Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is currently working on mastering the snap count, something coach Matt Eberflus wants to see improve in future full-squad practices.
The Bears enter the 2024 season with several key additions to their roster, including Keenan Allen, D’Andre Swift, Gerald Everett, Kevin Byard and Rome Odunze. However, the biggest change was the transition from Justin Fields to Caleb Williams. Williams, selected first overall out of USC, is now the Bears’ new franchise quarterback.
Caleb Williams has a lot to learn
The Bears are currently participating in mandatory minicamps June 4-6, which brings the entire team together at the facility. These practices are crucial for rookies, especially quarterback Caleb Williams, because they provide valuable reps and opportunities to learn the system.
Eberflus shared his observations with reporters after practice, focusing on an interception thrown by Williams.
“He took a snag and the ball should have gone out,” Eberflus noted (via Courtney Cronin of ESPN).
“Then he took two snags and (the ball) was late in the middle. It’s always dangerous when you do that. But it’s the learning experience in the process that a young quarterback has to go through,” the Bears tactician said.
On Wednesday, Williams repeated a similar mistake, leading to another turnover during a 7-on-7 drill with a pass up the middle. Veteran linebacker Tremaine Edmunds intercepted the pass, demonstrating his ability to read the quarterback’s eyes and react quickly to intercept the throw intended for receiver Freddie Swain.
The Bears coach also responded with an appropriate shrug in early June.
“The process, exposure and experimentation of the quarterback. And that ultimately leads to this whole evolution of what he thinks he can and can’t do,” the Bears head coach said via ESPN.
Pace as a weapon for the Chicago Bears
Williams’ adjustment from playing primarily in the shotgun lineup at Oklahoma and USC to taking snaps under center reflects the challenges many rookie quarterbacks face when transitioning from college football to the NFL.
Certainly, even the smallest details matter, like the seemingly simple task of snapping the ball. Williams, who primarily worked without cadence in college, now grapples with those challenges alongside the rest of the Bears offense during OTA practices.
The No. 1 overall draft pick is learning a new offense, getting familiar with the skills of his new teammates and refining his cadence as a tool at the line of scrimmage.
Head coach Matt Eberflus noted Tuesday that this is an area where the team needs to improve.
“Something we still have to work on, as you saw today, is cadence,” Eberflus said via NBCSportsChicago.com.
“We saw guys jump offside – I think there were half a dozen times – so that’s something that needs to be addressed. This is something that needs to be addressed, worked on and improved here in the coming days.
“We would like to see this cleaned up. It’s the whole team. The entire offensive unit. We have to be on the same page to make sure we (aren’t) committing penalties before the snap, and that we don’t get behind the sticks. You saw today we were first and 15, second and 15. It’s hard to operate that way.
Meanwhile, Williams is still in the early stages of his NFL training, aiming to hasten toward a significant breakthrough.
