Chicago Bears Training Camp 2024: Top moments from Week 3 practices

In their third week of training camp the Chicago Bears finally got the preseason started. We have that and other highlights of the week.

It was the third week of training camp and the Chicago Bears finally got to hit players other than their teammates. The team started the 2024 preseason by playing the Houston Texans in the Hall of Fame game. We are now in August so each week things get more tense. Jobs are on the line and the players want to get ready for the season opener in about a month.

This was certainly a busy week for the franchise. They got to kick off the preseason and watch three former players get enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Additionally, a key part of the offense re-signed and will now be a part of the team for the foreseeable future. Then there were the practices and a key injury to a player who cannot afford to have one.

Williams continues his ups and downs

For those fans who expected rookie quarterback Caleb Williams to come in and just take over you got a sobering slap in the face. As good as Williams might be, he is still a rookie trying to lead an offense right from the start. The Chicago Bears are giving him a lot to learn. It is a lot.

Williams continues to have his ups and downs. He will have a day in which he throws back-to-back interceptions. However, in the same practice he will throw a perfect dot to a receiver, and avoid a sure sack to complete another big play, showing off the skills that made General Manager Ryan Poles salivate at the thought of drafting him.

There is a lot for Williams to go through. Yes, he has an incredibly talented offense that he is leading. Those talented players will go a long way to helping in his development. However, he also has to do his part. He will continue to have great plays and then some bad ones.

The key for Williams is to try to not let the bad plays get to him. If he continually thinks about his failures, then it will give a snowball effect. Things will go downhill. It is great for him that he has not let that happen. He has come back after bad plays by making great ones. He may have one bad day at practice but then come back the next day strong.

This is what gives the team and fans hope that the quarterback drought for the Chicago Bears can finally end.

Another good sign is how Williams is taking a leadership role. There were some scuffles during practices this week and Williams went in to try to stop them. It is admirable that he would do that, except he has to stay out of harm’s way. He is not thinking about that, but it is a sure thing that Poles and the coaching staff are.

Additionally, Williams has told his teammates to clean up after themselves a little more. He did not feel that the cleaning staff should have additional work when there are garbage cans around. While it might not seem like a big thing, it shows that Williams wants to have a highly professional roster and wants everyone to have pride in how they act. He is trying to change the culture around the team.

Dexter continues his monster training camp

The slimmed-down defensive tackle Gervon Dexter is looking to have a breakout season. He worked hard this offseason to sculpt his body so he could have a big season. So far so good for the big man. Early on, Dexter was looking forward to putting on the pads so he could show even better how much he has improved.

He has really done that. He is making play after play at practice. He is exploding off the snap and getting into the backfield consistently. Despite many people still feeling that the Chicago Bears still need an edge rusher, Dexter’s play shows that he can mitigate that need by producing a pass rush from the interior of the defensive line. That would help the edge rushers quite a bit.

Moore signs an extension, celebrates in an unexpected place

Several Chicago Bears players are up for extensions. One, if not the, most important player is wide receiver, D.J. Moore. He is one of the elite receivers in the NFL and the Chicago Bears rewarded him last week. Moore and the team came to terms on a four-year, $110 million extension, with $82.6 million in guaranteed money.

Considering how the salaries for wide receivers exploded, the Bears got themselves a bargain with Moore. Yes, he will be averaging $27.5 per season. However, there are now four receivers averaging $30 million per season. Moore’s salary ranks him seventh among receivers.

Moore’s guaranteed money is big, though. It is the third-highest guaranteed money for a receiver, behind Minnesota Vikings’ Justin Jefferson and Philadelphia Eagles’ A.J. Brown.

It was great news for the Chicago Bears, who are now starting to sign their players instead of watching them leave and star with other teams. It was great news for the fans, who have one of their favorites locked up. It was also great news for Moore, who felt he outplayed his contract and was looking for one that matched his play.

When I put the ink to that paper, it just felt amazing. I’d seen the numbers. I was like, dang, all the hard work is paying off and getting to just do it was amazing.

Moore mentioned that having Williams as his quarterback played a role in his decision to stay. He sees the rookie as an amazing talent who is on his way up. He wants to be a part of that ride.

What was interesting was how Moore celebrated after the signing. Of course, when you have such a monumental occasion happen in your career you want to celebrate it. Moore did that, but did it in a location many would not think. He and his family celebrated at Popeye’s, eating a family eight-piece. Just because you have a ton of money doesn’t mean you want to go crazy with it.

Booker showing his worth

The Chicago Bears finally got to start their preseason. They came away with a 21-17 weather-shortened victory. While most people were glued to the performances Brett Rypien and Collin Johnson had, the even brighter spot was defensive end Austin Booker.

Booker had a very good professional debut. While the stats might not be eye-opening, he was involved in a lot of key plays. He was constantly pressuring the quarterback. He forced whoever was under center for the Texans to throw the ball when he didn’t want. His pressure caused a sack and he caused a fumble as well.

Booker showcased a lot of his skills when he was on the field. He looked nothing like the inexperienced rookie he was supposed to be. He showed an array of moves that got him away from blockers and in the quarterback’s face.

Yes, Booker had some not-so-dominant moments. He got pancaked on a play. Additionally, he was blown up a couple of times against the run. However, that happened because of his inexperience. Better positioning, as well as more time in the weight room, and he will become a star and the steal of the 2024 NFL Draft.

The Chicago Bears continue to add to their Hall of Fame roster

The Chicago Bears lead all teams in Hall of Fame players. On Saturday, they added even more to the list. Three former players were enshrined — Steve McMichael. Devin Hester, and Julius Peppers. All three made their marks in the league and now leave a Hall of Fame legacy.

McMichael was a member of the 1985 Super Bowl-winning team. That team dominated the season and rolled over the competition in the playoffs, giving up just 10 points. McMichael was in the middle of all of it, playing on the defensive line.

Hester was the greatest returner in league history. Despite only being 5-foot-11 and weighing just 190 pounds, he struck fear in opposing teams. He could have a return for a touchdown at any moment. He had 14 punt returns for touchdowns and five kickoff returns for scores. In what was a great moment for the Miami native, he returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown in the Super Bowl played in Miami.

Peppers entered the Hall as a Carolina Panthers player. However, he had some big moments for the Chicago Bears as well. He played four seasons for the Bears and did not miss any. He recorded 37.5 sacks and 175 tackles, 47 for loss. He was a fan favorite in Chicago (despite departing the Bears for the hated Green Bay Packers).

It is great to see these former Chicago Bears greats reaching the ultimate honor as the new generation attempts to bring the team back to its winning and dominating ways.

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