Caleb Williams’ sterling Chicago Bears preseason debut had a little bit of everything.
The rookie quarterback showed off his arm talent, velocity, athleticism, and off-platform throwing ability during an 18-play (20 with penalties) unveiling in the Bears’ 33-6 win over the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium.
Williams went 4-for-7 for 95 yards, but arguably his most impressive moment came after his final snap of the day.
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Facing a third-and-9 from the Bills’ 18-yard line, Williams dropped back and immediately looked right toward rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze, who was singled up on the outside. Williams thought Odunze would take his route vertical toward the back pylon, but the receiver instead chose to flatten his route out. With pressure bearing down on him, Williams elected to loft the ball toward the back pylon, hoping to put enough air under it to allow Odunze to run underneath it. Odunze adjusted his route, but the ball sailed out of bounds, and the Bears settled for a field goal.
Immediately after the incompletion, Williams grabbed Odunze on the sideline to go over the miscommunication.
The conversation between two pillars of the Bears’ future was captured in Episode 2 of HBO’s “Hard Knocks," offering a glimpse into the ongoing process of building chemistry between the two.
“So I wanted you to go back pylon or settle right there and I would have ran,” Williams told Odunze on the sideline.
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“I got you,” Odunze said.
“That’s why the ball went [overhead],” Williams said.
“Because I seen him outside, and I was like, ‘I don’t know if he’s going to go,” Odunze said. “But if I’m in that big of space I’m going to sit.”
“Yeah, in that big of a space, settle or come get the ball if it’s too far of a distance,” Williams said. “Other than that, go back pylon.”
“OK, I got you,” Odunze said.
“You either got to speed cut him on that look or wipe him,” Williams said. “You’ve got to get him going, ‘Ahhhh,” and then wipe him.”
“You still hanging on that in that look,” another Bears receiver asked Williams.
“Yeah because I knew he was one-on-one,” Williams said. “I’m hanging. Just beat him.”
This moment perfectly showcases how important preseason reps are for Williams and a Bears skill group still trying to fully sync with one another.
“Being able to play in those conditions where the intensity is high, the game speed is maxed out and you know you’re not taking practice reps,” wide receiver Keenan Allen said in late July of the value of preseason reps for this new core with a rookie quarterback. “Getting in there in the first game of the season and you’re like, ‘Oh, s—t. That’s way faster than we thought.’ You want to get in those earlier than you can.”
After the win in Buffalo, both Odunze and Williams discussed this vital, chemistry-building moment that will help them in the long run.”
“I had an inside release on that play. They were playing Cover 1, so he had outside leverage on me and didn’t want me to get back outside,” Odunze told NBC Sports Chicago and the Chicago Sun-Times. “I tried to make a move to get back outside and he kind of held me a little. But I got to run a better route so I can get open regardless so Caleb can have a window to throw the ball.”
“Rome and I talked about it,” Williams said. “That comes from time of getting on the same page and same connection.”
After three weeks of camp and 20 preseason snaps, Williams and his receivers are in a better spot than they were when the hard summer work began.
Those connections will continue to solidify this week in joint practices with the Cincinnati Bengals and during the remaining two exhibition games should Williams and the starters play in both.
The “Hard Knocks” pilot gave us a glimpse into the Bears’ plan to develop Williams. Tuesday’s second episode opened up a brief window into how the No. 1 overall pick is taking command of an offense that has sky-high expectations in 2024.