon Hoke is the best. Peanut Tillman's coach, I mean you can start naming the names (Tim Jennings) and this guy can coach. So that's probably a big part of it."

5. Hasty Line Depth Conclusions

Before training camp, plenty of speculation had fourth-year tackle Larry Borom being among veterans with the best chances to be cut. They had picked up a few veteran tackles to compete for swing tackle spots.

However, the minor injury they're monitoring with Braxton Jones has allowed the backup tackle onto the field extensively so far and Borom has been the left tackle fill-in throughout rather than veterans Jake Curhan, Aviante Collins or Matt Pryor. Part of the reason Borom was thought to be on the way out was they drafted tackle Kiran Amegadjie.

That entire possibility is pushed off onto the back burner now with Amegadjie still on the non-football injury list. He didn't have offseason practice and hasn't really been working on a football field for practice since last season at Yale because of his quad muscle surgery.

"Yeah, he just can't do a lot of things right now," right tackle Darnell Wright said. "I think for him it will be big to just be mentally prepared when he's ready because that's all you can really do right now."

There have to be real questions at this point whether Amegadjie will avoid the PUP list when the season starts even if it is still early in a very early camp.

Another place where line changes seemed possible was backup guard. Ja'Tyre Carter had been among the top backups last year and the third-year player didn't get in much with starters during OTAs even when starter Nate Davis had an injury. Pryor played there. When the Bears wanted to rest left guard Teven Jenkins, they had no problem in training camp practices with plugging in Carter there.

6. Tyler Scott Advancement

Tyler Scott has already made two deep catches in full-squad work and has looked far better than last training camp, when his contributions seemed limited to wide receiver screens, slants or hitches. It seems very possible they could actually have four wide receivers capable of inflicting damage on defenses.

7. Gervon Dexter Promise

The defensive players all praise Dexter for his new body and talk about how he's quick into the gap on pass rush.

This is all fine, but it was never Dexter's pass rush that was the question. He ranked 118th of 130 defensive tackles in Pro Football Focus's grades at defending the run. When the pads come on Friday, how Dexter plays the 3-technique spot on running downs will be a little more apparent than it has been without pads.

It's at this point where Zacch Pickens might even become someone talked about more. Even then, Pickens was only graded 104th by PFF at defending the run.

If they can't get close to being the No. 1 run defense they had last year, then the pass rush can become less effective, too.

8. Bounce Backs

Middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and guard Nate Davis both came into camp under the microscope, especially Davis.

Edmunds had a spotty first Bears season because he was set back early due to injuries. Davis had injury and personal issues all year long and then it continued into offseason work with injury issues.

However, Davis has been out there every play with starters and Edmunds has already made a number of plays in coverage over the middle, including stopping a fourth-down pass from the 6-yard line by the offense in Tuesday's scrimmage.

9. File This Under Future Concern

Eberflus' ability as a defensive signal caller and the acting defensive coordinator last year was recognized by players and also those outside Halas Hall as a key to the way the defense turned it around.

When he hired Eric Washington as coordinator, the setup described was Eberflus calling defensive signals and Washington as defensive coordinator and an organizer and game-planner type.

Eberflus was asked during the first few days of camp how the operation is working with Washington.

"He calls it during practice. He scripts it. And I look at it," Eberflus said. "If I want to change something, I do and if I want to change it on the field, I do, too, but he's doing it."

Does this sound like the operation as described when they hired Washington?

Hmmmmm.

10. School of Hard Knocks

Eberflus was asked at a press conference about the way he seems to be opening up more to media with his answers to questions. He has noticeably given more colorful and descriptive answers to some questions.

"Time on task," was his answer. He explained he's just more at ease with everyone.

There is one other possibility that might bear mentioning.

HBO's Hard Knocks is everywhere at Halas Hall with its cameras filming for the start of its August series.

Players and coaches alike had said the HBO cameras wouldn't affect them at all.

Hmmmmmm again.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

Published
Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher 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.