Bears OTAs: Chicago's defense is looking to start the season fast after strong finish in 2023

3. Bears' defense is already coming out hot

After finishing the 2023 season as one of the best defensive units in football, the Bears' appear to have not missed a beat heading into the upcoming season, which was the hopeful expectation to see this time of year.

"Our defense played well down the stretch," Eberflus said. "We all know that. We anticipate them coming off to a fast start. We certainly want to have that. The guys are excited about putting the work in to get that done. Nothing's guaranteed in this league and you've got to put the work in."

While the bulk of the defensive scheme remains the same under Eberflus, the unit will have more of an emphasis on the pass rush under new defensive coordinator Eric Washington. If that unit can turn a corner under Washington paired with Eberflus' high-flying zone scheme in coverage, the unit will once again look to be among the top of the turnover charts in 2024.

"We're expecting to be a top defense and I think anything less than that is a let down," Byard explained. "We have to get off to a fast start... We got to make sure we're a top defense every single day and just having that consistency."

Granted it's still early in the summer and the defense is facing the team's young offense learning a new scheme, that side of the ball already looks like a feisty group of players the team will rely heavily on during the start of the season.

"I think that is just part of their DNA," Washington said. "Definitely we want to play with an edge. We want to compete with an edge. We want to compete like we're the best unit on the field, and that's something you have to back up with how you play, how you study, how you invest, and I really like the spirit, like the attitude out there."

4. Bears are trying various options at kick returner

Under the new rule changes coming to the league this upcoming season, kickoff returns are expected to become more prevalent once again and the majority of the teams around the league, including the Bears, are tinkering with new ways to take advantage of the new changes.

Bears' special teams coordinator Richard Hightower already had high praise for wide receiver Velus Jones when it comes to filling that role for his unit as the kickoff returner. But, that's not the end all be all of the conversation.

According to Nicholas Moreano, the Bears experimented with other players back deep returning kicks during OTAs on Thursday with Jones missing practice. Those players included undrafted rookie running back Ian Wheeler, recently signed wide receiver Freddie Swain and undrafted rookie wide receiver Peter LeBlanc. It's an interesting group of names and we'll see if the Bears let any other players back there.

5. Both Eberflus and Washington raved about DT Gervon Dexter

If there's one player who came away as a major winner in Chicago following the offseason moves, it was second-year defensive tackle Gervon Dexter after the team opted to not add any bodies to the interior of the offensive line.

So far, the front office and coaching staff's trust in Dexter has paid off since he returned for practice this week.

"He changed his body in the time that he was off so he's much leaner now and he's quicker," Eberflus said. "He really looks good in terms of his get-off, that was one thing he had to work on, that and pad level. He's worked on those things and his athletic ability is even better now."

Those two areas were definitely something Dexter struggled with during his rookie season, yet he still managed to play 39.8 percent of the team's defensive snaps in 2023 and record 2.5 sacks. Entering Year 2 under the same scheme but under the guidance of the team's new defensive coordinator, Dexter will really be able to shine.

"The biggest thing is how assertive he is," Washington explained. "You can tell that there's a growing confidence. He's assertive, he believes that he belongs in the line up and he believes that he can be a major factor."

6. Caleb Williams is handling the rookie struggles the right way

It's not all going to be sunshine and rainbows from here on out for the Bears' first overall pick and new franchise quarterback.

During the first week of OTAs in Chicago, Williams has already been met with multiple ups and downs as he transitions to life in the NFL as a starting quarterback. So far, he's handled everything the right way from how he's carried himself and from what we've heard from his coaches and teammates.

"I see progress," Eberflus said. "That's going to continue to be that way. He's been in early and stays late... and been working his tail off."

From what we've seen so far on the field, Williams talent on the field is as advertised. Not only in his physical talent as a quarterback but also the leadership qualities he's already bringing into the locker room.

"You can see the natural leadership is there," Moore said. "The natural arm talent is there. Everything about him is always a positive thing. Even when he has a bad day, he's looking to learn real fast right after."

Williams had a tough end to the first week after the team's defense got the better of him multiple times with the media in attendance but even seeing how he handled the adversity and disappointing day shows even more about his character and mentality. 

"We like to think that will be a by-product of his growth and development," Washington explained. "He's having to go up against the exceptional, seasoned players that we have on the line of scrimmage and in our back seven. We all have a vested interest in wanting to see that young man grow and become battle-tested."