LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams dropped back and scanned the field before making a miscue he would soon hear about. He threw over the middle into the hands of middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, who turned the corner and ran to the end zone.

As Edmunds sprinted towards the north end zone on the back field of Halas Hall, his fellow defensive starters followed in stride and yelled — their voices echoing from sideline to sideline for all to hear. Those key veterans on the Bears’ offense certainly have heard plenty during practices this offseason. 

“They look like a top-five defense,” said six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen. “They sound like a top-five defense, too.”

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Williams was named the Bears’ starting quarterback before he ever set foot on the practice fields in Lake Forest. He was selected with hopes of becoming a transcendent star for a franchise that has never had one at the position of quarterback.

Williams is at the center of the spotlight for the Bears’ grand hopes this season — with each rep in practice serving as part of his development plan. He’s facing a first-team defense that understands its role in his growth. 

The Bears boast a defense that’s capable of being one of the best in the NFL this season. During OTAs and veteran minicamp – which concluded late Thursday morning in Lake Forest — the defense has channeled its determination on Williams and this bolstered offensive core.

“I think to play football, you got to have a screw or two loose,” said Pro Bowl pass rusher Montez Sweat. “When you’re out there having fun and talking smack, man, it just makes it so much more fun for everybody around.”

Veteran linebacker T.J. Edwards, who’s more soft-spoken than some of his teammates, understands what the Bears’ offense is up against each day.

“No, we’re definitely pretty annoying, for sure,” Edwards said.

Late last season, the Bears’ defensive identity came to fruition as they had hoped all along. The trade acquisition of Sweat proved to be significant for the entire group because he was the missing piece — a dominant pass rusher who could draw the attention of opposing blockers. 

Then-rookie 3-technique defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. revealed growth with the addition of Sweat, while nose tackle Andrew Billings played his way into a contract extension. Edwards and fellow linebacker Edmunds thrived at the second level of this defense. Jaylon Johnson earned Pro Bowl recognition and a major contract extension as part of his own breakthrough campaign, while young players in the secondary like Jaquan Brisker, Tyrique Stevenson and Kyler Gordon continued to ascend.

The Bears allowed just 17.1 points per game in their final eight contests and forced three or more takeaways five times in that span.

This doesn’t feel like a new season for the starters on this defense. They’re simply picking up where they left off.

“I definitely feel a lot from that defense as far as chemistry, energy and just the type of timing that we’re on,” Gordon said of this group. “For all of us to be on the same page and a step further than last year, I picture a lot of things for us in the future. I’m just excited. Yeah, definitely.

“It really just feels like a giant build-up. It just feels bigger and bigger every day. The more we hang out, the more we play ball together, the more we do anything together, everyone’s just on the same type of timing. Who’s going to make the next play? Who’s going to do this? Who’s going to do that? We know what we want to be. The expectation is high for ourselves, that we put our standards all the way up there.”

The Bears have set a clear goal for themselves defensively to force at least 20 interceptions and recover 20 fumbles, a benchmark for success that translates to victories. Last season, hauled in 15 interceptions and recovered 16 fumbles. 

The Bears’ 20-20 vision is undoubtedly a lofty goal that hasn’t been accomplished since 2012, when it was done by the Bears and the Patriots.

But this Bears defense isn’t going to shy away from any challenge that comes its way.

“You look at the great defenses,” Brisker said. “The Baltimore Ravens, the Pittsburgh Steelers, you can name them; the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Chicago Bears, you can name so many defenses, and their success has been creating turnovers, playing all together and being top five in all of those statistics.

“I really don’t feel like it’s too much pressure. I feel like the pressure should always be on us. Defense wins championships.

“We’re going to have big shoulders, and we’re going to take it all this year.”

Williams’ push for perfection

What makes Caleb Williams click isn’t just the raw talent. He has a different demeanor that has carried him to this point.

Williams doesn’t just want to be great – that’s what he expects of himself. 

“I have my own goals set for myself, and that’s to be perfect,” Williams said. “Obviously, you strive for something like that and you don’t ever reach it, but you keep striving for it.”

Ever since Williams arrived to the Bears in late April as the first overall pick in the draft, the entire organization has operated with a specific plan for his development. Part of that means being supportive for him along the way.

After all, Williams is a rookie carrying the burden of considerable pressure into his NFL career. The Bears also know well that Williams can often be his own worst critic. This team is out to challenge him while also offering guidance along the way.

“He’s our quarterback and we’re behind him,” said T.J. Edwards. “But I think he’s handled everything so well. I think he’s himself.

“He has responded, man. That’s kind of all what you want. You want someone who’s confident and someone who plays within themself and someone who acts within themself. That’s what he is, for sure.”

Fifth-year tight end Cole Kmet has been a key figure alongside Williams ever since he was selected in late April. Kmet has formed a connection with Williams both on and off the field.

“He wants to be remembered for a very long time,” Kmet said. “So, I think he’s ready for this opportunity. He just has the demeanor about him that you have to have, feeling like he can succeed here for sure.”

Since landing in Chicago, Williams has embraced being part of this city just as its fans have welcomed him. He has been in a suite for two Cubs games at Wrigley Field, threw out the first pitch prior at a White Sox home game at Guaranteed Rate Field, and even sat courtside at Wintrust Arena for a Sky preseason game.

But Williams has also put forth great energy in his private time by studying this offensive scheme, working on his pre-snap cadences and establishing himself as the Bears’ starting quarterback. 

Williams understands that the Bears are counting on him once this season begins. He plans to be great.

“There’s a light at the end of that tunnel,” Williams said. “Right now, we’re working with our head down and we’re building. Just having that moment with myself – I do it every day – as I sit there and say, ‘We’re going to be pretty damn good.’ We just got to keep working, keep going.”

