Chicago Bears OC Shane Waldron says game is ‘in slow motion’ when QB Caleb Williams scrambles

LAKE FOREST – Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron knows he can’t take credit for the 45-yard deep ball Caleb Williams unleashed Saturday against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Williams scrambled to his left, threw across his body with an effortless motion, and hit rookie receiver Rome Odunze perfectly in stride. It was a pure scramble drill, too. Odunze adjusted his route on the play, Williams bought time and found the No. 9 overall draft pick just a step ahead of the defender.

“I’d love to say that we drilled that forever and magically we made that happen, but man, he’s got that ability,” Waldron said Monday at Halas Hall. “To me, that’s where he finds that balance of when’s the right time. That was obviously a great time to create something off schedule.”

The 22-year-old quarterback drafted No. 1 overall in April, shook off a slow start and made several electric plays during Saturday’s win over the Bengals. In addition to the 45-yard toss, he had a rushing touchdown where he showed off his elite ability to avoid sacks and keep plays alive.

Williams said after the game Saturday that his cross-body throw to Odunze was something he learned from watching clips of Aaron Rodgers over the years.

“Just practicing it over time,” Williams said. “Perfecting it.”

That’s not the typical throw a coach would teach a young quarterback. This is high-level stuff. Most coaches would probably never encourage a young quarterback to throw off one foot, across his body into tight coverage. It’s a recipe for disaster – unless it’s done well.

I’d love to say that we drilled that forever and magically we made that happen, but man, he’s got that ability. To me, that’s where he finds that balance of when’s the right time. That was obviously a great time to create something off schedule.”

—  Shane Waldron, Bears offensive coordinator

Throws like that are exactly why the Bears drafted Williams. They are why he won the Heisman Trophy in 2022. Few quarterbacks in the world have the feel for the game and the fluidity in their motions to be able to make a throw like that.

“When the play breaks down, it almost seems like it’s in slow motion for him,” Waldron said.

On the same topic, Waldron later added: “I think it goes back to, for Caleb in particular, just his spatial awareness and his ability to see the full picture, knows where everyone is.”

He showed that ability on several plays Saturday. Bears fans are hoping they keep seeing him do that.

Bears activate rookie OT Amegadjie

The Bears activated rookie offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie over the weekend. Amegadjie was on the non-football injury list since the beginning of training camp due to a quad injury he suffered last season at Yale.

The Bears selected Amegadjie, a 22-year-old tackle from Hinsdale, with a third-round draft pick (No. 75 overall) in April’s draft. The Bears knew Amegadjie had a quad injury when they drafted him. He sat out all of OTAs and minicamp in the spring. Monday was his first day participating in on-field activities during training camp.

Prior to that, Amegadjie was forced to focus on studying the playbook and watching film.

“I’ve talked to Kiran a lot and he does a great job taking a mental rep every time he hears the play [call],” Waldron said Monday prior to practice. “Looking forward to him [returning]. Smart guy. Smart, tough and reliable. [He] can start off with a good base already. But there’s no substitute for getting out there and doing it.”

The 6-foot-5, 326-pound tackle played at Hinsdale Central before becoming a three-year starter and an FCS All-American at Yale. He became the highest Yale football player drafted since 1982 and the highest Ivy League player drafted since 1998.

Amegadjie is the third Hinsdale Central grad selected in the draft since 2018. The Rams selected offensive lineman Brian Allen with a fourth-round pick in 2018. The Bears drafted Doug Kramer with a sixth-round pick in 2022. Kramer is still with the Bears.

Gordon fits in seamlessly

The No. 1 defender who stood out during Saturday’s win over Cincinnati was nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon. Gordon made four tackles, including a huge hit for a sack on Bengals quarterback Logan Woodside.

Previously, Gordon missed about three weeks of practice with an undisclosed injury. His teammates were pretty happy to have him back.

“He was all over the field making plays, whether it was blitzing, whether it was pass coverage, his run fits,” linebacker Tremaine Edmunds said. “It’s almost like he been out there with us the whole time, he didn’t miss one beat.”

Edmunds also noted that Gordon was playing with a big smile on his face. The third-year pro was happy to be off the injury list.