Chicago Bears training camp: Recapping Day 9

Quarterback Caleb Williams and the starting offense got off to a hot start during 1-on-1 and team drills, but things didn’t end well during the two-minute drill. Still, according to Zack Pearson, “Williams and the offense are getting more and more comfortable” these last few practices, and Saturday was “another good day out there.” It’s certainly encouraging just ahead of preseason with Chicago slated to host the Miami Dolphins for a joint practice next week. Rookie tight end Colston Loveland also continued to thrive with receiver Rome Odunze showcasing his big-play potential.

Let’s recap Day 9 of Bears training camp:

• For all intents and purposes, Caleb Williams had another impressive day of practice. But there were some mistakes made, which is to be expected. It’s never going to be perfect, but the important thing is Williams continues to show progress. Greg Braggs said Williams was “dialed in once again” during Saturday’s practice, where he made some impressive throws throughout the day. Braggs said Williams might’ve had his “best throw camp so far” when he delivered a tight throw into traffic where Braggs noted “tight window throw would be putting it mildly.” But, once again, the two-minute drill continues to be the offense’s downfall. After evading a pass rusher and delivering a touchdown to a wide open Cole Kmet, Williams “tried to sneak a ball into the end zone,” per Michal Dwojak, and was intercepted by cornerback Nahshon Wright to end practice. But, as Zack Pearson noted, the “last few practices it feels like Caleb Williams and the offense are getting more and more comfortable” and said it was “another good day out there.”
• The Bears’ left tackle battle continued with a notable development: Rookie Ozzy Trapilo took all the reps with the starters during Saturday’s practice, according to Adam Jahns. Following practice, offensive coordinator Declan Doyle noted they’re still rotating, with today being slated for Trapilo. But it is noteworthy that Trapilo got the first crack taking every rep with the first team while Braxton Jones worked with the second and third teams with Kiran Amegadjie sidelined.
• Another day, another practice where rookie tight end Colston Loveland continues to flash his potential in this offense. Loveland has only been practicing for a week, but he’s already developed a nice rapport not only with Caleb Williams but Case Keenum and Tyson Bagent as he serves as a security blanket for his QBs. Mark Carman noted that Loveland “gets the ball a lot,” which says a lot about his potential usage in this offense. Loveland was the recipient of a Caleb Williams strike of a touchdown pass to kick off 7-on-7 work. Loveland also had the “catch of the day,” according to Adam Jahns, on a “back-shoulder jump ball” from Case Keenum with linebacker Ruben Hyppolite in tight coverage. Clay Harbor raved about Loveland being “a threat in the red zone” with a pair of touchdowns during 7-on-7 with his “unique blend of size and speed” that will make him a matchup nightmare.
• It’s easy to lose sight of certain players in the Bears’ loaded pass catching group, but second-year pro Rome Odunze continues to show everyone that he’s primed for a breakout year. Odunze showed out several times during Saturday’s practice, which included him going up and snatching a ball away from cornerback Kyler Gordon during 1-on-1 — Greg Braggs said Odunze “mossed” Gordon. Later in practice, Odunze made a catch in between defenders from quarterback Caleb Williams, which got QB1 all fired up. Williams connected with Odunze again during the two-minute drill, hauling in a reception on a critical fourth down to keep the chains moving (although the drill ended in an interception). It’s clear Williams and Odunze are furthering their connection, and they’ll be a potent duo to watch as the season gets underway.
• One of the biggest surprises of training camp has been the emergence of cornerback Nahshon Wright, who has been working with the first-team defense from Day 1 of training camp (with Pro Bowler Jaylon Johnson sidelined). Not only does Wright feel like a safe bet for the 53-man roster at this point, he’s competing for the CB2 spot opposite Johnson. Right now, Tyrique Stevenson is his biggest competition. But while Stevenson has rotated at times with Terell Smith, Wright has worked with the starters throughout. Wright had a “stellar” interception of quarterback Caleb Williams to end practice, according to Patrick Finley. Wright, who worked with defensive backs coach Al Harris in Dallas, is making a strong case to serve an impact role in his first season with Chicago.
• Newly-extended nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon has been a standout player throughout training camp, and he was making plays during Saturday’s padded practice and showcasing his physicality and impactful play. According to Nicholas Moreno, Gordon “destroyed” running back D’Andre Swift with a big hit in the backfield during the team period. Greg Braggs said Gordon “looked like a missile” as he ran over Swift. Zack Pearson added Gordon came in “untouched” and garnered a huge reaction from the defense. During 1-on-1 drills, Gordon had “sticky coverage” against receiver Olamide Zaccheaus, per Moreano. While he didn’t win one of his 1-on-1 reps against Rome Odunze — who “mossed him” according to Braggs — Gordon continues to show just how valuable he is to this Bears defense.
• While the offense is making strides as training camp progresses, there’s one lingering issue that continues to rear its ugly head in snapping issues. Every practice, there seems to be a mention of a bad/fumbled snap — be it starters or reserves — that needs to be cleaned up. Greg Braggs said it’s been “a consistent theme” throughout training camp, and it popped up again Saturday. According to Braggs, there was a botched snap by Drew Dalman to Caleb Williams during team drills. Mason West added there was also a fumbled snap with Ryan Bates at center with quarterback Tyson Bagent. This is the time for this to happen. But the Bears need to get this cleaned up before Week 1.

