The Bears defense excelled in red zone drills. Safety Jaquan Brisker intercepted a deflected pass and linebacker T.J. Edwards followed with a pick on the next play. Nickel back Kyler Gordon also broke up a pass.
“It always gets a little bit tighter down there,” Doyle said. “The biggest thing is you don’t waste any failure on an individual play. We’ve got to go back and we’re going to watch the tape with these guys this afternoon and clean up some of the intricate details of what we’re asking them in the red zone.
“It does get very precise down there as far as the spacing and the timing of concepts and that takes work. It takes us putting these plays in and then across the board us getting comfortable both up front and at the skill positions with what we’re asking our guys to do.”
Caleb Williams rebounded to throw touchdown passes on back-to-back plays to receiver Rome Odunze in the right corner of the end zone and receiver Olamide Zaccheaus over the middle. Case Keenum followed with TD passes on successive snaps to tight end Stephen Carlson over the middle and tight end Jordan Murray in the right corner.
Other plays of note in practice included a diving catch by receiver Miles Boykin, a touchdown reception in traffic by second-year running back Ian Wheeler and a TD pass from Bagent to tight end Joel Wilson.
Locked in a battle for the starting left tackle position, rookie second-round pick Ozzy Trapilo continues to look the part in practice.
“I think he’s really mature,” Doyle said. “He’s a rookie, but he feels like a veteran just as far as how he carries himself, how he works on the field. I know [offensive line coaches] Dan [Roushar] and Kyle [Devan] have been really pleased with him, and obviously that race over there on the left side is going to be one that we’re excited to see. Iron sharpens iron and the best one’s going to come out.”
Lining up next to Trapilo, veteran All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney has also been impressed with the 6-8, 316-pounder.
“He’s got great technique for a big guy,” Thuney said. “He’s always working, always getting to practice early and trying to hone in on those details. It’s been cool to see … He’s been doing a great job getting in his playbook, learning this offense, learning the language.”
Thuney has enjoyed practicing against veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, who signed with the Bears in March after spending his first 10 NFL seasons with the Falcons.
“I mean, he’s been playing at a really high level for a long time,” Thuney said. “He’s got a great combination of speed, smarts and strength. He can do a lot of things as a defensive lineman. It really makes you rely heavy on your fundamentals. You have to execute each play against him. As an offensive line, communicate just so everyone’s on the same page where he is. But yeah, he definitely makes us better.”
Doyle has liked what he’s seen from Bagent, a third-year pro who is competing with Keenum to be the primary backup quarterback behind Williams.
“Tyson is very businesslike,” Doyle said. “Football is really important to him. He’s excellent in the position room. And out on the field he’s constantly communicating what he sees and where he needs to go with the football when he comes back, and what the problems might be. He sees the game pretty clearly and that’s because he takes it really seriously and he studies.”
After a fourth straight non-contact practice Saturday, the Bears will be off Sunday before conducting their first padded workout Monday.
Asked what he wants to see from the offensive line in full-contact sessions, Doyle said: “Physicality, that’s the No. 1 thing. That’s what we’re going to hang our hat on as an offense. It’s going to start up front with those guys and that’s what we want to feel. We want to feel the pads pop and those guys running off the ball and coming out of their stances.”
Practicing in pads requires a different mindset.
“As an offensive lineman, we always take pride in being able to run the ball, being able to protect the passer and open up lanes for our runners and protect Caleb,” Thuney said. “Pads, that’s real football. There’s only so much you can do with shirts or shells on. I think we’re looking forward to it. It’s that time of year. Ready to get going.”
Thursday was a scheduled day off for left tackle Braxton Jones, who is in the process of returning from a broken ankle he suffered in the second-to-last game last season … On what would have been Hall of Famer Walter Payton’s 72nd birthday, his son, Jarrett, attended practice with his wife and their two children … Former Bears Tom Thayer, Jim Miller and Jason McKie — all of whom will be part of the team’s preseason TV or radio broadcasts — were also at practice.
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