Chicago Bears notes: QB Caleb Williams defends his offensive line

LAKE FOREST – Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams doesn’t like the narrative around his offensive line right now.

When the Bears last played a week ago, the Seattle Seahawks sacked Williams seven times. For much of the season, the narrative outside Halas Hall has been that the offensive line is the weakest part of this team.

Williams is having none of that.

“The connotation behind my offensive line has been annoying and frustrating,” Williams said this week. “They work their tails off to be able to go out there. Whether guys are fighting injuries, guys can’t play and other guys are stepping up, or guys who have been playing the whole season – the negative connotation behind them – they come in here and work their butts off each day and each week. I’ve taken sacks, yes, a good amount have been on me."

The connotation behind my offensive line has been annoying and frustrating. They work their tails off to be able to go out there."

—  Caleb Williams, Bears quarterback

Certainly both parties are to blame. Williams leads the league with 67 sacks and he’s nine sacks shy of the NFL’s single season record. It would take a really bad effort Sunday against Green Bay to break David Carr’s record 76 sacks from 2002.

This could just be a case of the quarterback defending his guys, but offensive coordinator Chris Beatty agreed with Williams' assessment.

“You take ownership for some of the things that aren’t going well,” Beatty said. “You take ownership for some of the things that are beyond your control too. That’s part of being in that position and having that responsibility.”

Tyrique Stevenson earns more playing time

Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson saw his playing time drop after his Hail Mary gaffe in October.

But the Bears never gave up on Stevenson. Recently, Stevenson’s playing time steadily rose in the month of December and he played 100% of defensive plays in each of the last two games.

Defensive coordinator Eric Washington said he believes Stevenson has earned that playing time.

“His focus, his eyes, his eye discipline as a one-on-one guy outside on the perimeter, and just his execution of our coverage concepts, we thought it would be prudent to give him the full run and to just let him continue to take it,” Washington said.

Cornerback Terell Smith has subsequently seen his playing time drop. Smith has played exclusively on special teams the last two games. The two corners were both selected in the same draft in 2023, with Stevenson going in the second round and Smith in the fifth round.

Injury report

The Bears were without several key starters during practice on Thursday. Cornerback Kyler Gordon (illness), safety Elijah Hicks (ankle/foot), running back Travis Homer (hamstring), left guard Teven Jenkins (calf), receiver Rome Odunze (illness), long snapper Scott Daly (personal) and tight end Marcedes Lewis (rest) all sat out practice Thursday.

Offensive tackle Larry Borom (illness) and defensive back Tarvarius Moore (knee) were both full participants Thursday.