‘Crafty’ Allen aims to stay with Bears

Keenan Allen played the first 11 seasons of his career with one team. He became a superstar with the Chargers and set course on a career that will one day put him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

But Allen is set to start a new chapter with the Bears and faces the unknown ahead beyond this season. The 32-year-old Allen is set to play out the final season of his current contract without assurances that he will stay put in Chicago.

Allen isn’t thinking about retirement just yet, and nor should he, given the sustained level of strong play he has produced in recent years. Allen has recorded more than 100 receptions in five of the last seven seasons.

Allen is open to the idea of staying in Chicago for the long term. But the Bears want Allen to go out and prove his place this season before they are willing to commit with a contract extension. 

“I’m going to let the play speak for itself,” Allen said. “And if they offer me something that I like, we’ll go from there. 

“That’s the goal right now is to go out and do what I always do and just try to remain who I am.”

Since being traded to the Bears, Allen has worked to become a key figure on this team. He joined Ryan Poles, Matt Eberflus and the team’s scouting brass at Caleb Williams’ pro day workout in Los Angeles back in March. Allen later worked out with Williams, DJ Moore and Rome Odunze in April – before the Bears had made either of their two first-round picks.

The Bears have formed a quick admiration for Allen. Now, they hope to see him produce again on the field.

“All the NFL coaches have seen Keenan for a lot of years, and the first thing that comes to mind is that he’s crafty,” Eberflus said. “He is so crafty with his route running. It seems like he’s always open, even when I used to double-cover him. He is crafty. He understands his body and understands his way. He’s really friendly to the quarterback because he’s a really big target, and he’s very good at what he does.”

Jaylon’s perspective

Jaylon Johnson carries himself with this unique candor each day, part of what makes him so respected by the Bears. But to enjoy the type of breakthrough year he long coveted, Johnson had to be honest with himself.

Johnson openly admitted that he needed to play at a higher level in 2023 and become a consistent game-changing presence at cornerback. He had just one interception in the three seasons prior, a fact that he knew would be waiting at the negotiating table. Johnson also had to address his own personal struggles with a sex addiction by going to therapy during the season.

Johnson produced a stellar campaign in which he hauled in four interceptions, earned his first career Pro Bowl nod and was rated as the No. 1 cornerback in the NFL by Pro Football Focus. He feels lighter emotionally after attending those therapy sessions and becoming a better man.

The Bears rewarded Johnson this offseason with a four-year, $76-million contract extension that makes him a cornerstone for this franchise and its budding defense. For Johnson, that type of wealth means being able to support his fiancé and growing family the way he always hoped.

“To me, life never stops being life,” Johnson said. “There’s new challenges, new things to go on. I mean, I just got engaged, have a baby on the way. So, I got plenty more obstacles that still keep a little pressure on my shoulders. But at the end of the day, I feel like God gives me the strength to overcome any obstacle that I have. Anything that comes in my life, I feel like I have full strength and endurance to be able to get through it. 

“I’m ready for it. I don’t know what’s to come and whatever it is, I know I’ll be good for it.”

‘Big brother’ for Booker

The Bears were prepared to be done with their 2024 NFL Draft by early Saturday afternoon after exhausting all four of their picks. But Ryan Poles told his draft room to be prepared if a certain player fell on Day 3.

That prospect was Austin Booker, for whom the Bears traded back into the fifth round to select. Booker entered the draft as a raw pass rusher with plenty of untapped potential. Perhaps more importantly, he’s a young man eager to learn and grow at this next level.

Shortly after the selection of Booker was announced in the fifth round, he had already received a message from Montez Sweat welcoming him to the Bears.

“Oh, man, I’m excited about him,” Sweat said of Booker. “He’s got the whole makeup, from the frame to the pass-rush ability. He’s going to be a great player. 

“I’ve just got to be that big brother for him. Be there for him when he has a question, just help him along the way like the vets helped me.”

The Bears will have a battle for the edge rusher role opposite Sweat. Veterans DeMarcus Walker and Jacob Martin seem to have an inside track for the primary reps at that position.

But Booker is determined to develop in a way that earns himself opportunities with the first-team defense. He could be a key figure working with Sweat – perhaps even right away as a rookie.

No deal yet for Jenkins

Representatives for Teven Jenkins recently approached the Bears regarding their hopes of a contract extension this offseason. Those hopes were not met.

“Nothing is on the table,” Jenkins said.

Jenkins, 26, is entering a contract year with plenty still to prove. When healthy, he has been a strong performer – especially since switching from tackle to guard two years ago. But injuries have held Jenkins back from being the type of reliable, consistent player that the Bears need.

Jenkins has played just 31 of a possible 51 games over three years in the league. Last season, he played in just 12 contests (11 starts) as the Bears were forced to lean on their depth on the offensive line.

“Stay healthy,” Jenkins said. “That’s number one and of the utmost importance for me right now. Stay healthy, get through the whole 17 games and continue my strong play from last year, and be a more consistent, reliable guy.”

Training camp around the corner

With the end of veteran minicamp, the Bears will break for six weeks away from Halas Hall.  The team will kick off training camp July 19 ahead of this anticipated new season.

“I told the guys to get ready for a very competitive training camp because we have a lot of good skill sets on both sides,” Eberflus said. “We should really get after it. That’s the only way we are going to get ready for the first game and then leading into that beginning part of the season, is by really being elite at competing against each other.”

The Bears will hold nine practices open to the public at Halas Hall. They will also welcome the Bengals for a joint practice to be conducted Thursday, Aug. 15, ahead of their preseason game two days later at Soldier Field.

Tickets to attend training camp are free but limited and will be made available beginning July 9.