The Chicago Bears veterans are off for a little over a month between last week’s mandatory minicamp and the start of training camp in late July. This week, the Bears are holding voluntary practices that the team specifically asked rookies to attend before their summer break.
Last week, Rome Odunze made a surprise announcement that he planned to join the workouts. Quarterback Caleb Williams didn’t slip that he would be in attendance, but wound up joining Odunze as the second-year players who gained extra reps at OTAs from new head coach Ben Johnson and the coaching staff.
Caleb Williams had an up-and-down spring
Williams made progress with his pre-snap routine and footwork during the spring. However, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft struggled with accuracy and timing throughout voluntary and mandatory camps.
He especially has issues throwing over the middle of the field, and ended mandatory minicamp with an interception to cornerback Tyrique Stevenson in the two-minute drill.
Following Tuesday’s practice at Halas Hall, Johnson gave Williams a slight backhanded comment for showing up for the extra practices this week.
Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson gave a backhanded compliment
Per Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic, Johnson said Williams knows he and the team are not where the Bears need to be. Williams wanted to gain extra reps to close the gap before Week 1.
“He’s committed to learning the offense,” Johnson said of Williams. We’re not where we need to be yet as a team. He understands that. Every chance he gets to get full-speed reps, he wants them.”
Bears just wrapped up an OTA — mainly rookies, plus QB Caleb Williams and WR Rome Odunze.
Ben Johnson on QB1: "He's committed to learning the offense. We're not where we need to be yet as a team. He understands that. Every chance he gets to get full-speed reps, he wants them."
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) June 10, 2025
The extra practices give Johnson and Williams more opportunities to see the game through the same lens, something the first-year head coach said was important during mandatory minicamp.
Johnson and Williams had a few notable moments during the spring, with Johnson showing frustration and yelling at the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner to figure things out following a miscue during the huddle.
It’s nice to see Williams responding positively to the coaching and showing up for practice even when he didn’t have to.
For More Chicago Sports:
Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Bears lose out on another veteran running back
Read MoreFor More Great Chicago Sports Content
Get the latest Chicago sports news, analysis, and breaking stories on the Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs, White Sox, Sky, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, so you never miss a story on your favorite Chicago teams.
Follow us on Twitter at @chicitysports23 for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Chicago sports news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE
