LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) 鈥� Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has experienced some ups and downs during his first eight days of training camp.
Despite his occasional struggles, the first pick of the 2024 draft from Southern California believes he鈥檚 making progress.
鈥淚 think I鈥檓 on track to be ready,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淚鈥檓 exactly where I need to be and where they want me to be. I鈥檓 excited.
鈥淓very day I wake up, I鈥檓 learning something new. Getting ready for the season, preseason and these next practices. Very excited, still progressing.鈥�
The Bears haven鈥檛 decided whether or how much Williams will play in Thursday night鈥檚 preseason opener, the Hall of Fame Game against the Houston Texans at Canton, Ohio. Coach Matt Eberflus was expected to announce his plans for the game on Tuesday, but Williams sees the upside in getting playing time against mostly backups in an extra preseason game.
鈥淭he reps are always paramount for anybody like myself 鈥� a young rookie, second-year guy, third-year guy 鈥� it鈥檚 paramount,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really important and we鈥檒l see about these preseason games coming up, how they play out.鈥�
Williams has struggled at times with simple things like the cadence or getting plays off before the play clock expires. At other times, he flashes brilliance with his throws.
At Monday鈥檚 practice, he made two passes into tight windows for touchdowns in the back of the end zone. Linebacker Jack Sanborn had to marvel at one.
鈥淚 mean, he made a throw in the back that I even gave him a little high-five for, cause it鈥檚 impressive,鈥� Sanborn said.
Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has been encouraged by Williams' ability to accept where he needs to improve and to work at it.
鈥淚 think that daily improvement and that positive mindset that he shows up with every single day, both of those things give him a chance to be great because he works hard and he does all the right things around and leading up to every single practice,鈥� Waldron said.
At Saturday鈥檚 practice, Williams was picked off by reserve players on successive plays and also had a football knocked out of his hand by edge rusher Montez Sweat, who isn鈥檛 supposed to touch the quarterback in practice. It wasn't Williams' best day, but he bounced back on Monday after a day off.
鈥淚鈥檓 always tough about the mistakes,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the part about me that drives everything, being tough on myself, being tough on the mistakes that happen, whether it鈥檚 (missed assignments), a turnover or anything like that, being tough on myself and understanding that there are going to be mistakes.鈥�
Williams continues to look ahead when he鈥檚 correcting mistakes.
鈥淚 know it鈥檚 preparing me for those games late in the season, those preseason games coming up,鈥� he said. 鈥淥bviously, I go versus this defense every day, so they make it tough on me.鈥�
An aspect of Williams鈥� game most evident in the first week of practice was how he can extend a play outside the pocket and improvise for a big throw. He hit Tyler Scott on a deep ball last week off one such play.
That ability was a difference-maker at USC for Williams during his 2022 Heisman Trophy-winning season and again last year.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a healthy of balance of working on it and understanding, feeling the offensive line and where they鈥檙e going, the defensive line and things like that, the play, the scheme that you have been running that play and getting after it and letting it rip,鈥� Williams said.
Perhaps the toughest part for Williams is meeting his own expectations.
鈥淥bviously there鈥檚 going to be challenging times,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not that it鈥檚 not coming quicker or slower than I expected.
鈥淚t鈥檚 more or less just myself, when I go out on the field, I expect myself to not mess up. It鈥檚 just how I am.鈥�
The two interceptions were examples of it.
鈥淎nd so when I do, it鈥檚 frustrating, and I would think for any quarterback in the league 鈥� there鈥檚 only 32 of us that are starting 鈥� for any quarterback in the league, I would expect them to be the same of when you go out there you expect to have no (missed assignments), no interceptions, no turnovers and things like that.
"And when you do, it鈥檚 frustrating. But it鈥檚 how you respond and react to those frustrating times is when you grow and get better.鈥�
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AP NFL:
Gene Chamberlain, The Associated Press
