Ryan Poles isn’t sweating the early season injury bug hitting his Chicago Bears squad. Nah, the GM is still convinced his team can defend that NFC North title, and the biggest reason why? Quarterback Caleb Williams is leveling up big time in his second year with coach Ben Johnson. Poles saw Williams “white-knuckling” it last year, trying to figure everything out, but now, the joy is back in his game. He’s playing free, and that’s exactly what the Bears need.
Caleb Williams Just Unleashed Something Different
Williams’ transformation is palpable, according to both Poles and coach Johnson. Poles described the first year as a constant struggle for Williams, just trying to get things “right.” But now, that raw talent is shining through with a renewed sense of fun. Johnson backed that up, saying Williams has been “a very composed person every time he steps into the building.” Gone is the “goofy” guy from a year ago,and Johnson means that with love, of course. What’s left is a more serious player, full of intent, and his teammates are absolutely feeling that vibe. The dude threw only five passes in preseason, which tells you everything about the confidence they have in his progress. This is the Williams everyone was hyped for, finally playing without that rookie pressure.
The Secondary Is a Minefield, But Help Might Be Coming
While the offense seems poised to explode, the Bears’ secondary is definitely a huge question mark coming out of camp. Poles sees a “loaded” unit with versatile players, but injuries are absolutely wrecking the depth chart right now. Nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon’s situation is a mess. He’s battling an offseason calf injury, hasn’t practiced all training camp, and let’s not forget he missed 14 regular-season games last year with a groin issue. Poles is still hopeful for Gordon’s return, but admits they aren’t “progressing as fast as we’d like” due to discomfort. And it gets worse: safety Coby Bryant is out until at least December. Cornerbacks Tyrique Stevenson and Jaylon Johnson also got banged up during camp.
On the defensive line, the Bears traded 2023 second-round pick Gervon Dexter for a fifth-round pick and cornerback Clark Phillips III. This move clears the way for young defensive tackles Jordan van den Berg and Jayden Loving to get more playing time, which Poles likes because it avoids a big payday for a veteran who didn’t fit defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s scheme. Poles is confident in their DT talent, citing the push those young guys made, along with Grady Jarrett, Kentavius Street, and Neville Gallimore. Phillips could be a long-term answer for Gordon, but he hasn’t played much slot corner in the NFL. For now, they’re rolling with fourth-round rookie Malik Muhammad in the slot, with Josh Blackwell, Xavier Woods, and even first-round rookie safety Dillon Thieneman as potential options.
With Caleb Williams looking like he’s ready to explode, the Bears are gonna need that offense to be electric. Can those young D-linemen step up and can the secondary weather this injury storm until guys like Gordon maybe, just maybe, get back? It’s gonna be a wild ride trying to defend that division title, but Poles sounds like he’s all in.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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