Chicago Bears Training Camp: 5 Takeaways from Day 1

The first day of Chicago Bears training camp is in the books, and while it didn’t provide many highlights for fans to consume on social media, there were at least a few noteworthy takeaways from practice.

Here are five.

Keenan Allen is already impressed with Caleb Williams

The fastest way for Caleb Williams to earn the respect of his teammates is to impress All-Pro veterans. And that’s exactly what he did during the Bears’ first practice Saturday.

Keenan Allen met with the media after practice and said he already sees an improvement in how Williams is managing the huddle. He wasn’t timid, which is pretty much what we all expected from him.

Bears WR Keenan Allen on QB Caleb Williams’ progress from the spring to the start of camp: “He called the plays way better than he did in OTAs. … There was no timidness from him today.”

— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) July 20, 2024

It would’ve been a bigger surprise if Williams had been somehow hesitant or unwilling to take charge. He’s been “the guy” on every team he’s started for, and there’s no doubt he’ll assume that position quickly with the Bears. It sounds like he’s already pretty close.

Gervon Dexter is ready for a monster season

Dexter remains one of the biggest enigmas on the Chicago Bears roster. He was drafted in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft despite not having the kind of career production at Florida to justify the pick. Instead, Dexter’s underwhelming box score was attributed more to the Gators’ scheme than his ability.

Dexter’s rookie year was a mixed bag, but he finished strong. The Bears haven’t done much to upgrade the defensive line, meaning Dexter’s role will expand. Chicago needs him to contribute more than the 2.5 sacks he totaled as a rookie, and apparently, he knows it.

Dexter’s physical transformation was a talking point after Saturday’s practice.

#Bears star edge rusher Montez Sweat talking about Gervon Dexter Sr doing conditioning with the defensive ends, Gervon’s body transformation, and his year two expectations for Gervon.

“He definitely made a transformation with his body, but I always expected big things from… pic.twitter.com/TpNmHZclrD

— ImBearingDown (@ImBearingDown) July 20, 2024

Bears Defense wins Day 1

By all accounts, the Chicago Bears defense ended Saturday’s practice the victor. That’s a good thing, too. If Caleb Williams and the completely restructured Bears offense shredded what should be a top-five defense, it’d be more of an indictment against the defensive starters than a “win” for the new-look offense.

Saturday’s practice session had just one 7-on-7 and two 11-on-11 sessions, which isn’t many by general training camp standards. Perhaps Caleb Williams and the offense would’ve found their stride had they had more opportunities to get going.

Chicago Bears aren’t at full strength

Several expected (key) starters weren’t on the field Saturday. Left tackle Braxton Jones, linebacker TJ Edwards, and wide receiver Rome Odunze (personal) were all out of action. Tight end Gerald Everett didn’t practice.

“It was something that we knew from training,” Eberflus said about Everett’s absence. “It was from training, and we’ll see where it goes. It’s day-to-day, and we’ll see where it goes. It was nothing major. And so that’s where it is.”

It’s great to be back

Take a second and enjoy the fact that Chicago Bears football is back.

Caleb Williams, Day 1. #Bears. pic.twitter.com/mPMP51dtlu

— Mark Grote (@grotesports) July 20, 2024

We’ll have plenty of time to argue about good or bad practices, debate which players are winning the summer, and engage in all the other fan behavior that comes with training camp.

But, just for a second, sit back and enjoy. Caleb Williams has arrived, and the Bears are back.