Chicago Bears Training Camp Day 9: Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze connection is beginning to emerge

LAKE FOREST — Fans returned to Halas Hall on Tuesday for a hot and sunny practice on Day 9 of Chicago Bears training camp. Tuesday’s practice started with a long and thorough walk through before the team began competing in 1-on-1s, 7-on-7s and the team periods.

Here are my notes from the 1-on-1s between the offensive and defensive lines and my observations from team portions of Tuesday’s padded practice. 

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Williams-Odunze connection

The offense through nine training camp practices has been inconsistent. We’ve seen it all from pre-snap penalties, to the offensive line giving up pressure, miscommunication on routes, overthrows, etc.

There are some days when those issues have been cleaned up, too. One positive development from the past two practices has bee the connection growing between Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze.

On Monday, the two rookies connected for a highlight play in the back left corner of the end zone.

On Tuesday, Williams and Odunze connected again on a nearly identical play. Towards the end of practice the Bears worked on the situational team period. The offense started on their own 40-yard line and had 1:30 left on the clock.

Williams started the drive by completing a pass to Keenan Allen on the right side of the field for a 10+ yard gain. Then the Bears called a screen to D’Andre Swift, which went for an explosive play after Swift maneuvered his way in the middle of the field.

Williams lined up in the shotgun on the third play and delivered a pass to Odunze in the back left corner of the end zone. Odunze was in between Kevin Byard and Terell Smith, and the rookie quarterback put the ball exactly where it needed to be for the rookies to score the touchdown.

The rookie duo weren’t done, though. On a two-point conversion attempt, Williams threw a high ball to Odunze near the back right corner of the end zone, and Odunze went up to make the reception and was able to keep his feet in bounds.

On the two throws in the back left corner of the end zone, there is a level of trust Williams needs to have in Odunze to make those completions. If Odunze isn’t at the correct landmark, with two defenders in the area, those could be red zone interceptions.

Although the offense as a whole has been inconsistent, the chemistry developing between Williams and Odunze is encouraging to see.

OL vs. DL 1-on-1s

• Braxton Jones went against DeMarcus Walker for both reps, and Jones stood his ground against Walker’s bullrush move. Jones has been really transparent about the areas of his game that he needs to improve on, and that improvement has showed in the 1-on-1s. Walker has tried to go through Jones on previous days of camp, but it would be beneficial to see him utilize other moves when he is lined up as a defensive end. When Walker has lined up inside, there tends to be more versatility to the types of pass rush moves he uses.
• Teven Jenkins won his rep against Zacch Pickens. I asked Pickens after Tuesday’s practice who has been the toughest lineman to go against in training camp.

“Right now I’m going against Teven,” Pickens said. “Me and Teven been going back and forth. He challenges me, I challenge him. We both make each other better. If I got questions, I’ll be like, ‘How was this?’ He’ll be like, ‘I’m gonna set you like this.’ He always give me pointers to help me and I give him pointers to.”

• Coleman Shelton stood his ground against Andrew Billings on his first rep, but the veteran defensive lineman overpowered Shelton on the second rep.
• Ryan Bates faced Gervon Dexter Sr. on their rep, and the second-year defensive lineman powered through Bates to get to the quarterback.
• Montez Sweat beat Darnell Wright with a bullrush move and then the defensive end turned the corner to get to the quarterback.
• Wright did have a good block against Dominique Robinson.

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