• CB Kyler Gordon: Kyler Gordon wants to remind everyone that it is okay to cheer for the defense while at training camp. No, really. Gordon stood out on Saturday in both individual drills and team sessions. He first made his presence known while covering receiver Olamide Zaccheaus to break up a pass during 1-on-1s. According to Marquee Sports Network’s Nicholas Moreano, Gordon then yelled to the crowd that it’s okay to cheer for the defense, which fired up those in attendance. Gordon’s best play of the day, however, came on a run from D’Andre Swift. According to CHGO’s Greg Braggs Jr., Gordon lit up Swift as he tried to run the ball up the middle and blew up the play. It’s something Gordon has shown he can do very well in games, so it’s nice to see that pop up during training camp. Gordon showed off both his pass coverage skills and run defense on Saturday.
• WR Rome Odunze: While Gordon had a really nice practice, he wasn’t perfect. That’s in part thanks to wide receiver Rome Odunze, who showed out on Saturday multiple times. During 1-on-1s, Odunze went up and snatched the ball away from Gordon, who had tight coverage on the second-year receiver. Later on, he made a catch in between two defenders, according to CHGO’s Greg Braggs Jr., and he made a nice grab on a fourth down during the two-minute drill, as noted by Zack Pearson of Bear Report. Williams clearly trusts Odunze, and the pair is on their way towards becoming a formidable duo when the season begins.
• TE Colston Loveland: Another skill position player that had a nice day was rookie tight end Colston Loveland, who is stacking solid practices together over the last week. Loveland had a couple of touchdowns during 7-on-7s, according to CHSN’s Clay Harbor. His best catch, as noted by CHGO’s Adam Jahns, came during that period when Loveland caught a back-shoulder jump ball from quarterback Case Keenum over fellow rookie Ruben Hyppolite in the back of the end zone. Loveland also caught a touchdown from Williams during 7-on-7s, the first play of that period, according to 670 The Score’s Chris Emma. Loveland is showing he can be a nightmare matchup, and he may make more of an impact early on in the season than initially thought.
• OT Ozzy Trapilo: Are we seeing the left tackle competition start to come to an end? Saturday’s practice may have given us an important clue as to who will be protecting Williams’ blindside come Week 1. Rookie tackle Ozzy Trapilo took all of the reps with the first-team offense on Saturday, a change from the last few padded practices where Braxton Jones and Kiran Amegadjie saw action. Jones was rotating with the second- and third-string offense, while Amegadjie did not participate. Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle insisted that the competition is still ongoing via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin,but it feels notable that Trapilo got the first crack at getting every rep with the starters.
• CB Nahshon Wright: Saturday’s practice was a back-and-forth battle between the offense and defense, which is precisely what you want to see. The defense got the last laugh, however, thanks to cornerback Nahshon Wright. On the final play of practice, Wright made a highlight interception off a slant route that Williams threw. This came just one play after a touchdown to Cole Kmet, showing how the two units have been battling. Wright is making a strong case to not only earn a roster spot but also see significant playing time on defense when the season begins. He’s turning many heads, and he showed why.