While the offensive line\u2019s interior is significantly improved\u2014and looked as such\u2014with the additions of guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, and center Drew Dalman, the tackles are still a work in progress. Bills edge rushers Gregory Rousseau and Joey Bosa were living in the backfield using a variety of rushes, consistently causing problems for Braxton Jones and Theo Benedet on the left, and Darnell Wright on the right.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The offensive line is another priority for Johnson to fix, as Chicago starts the season facing Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel of the Vikings. Last year, the duo totaled 23.5 sacks, while Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave were brought in to push the pocket inside.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Williams and the offense also have other issues.\u00a0<\/p>\n
On one play about 90 minutes into practice, Bosa pushed Williams in the upper chest as he finished his pass rush. In most sessions, forcible contact with a starting quarterback would have resulted in either a loud shoving match or a full-scale brawl. In Lake Forest, it resulted in a collective shrug from teammates as the Bears moved to their next play in the two-minute drill.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finally, there was Williams, who was constantly holding onto the ball too long. While Buffalo\u2019s defense deserves some credit for holding up well at times in coverage, Williams also had a plethora of snaps where he had open receivers and didn\u2019t fire.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Quick decision-making was another problem Johnson was brought in to help quell, as Williams was sacked a league-worst 68 times last year. While many of those sacks were on a porous line, Williams was also at fault for failing to unload the ball promptly. As a rookie, Williams ranked tied for eighth with 2.4 seconds in the pocket per dropback. Yet despite taking his time, his bad throw percentage was 21.1%, third-worst behind only Anthony Richardson and Bryce Young.<\/p>\n
At some point, Johnson has to get Williams playing better, and right now, the only thing consistent about the Bears\u2019 first-team offense is that it wasn\u2019t operating like a quality unit.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While much of the offense was a challenge for the Bears, they did have a couple of standout performers, including running back D\u2019Andre Swift and second-year wideout Rome Odunze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Odunze had a strong showing throughout the afternoon, starting with a terrific catch in a 7-on-7 period. The former Washington standout was running a deep cross and was able to leap to snare a high throw from Williams, bringing it down to his body before going to the ground in front of Bills safety Jordan Hancock.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Later, Odunze was the target of a redzone drill toss from Williams. Lining up to the right, the 6′ 3″, 214-pounder raced across the face of veteran corner Tre\u2019Davious White and left him with ease on another crossing pattern, catching the ball along the back of the end zone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As a rookie, Odunze caught 54 passes for 734 yards and three touchdowns. With Keenan Allen in Los Angeles, he should have an even larger role as a clear second option to DJ Moore II.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not often you hear a pad-popping thump in training camp, but Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard provided one in a red-zone drill.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With Buffalo\u2019s back against its goal line, Williams tried to thread a pass into rookie tight end Colston Loveland inside the 1-yard line. Loveland initially caught the ball before being hammered in the back by Bernard, who jarred the ball loose.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bernard is an unsung national name, but he\u2019s one of the Bills\u2019 defensive lynchpins. A terrific all-around linebacker who totaled 7.5 sacks, eight passes defensed, and five interceptions over the past two seasons, Bernard has formed an excellent tandem on the second level with veteran Matt Milano.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Speaking of Milano, the 31-year-old looks fully healed from a torn biceps and a fractured leg, two injuries that cost him 25 games over the past two campaigns.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Bills defensive end Joey Bosa signed with Buffalo in the offseason after nine seasons and 72 sacks with the Chargers. \/ Tina MacIntyre-Yee\/Democrat and Chronicle \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n
While primarily playing with the second team, Luther Burden III showed why the Bears made him the No. 39 pick in April.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Burden, who stands 6′ 0″ and 210 pounds, was able to shake free on a few in-breaking routes at intermediate depth in team periods, while also making contested catches when he failed to gain separation. On one of the final plays of practice in a team drill, Burden snagged the ball between two Buffalo defensive backs to a roar of the crowd before getting up and exalting.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At Missouri, Burden was once thought of as a potential top-10 pick before ultimately sliding to the second round because of a somewhat disappointing 2024, which saw him total 61 catches for 676 yards and three touchdowns. However, the year prior, Burden was one of the SEC\u2019s best receivers, with 1,212 yards and nine scores.\u00a0<\/p>\n