Camp report: Bears offense struggles in Thursday practice, but still anticipates success soon

LAKE FOREST, Ill. - Offensively, it's all still a work in progress, but you wouldn't know that from talking to the players.

Putting it simply, the Chicago Bears struggled on offense Thursday. The two-minute drilled stalled quickly with the first-team offense and pre-snap penalties made it worse.

But, the Bears' offensive players have an air of confidence around them as they sort through numerous additions and a rookie quarterback.

Here's Thursday's camp dispatch:

Two-minute drill struggles 

Caleb Williams has had better two-minute drills, to be sure. He did not get a first down in either of his two attempts on Thursday, quickly going three and out both times.

Both drives started at mid-field, and Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said the offense had a timeout in its pocket with the goal being to get into field goal range.

We scored the first two-minute drill as follows:

1st and 10: Incomplete deep pass right to Rome Odunze

2nd and 10: incomplete short pass right to D'Andre Swift

3rd and 10: incomplete deep pass left to DJ Moore, batted away

That forced a punt.

This is in stark contrast to a few days ago, when Williams, faced with a third and 10, found Keenan Allen for a first down that extended the drill. This time, Williams' deep third down pass was batted away.

On the first-team offense's second attempt at the two-minute drill was going to be better by default, until it wasn't.

Here's how we scored the second attempt:

1st and 10: Complete short right pass to Rome Odunze

2nd and 5: incomplete slant to Odunze

3rd and 5: False start, offensive line

3rd and 10: incomplete scramble drill deep pass left to DJ Moore, intercepted by Kevin Byard but out of bounds. 

So, improvement is needed, sure, but the offense is still navigating plenty.

It helps that the Bears' offensive roster has plenty of confidence.

Keeping confidence

Bears tight end Gerald Everett, who said he signed with the Bears because of the Bears' offensive potential, said "it's scary" when he sees the Bears' ceiling at practice.

There are still wrinkles to iron out, but that does little to wane the Bears' offensive confidence.

Consider the circumstances: rookie quarterback, first-year offensive coordinator, newly signed offensive weapons and an ongoing center competition, just to name a few things.

The Bears defense has been together for years under Eberflus' system. They were always going to have the advantage just in terms of chemistry in the opening weeks of camp. This is evident when the Bears' defense makes a play; they make sure to let the offense know they have the advantage.

But, the Bears' offense is aiming to stack success. If one good day leads to another, they'll begin to see the work translate to success in camp. They believe it's "when" as opposed to "if," and when it clicks the offense wants to see if the defense keeps that same energy.

"We'll see if they stay loud," Everett said.

Thursday standouts

Caleb Williams struggled in the two-minute drill, but he looked comfortable in the 7-on-7 drill.

He had three touchdown passes in the 7-on-7 drills. Two of them, one to D'Andre Swift and another to Velus Jones, were in the left corner of the end zone and looked effortless.

The strike to Jones was over the heads of two Bears defenders, and placed right in the back corner of the end zone. It was by far the best pass of the day for Williams as it displayed accuracy and arm strength in the same move.

Odunze caught the third touchdown on a play where he shed a tackler, spun out of a second and went into the end zone.

Add that to the list of ways the rookie receiver is impressing at Halas Hall on a regular basis.

"Once he's on you, he's on you," Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson said. "If you let him, he'll run right by you."

Thursday notes

• Will Caleb Williams play in the Hall of Fame Game next week against Houston? "We've had lengthy conversations about it," Eberflus said. No decision yet, but Eberflus said he'll eventually get into contact with Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans about some expectations heading into the game.
• Nickelback Kyler Gordon was held out of practice Thursday with "tightness," Eberflus said. Gordon suffered the tightness in the last practice on Tuesday, and was just held out today as a precaution. The Bears did not seem too worried about it.
• Jonathan Owens is leaving soon to watch his wife Simone Biles compete at the Paris Games. He said he even got the Bears locker room to get into gymnastics, although some have asked Owens to bring them back souveniers. "Words can't even describe it," Owens said. "Someone that's at the pinnacle of their sport, and I get to call this person my wife."