Byard ready for season to start, says Williams has made "crazy strides" |
LAKE FOREST, I.L. - When you are going into your ninth season in the NFL, sometimes the preseason can feel a little long.
That is the case for safety Kevin Byard, who feels ready to start his first regular-season game as a Chicago Bear. “Personally, I’m ready for the season already. I think for me, getting a really good grasp of the defense. Then, it’s about really getting in shape,” Byard said. “I come out to practice, every rep, I try to make sure I’m getting in shape, running to the ball, doing all the little things. So, for me, I’ll be ready to play a game tomorrow, honestly. But, however many reps Coach Matt (feels) like I need to get in a game in the preseason, that’s how many I need.” Byard has been an elite safety in this league since he first gained attention in his second season, in 2017. That year, he led the league in interceptions with eight, went to his first Pro Bowl, and was a first-team All-Pro. He would receive his second All-Pro selection and go to the Pro Bowl once again in 2021. With that kind of experience under his belt, Byard does not personally see as much of a benefit to the preseason. “I’m not necessarily saying that preseason reps aren’t valuable because they are. Anytime you can touch the grass is valuable,” Byard said. “So, like I said, I feel like every team is different. Every coach is different, and every player is different. So, it’s all based on every individual situation.” Part of the reason Chicago acquired Byard was to have a veteran presence in the secondary. This is because Chicago’s young secondary includes players like cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, and Kyler Gordon, as well as safety Jaquan Brisker. Having such a young secondary who also has a lot of experience is new territory for Byard, but something that makes him feel confident in the group the Bears have. “It’s more of a unique situation because all these guys are young. But, they’ve all played a lot. A lot of times, you go into a lot of series. We have a couple of veterans. You usually have one or two young guys who haven’t really played a lot,” Byard said. “For these guys, they have a lot of confidence because they (have) a whole year under their belt, two years, three years, and then obviously Jaylon, who’s obviously a Pro Bowl guy. So, I think that’s the biggest thing. So, it’s more about just the youth and the energy that they bring every single day in practice and even in meetings.” Part of the defense’s job in this training camp is to prepare rookie quarterback Caleb Williams for facing other defenses in the regular season. A rookie quarterback must adjust to a lot in the NFL, including the cadence. While the cadence has been a struggle for Williams since he has not played with the verbal cadence since high school, Byard says he has seen Chicago’s starting quarterback make strides just in the past few months. “Caleb has made crazy strides since spring up until now. I've just been watching him,” Byard said. I've been watching him in the huddle, watching the operation, watching how he’s getting the offense in and out of the huddle, whether it’s hurry up, two minutes, first and second down, or third down. I think he’s making tremendous strides.” The Bears will play in their next preseason game on Saturday, Aug. 10, against the Buffalo Bills (Noon / NFL Network). While Williams, Byard, and the rest of the starters did not play in Chicago’s first preseason game, there is a chance that some of them may play against the Bills.
