**CHICAGO -** The Chicago Bears held their second week of organized team activities at Halas Hall and opened practice to the media on Friday. As the Bears navigate their crucial offseason with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, here are some highlights from the practice and subsequent interviews.
**CALEB WILLIAMS WATCH**
Bears coach Matt Eberflus emphasized that Williams’ rookie season will have its ups and downs. A week after a shaky performance by Williams and the Bears’ offense during a media-open OTAs practice, they were more polished on Friday. In a seven-on-seven period, Williams completed 13 out of 15 passes, including a deep touchdown to DJ Moore, which he celebrated with a dance. One pass was incomplete, and another to Rome Odunze was dropped but flagged for pass interference. The defense was more challenging during full-team periods, with Eberflus noting the difficulty in assessing defensive line pressure and offensive line protection without pads. However, in a two-minute drill, Williams successfully moved the offense into field-goal range. Eberflus acknowledged that while Williams’ practice wasn’t perfect, he sees progress. “(It’s) just understanding the plays and how his feet are married to those plays, whether in normal situations, play-action pass, or in the red zone,” Eberflus said. “He improved on that this week, and you could see the ball coming out of his hand more smoothly when his feet were right.” Eberflus highlighted the importance of experimenting with the offense and understanding the players’ skill sets to develop a formula for success heading into training camp.
**NEWS OF THE DAY**
Eberflus, who was the defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts during their “Hard Knocks: In Season” feature in 2021, shared insights with the Bears about their upcoming season on the HBO show, which will air during training camp. He sees the series as an opportunity to showcase the players, staff, and their stories, encouraging the team to maintain a positive attitude. The Bears, guided by public relations leader Ted Crews, have a plan to manage the show and its attention. “No one changes how they act or what they do,” Eberflus said. “We just focus on our job, and they will highlight special-interest stories. We have a lot of them here, so I’m excited to see that.” Eberflus acknowledged that the hardest part of the show is handling tough conversations during training camp, which should be done privately. “We have a great plan in place for that,” he said. “Everyone on ‘Hard Knocks’ has editing rights, and that’s the standard.” New Bears running back D’Andre Swift, who was featured on “Hard Knocks” with the Detroit Lions in 2022, expressed mixed feelings about his portrayal but appreciated the experience. “It’s attention,” Swift said. “It’s good for the city and the team. Personally, I don’t worry about the cameras. I have a job to do here.” The Bears were chosen for the show largely due to Williams, and Eberflus believes Williams is well-suited for it. “He’s comfortable in his own skin, knows who he is,” Eberflus said. “He’s been in the media spotlight as a Heisman winner and will handle it well.”
