Caleb Williams describes the biggest challenge he's faced learning the new offense during minicamp
The Chicago Bears have wrapped up mandatory minicamp following Thursday's practice and the week was filled with more learning moments for the team's rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.The team will now have exit meetings ahead of a long break off leading up to training camp later in the summer. The past few weeks during OTAs and […]
The Chicago Bears have wrapped up mandatory minicamp following Thursday's practice and the week was filled with more learning moments for the team's rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.
The team will now have exit meetings ahead of a long break off leading up to training camp later in the summer. The past few weeks during OTAs and minicamp have shown how far along the offense and their new quarterback have come, but training camp will be the real test.
Even throughout the last three weeks, Williams progression and development have been evident on the field with each day building upon each other. With minicamp in the rearview mirror, Williams opened up on where he feels like the offense is and what the biggest challenges have been so far.
"I'm just finding the green line is right where we need it," Williams said while addressing the reporters on Thursday. "Everybody being on the same page, that's the biggest thing. It's just finding the balance between it all… just working practice wise and just working through it."
While the offense has continued to find their groove on the field together, Williams himself has been doing everything he can to improve personally throughout the week.
"I asked questions to coach, asked about my progression, and where he wants me to be, where I should be," Williams added. "Then obviously, I have my own my own goals set for myself and that's to be perfect. Obviously you strive for something like that and you don't ever reach it, but you keep striving for it. Whether it's a day that I like or a day that I don't, there's always good and bad in it. Just finding my balance and striving for my goal. A big part of it is just sticking to the routine, enjoying the process, enjoying my teammates, being a good teammate, and going out there and working my tail off."
Minicamp was a back and forth battle all week long between the team's offense and defense during various team drills on the field, but seeing the offensive unit finding as much success as they did compared to OTAs was an encouraging sight to see.
The biggest thing for Williams has been learning from the mistakes he's making on the field and embracing that these mistakes are going to happen at this point of his career.
"I didn't come in necessarily with expectation to seem like a 13 year vet. I came to work my tail off," Williams said. "Show the guys that I'm here, I'm working my tail off, I'm progressing, and try not to make the same mistake again. That's the biggest thing, day in and day out, is trying not to make the same mistake over and over and learn from them. I think that's been the biggest thing for me and also understanding that I'm leading the organization and the team. So, just having that mindset and being in that mindset and just trying to find my flow."
As for his biggest challenge he's faced on the field, Williams zeroed in on improving his cadence before the snap and learning the language of the offense, not the high level defense he's facing after it. As for the unit coming together to where they want to be, Williams has optimism for his offense come training camp.
"I feel that there's a light at the end of that tunnel," Williams said. "Right now, we're working with our head down, and we're building. Having that moment with myself, I do it every day, is I sit there and say 'we're gonna be pretty damn good.' We just got to keep working, keep going. We're all excited. It's really important to have that mindset but also have the mindset of let's keep going, let's keep working and let's get after it."
The next phase of the offseason schedule will start to ramp up for the team once they get back for training camp, which means new challenges will be placed in front of the team's rookie quarterback.
"It's gonna look much different when we get back into training camp," head coach Matt Eberflus explained. "Now we got the pads on, now we have the rushers rushing. If they win, they're going to work away from the quarterback, but he'll be able to feel that a little bit more. That will increase as experience increases. So, it's not the real feel yet but it will. He's progressed all the way across and hit guys. He's progressed to open spaces in his first few progressions and I think it's been really good."
So far, Williams has handled all of the challenges thrown his way at a high level. Even though it hasn't been perfect, Williams seems to be rolling with the punches, and even punching back, which is a great sign for the team right now heading into the break.
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