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Zavion Thomas lined up with the Chicago Bears' first-team offense during an 11-on-11 period in Friday's third training camp practice at Halas Hall.
Caleb Williams lined up under center and extended his left foot back, signaling for motion. Nobody went, and the Bears' quarterback looked at Thomas in the slot and swiped his right hand down in frustration as he walked away from the line of scrimmage. The offense was forced to re-huddle.
Reps are valuable, and Thomas is seeing first hand the repercussions of having a mental lapse.
"I know it's coming from a good place," Thomas said on Williams getting on him. "We all got the same objective. We all got the same goal. We want to win, so if I'm not doing the right thing, anybody, tell me. I know how to take coaching, and I know it's coming from a good place."
It's not just Williams who is looking out for the Bears' rookie third-round draft pick. He has an ecosystem of coaches and teammates who are doing their best to acclimate the explosive playmaker.
Head coach Ben Johnson told Thomas early on to follow and do everything that veteran receiver and return man Kalif Raymond does. That's exactly what Thomas has been doing.
"He's been a guy that has been around for a long time," Thomas said. "He's been in the league for long time. He's seen a lot, way more than I ever seen in my life, so anytime I want to know somethin, or I got a question with someone, I'm second guessing something, like he's the guy that I go to."
Another resource is backup quarterback Tyson Bagent. The two have made a consistent connection throughout training camp. According to reporters who attended Saturday's practice, Bagent connected with Thomas for a touchdown during the two-minute drill to end practice.
"It's been good working with Tyson," Thomas said. "Every time I got a question before practice or after practice, I go to him. Whatever it is, he always tells me, 'If you ever need something, you ever want to know something, just come to me.' So, he'll make me feel comfortable and building that relationship with him [has] been good."
Thomas was gifted with elite speed -- 4.28 40-yard speed, to be exact. That's something Johnson can utilize to attack opposing defenses. And wide receivers coach/assistant head coach Antwaan Randle El want him to lean into that gift.
"In a way, but my position coach, Coach El, he tell me, 'Just go,'" Thomas said. "Everybody just tell me, just go, so I'm gonna just do what they say and just go."
It's a simple message to follow and one that can create a lot of complications for opposing defenses. All Thomas has to do is master his playbook, and he has the right veteran presence around him to accelerate that process.
"It's been fun just being around the guys that I'm around, the young guys in the room, they help me," Thomas said. "Every time I got a question, I could go to the older guys. I can go to Rome [Odunze]. I can go to Kalif [Raymond]. I go [to] everybody in the room, so they make me feel comfortable, so everything has been good."
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Caleb Williams lined up under center and extended his left foot back, signaling for motion. Nobody went, and the Bears' quarterback looked at Thomas in the slot and swiped his right hand down in frustration as he walked away from the line of scrimmage. The offense was forced to re-huddle.
Reps are valuable, and Thomas is seeing first hand the repercussions of having a mental lapse.
"I know it's coming from a good place," Thomas said on Williams getting on him. "We all got the same objective. We all got the same goal. We want to win, so if I'm not doing the right thing, anybody, tell me. I know how to take coaching, and I know it's coming from a good place."
It's not just Williams who is looking out for the Bears' rookie third-round draft pick. He has an ecosystem of coaches and teammates who are doing their best to acclimate the explosive playmaker.
Head coach Ben Johnson told Thomas early on to follow and do everything that veteran receiver and return man Kalif Raymond does. That's exactly what Thomas has been doing.
"He's been a guy that has been around for a long time," Thomas said. "He's been in the league for long time. He's seen a lot, way more than I ever seen in my life, so anytime I want to know somethin, or I got a question with someone, I'm second guessing something, like he's the guy that I go to."
Another resource is backup quarterback Tyson Bagent. The two have made a consistent connection throughout training camp. According to reporters who attended Saturday's practice, Bagent connected with Thomas for a touchdown during the two-minute drill to end practice.
"It's been good working with Tyson," Thomas said. "Every time I got a question before practice or after practice, I go to him. Whatever it is, he always tells me, 'If you ever need something, you ever want to know something, just come to me.' So, he'll make me feel comfortable and building that relationship with him [has] been good."
Thomas was gifted with elite speed -- 4.28 40-yard speed, to be exact. That's something Johnson can utilize to attack opposing defenses. And wide receivers coach/assistant head coach Antwaan Randle El want him to lean into that gift.
"In a way, but my position coach, Coach El, he tell me, 'Just go,'" Thomas said. "Everybody just tell me, just go, so I'm gonna just do what they say and just go."
It's a simple message to follow and one that can create a lot of complications for opposing defenses. All Thomas has to do is master his playbook, and he has the right veteran presence around him to accelerate that process.
"It's been fun just being around the guys that I'm around, the young guys in the room, they help me," Thomas said. "Every time I got a question, I could go to the older guys. I can go to Rome [Odunze]. I can go to Kalif [Raymond]. I go [to] everybody in the room, so they make me feel comfortable, so everything has been good."
Continue reading...
