LAKE FOREST, Ill. (WGN) — While Caleb Williams’ playing time in the preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins is still up in the air, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is of the mindset that Sunday is important for everyone, coaching staff included.
Over the next 72 hours or so, the Chicago Bears will line up against the Dolphins in a joint practice on Friday before taking the field for their first preseason game of the 2025 NFL calendar on Sunday.
Anticipation for the game will be riding high for a number of reasons, with most eyes centered on the man in charge—Ben Johnson.
It will be the first time Johnson takes an NFL sideline as a head coach, and according to Allen—a former NFL head coach himself—the Bears will “have to play our rules” to see the progress they want from this roster against Miami.
“There’s not a lot of game planning that goes into this. We have certain rules that we use. Whether it be from an alignment standpoint, front mechanics or coverage mechanics,” Allen said. “We’ve got to be able to use our rules and play whatever looks we get from the offense.
“I think when you get into training camp and you’ve been going for however many days this has been, and you see the same things over and over and over, you can kind of begin to anticipate what you’re going to see. Now, you’re really just playing your rules and having to make sure you get your eyes in the right spot and then react accordingly.”
How much will Caleb Williams play in the Bears’ first preseason game?
Williams has as much of an idea about how much playing time he will get Sunday as any given fan who has attended Bears training camp so far.
But the second-year quarterback said he finds value in getting those early-season reps, no matter how few or how many they may be.
“It’s always good to be able to go out there and get a few reps in the preseason, rather than your first time getting real live reps … or modified reps [being] the first game in September when you’re going [to] verse the Vikings.”
Regardless of snap count on Sunday, Williams describes himself as being in “grind” mode at this point in training camp. He said he is looking to build as much consistency as he can in a new offensive system, while also continuing to build trust with his new head coach.
“It’s been fun. It’s challenging. You’re not always going to be on point, not always going to be where exactly he may want you when he calls [the play], but that’s what we’re working towards,” Williams said. “It takes time. That’s one of the things I’ve been a little less patient about, just because … we’re in a race. We’re in a marathon and we’re on a track, trying to get after it.”
As a rookie, Williams played 42 snaps across two games during the 2024 preseason. He went 10-20 (50%) for 170 yards passing over those two contests.