Bears 2024 training camp: Takeaways from first full week

The Chicago Bears have wrapped their first full week of training camp, which consisted of five non-padded practices and two padded workouts at Halas Hall.

It was certainly an eventful first week of action, where rookie quarterback Caleb Williams got his first taste of training camp action, which included some highlight-worthy throws that preview an exciting future. It was also a statement week for the Bears defense, which is looking to establish itself as one of the NFL's top units. While the future certainly looks bright for Chicago, there are still some concerns heading into their preseason opener against the Houston Texans for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on Thursday.

Following the first full week of practice, here are some quick takeaways from Bears training camp:

Defense is ahead of the offense

Through the first seven practices, the defense has dominated the offense between five non-padded and two padded practices. It's not exactly a surprise considering the offense is learning a new scheme under Shane Waldron and the defense is in its third year under coach Matt Eberflus. This is also a defense that has the potential to be a top-10 -- maybe even top-5 -- unit in the league. While the offense has had its moments, the defense has been mostly on the winning end during team periods, including the two-minute drill. The defensive line has especially made a statement in padded sessions, overwhelming the offensive line and bringing consistent pressure on quarterback Caleb Williams. The defensive backs even ramped up the takeaways during Saturday's workout. When all is said and done, going against a talented defense is only going to help an offense stacked with playmakers and a talented rookie quarterback in Williams.

Offense needs to clean up operational issues

For the first five practices of training camp, the offense had clean operation, which was a vast improvement over the offseason program. They committed no more than one pre-snap penalty in a single workout. But things changed once the pads went on, which is a more true evaluation of where the offense is at this point of the summer. The offense saw a flurry of pre-snap penalties in the two padded practices. On Friday, the offense had five false starts. Saturday was even worst with seven pre-snap penalties -- five false starts and two delay of games. Eberflus pointed to Friday's issues stemming from the offense using different cadences that resulted in some timing issues. Meanwhile, Saturday's issues were due to what the defense was doing.

"The offense, obviously, had its struggles today," Eberflus said. "But I said to them, all three phases have to play well for us to be a good football team. … It’s got to be all three phases and we’re just not there yet. I do expect us to learn and grow from this."

Caleb Williams drawing rave reviews

Williams has been far from perfect through the first seven practices of training camp, but from the media in attendance, it's clear that the Bears have a potential star on their hands. The No. 1 overall pick has drawn rave reviews from the media, as well as his teammates and coaches. One of the aspects of his game that's stood out is his pocket presence. There have been times where the offensive line has been overpowered by the defensive front, and Williams has evaded pressure and escaped the pocket to make some impressive throws. While it's just practice, some of the plays he's made -- as seen on the team's social media account, and relayed by the media -- have provided a glimpse of just how special he can be. Williams is also stepping into his own as a leader, which includes stepping in to break up a scuffle between defensive end DeMarcus Walker and tight end Gerald Everett.

"That jump from OTAs to now, there was just a huge step forward for him," offensive lineman Ryan Bates said. "Being vocal, doing a great job with his cadence, getting everybody on the same page, the play calls, because it's a lot different than what he was doing in college, and he's embracing it wholeheartedly and he's kicking ass, he really is."

The offensive line remains a concern

Stop me if you've heard this one before: But the Bears' offensive line is a concern heading into the regular season. In the first two padded practices, the defensive line has dominated the offensive line and brought consistent pressure on Williams. While the rookie quarterback has still managed to make plays despite the pressure, it's not an exactly a recipe for success heading into the regular season. For what it's worth, left tackle Braxton Jones has been ramping up after battling injury in the offseason program. But pass protection will be key to Williams finding success as a rookie, and it's certainly a concern.

Then there are the questions along the interior, which includes a battle at center between Ryan Bates and Coleman Shelton. Last week, Eberflus said the team would take the center competition well into training camp, which has been evident by Bates and Shelton rotating at center with the first-team offense. But there's also another determining factor: the health of right guard Nate Davis, who was sidelined Saturday with a "strain" that has him listed as "day to day." In his absence, Chicago has shifted Bates to right guard and Shelton gets the nod at center. Davis' biggest struggle has been his availability, which explains why the Bears went out and added two versatile interior linemen this offseason.

"Availability is everything in this league," Eberflus said. "You’ve got to be available to practice. And you’ve go to be able to go through hard in terms of doing hard better during training camp. That’s all part of preparing for the first part of the season, being able to do that, to callous yourself. That’s your individual responsibility to the football team and when you’re not out there, guess what? That doesn’t happen."

Tyler Scott developing early connection with Caleb Williams

There have been some early standout players through the first full week of training camp, and on offense it's been second-year receiver Tyler Scott, who's quickly becoming a favorite target for Williams. Scott, a former fourth-round pick, has been on the receiving end of some impressive catches with the first-team offense, where he's showcasing his playmaking ability in a loaded receiver room. While Scott won't get the attention or focus like DJ Moore, Keenan Allen or Rome Odunze, who have all made plays this summer, he's quietly carving out a bigger role for himself with the regular season approaching.

"The game just feels so much slower for me," Scott said about his comfort level. "I can look up, see what’s going on, see what’s in front of me. I can (anticipate). That’s the biggest thing. I can expect when I’m probably going to get the ball, when I may not get the ball. So, I feel like as a player, once you get to that point, things start to slow down."

Gervon Dexter making waves along the defensive line

Chicago's defensive line has made life difficult on the offensive line through the first two padded practices, and defensive tackle Gervon Dexter has been a big part of that. Dexter, entering his second season, is stepping into the starting three-technique role, which is considered the most important position in Eberflus' defense. So far, Dexter has been a menace as an interior pass rusher, bringing consistent pressure at times. Dexter spent the offseason focusing on conditioning, and it's certainly paying off.

"He's a good player," Shelton said. "He's long, he plays hard, he plays through the whistle, he's the type of guy who never lets up. You've really gotta finish your block every time when you go against him."

Punt returner job is wide open

The Bears have a number of position battles going on this summer, but the most wide-open one appears to be punt returner. Last week, special teams coordinator Richard Hightower noted seven potential options who could return punts this season: Rome Odunze, DeAndre Carter, Dante Pettis, Velus Jones Jr., Greg Stroman Jr., Tyrique Stevenson and even potentially DJ Moore. But it's still early as Hightower admitted, "I don't know who the guy is going to be."

As for what he's looking for in a punt returner, Hightower said: "You've got to be fearless, and you've got to have confidence. Those things you've got to have before you ever step on the field. And then when we get on the field, the No. 1 thing is ball security. We need somebody that is going to take care of the football and give us the best field position."

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears 2024 training camp: Takeaways from first full week