The newest member of the Chicago Bears’ squad is suddenly the new boy in town.

On Monday, the Bears announced that rookie quarterback Caleb Williams will be captain in addition to veteran quarterbacks T.J. Edwards, DJ Moore, Kevin Byard, Tremaine Edmunds, Marcedes Lewis, and DJ Johnson.

Given Williams’ significance to the team’s present and future, the announcement is hardly shocking, and it is common for rookie quarterbacks to be selected as captains. Whether you’re a young player or not, the most important position on the football field is quarterback.

But there’s no denying that this is a significant step forward for Williams and the Bears.

Williams has worked very hard to become a member of his new club, as evidenced by the fact that he has achieved the title of captain on a group of players that are widely recognized and experienced. Lewis and other teammates have given him high marks for his maturity and drive to succeed, which is a nice endorsement from a guy with league experience.

Considering how much the pre-draft process saw analysts poke fun at Williams’ personality, that’s extremely endearing. The first overall pick hasn’t exactly been “Hollywood” in his NFL transition thus far.

If his on-field performance matched his growing leadership, the Bears could actually be in the playoffs this year.

Titans’ overhauled secondary will make their debut against rookie Caleb Williams of the Bears.

Tennessee’s NASHVILLE (AP) – The Tennessee Titans will finally get to watch their nearly entirely redesigned secondary play together on Sunday in their season opener at Chicago.

Chidobe Awuzie, a cornerback who Cincinnati signed as a free agency in March, injured his calf muscle during the first few days of training camp and missed almost the whole preseason. Since the Titans acquired him in a late-March trade, L’Jarius Sneed, who had 10 interceptions in his four seasons with Kansas City, has been under a management plan.

Brian Callahan, the first-year coach, isn’t concerned about either Awuzie or Sneed, even though the secondary will have to make a significant adjustment from practice sessions and walk-throughs to the season opener.

“It´s not what you would plan on if you had a perfect world, but I know what those two guys are made of, particularly L´Jarius and Chido,” Callahan remarked on Monday. “I saw them perform. I’ve witnessed L. Julius play incredibly talented football. He now has a fantastic appearance. I am aware of Chido’s abilities. I am aware of the components’ potential, but when we play together, there will come a point at which we will need to adapt.”

Callahan mentioned that this is an ongoing process due to the large number of new coaches and players in Tennessee.

“However, I have great confidence in what these individuals—especially those two—have accomplished and how they approach their work. While I’m not concerned about their performance, it’s clear that the entire group will need time to develop together,” Callahan said.

All eyes have been on the two rookie cornerbacks. Additionally, safety Jamal Adams was signed by general manager Ran Carthon in July before to training camp, and Quandre Diggs, Adams’ former Seattle teammate, was added in early August. With Tennessee having lost 18 of its previous 24 games, Carthon used all that money to help new coordinator Dennard Wilson strengthen a defense that finished the previous season with the fewest interceptions in the NFL—six.

Callahan refrained from providing any kind of injury update on Monday, since the initial official report isn’t expected until this afternoon. Reporters were welcome to see the first of two practices when Sneed and Awuzie resumed last week.

Adams, who has missed 10 games due to injuries over the previous two seasons, is anticipated to recover from an unidentified injury.

Sneed said that since arriving in April, he has participated in meetings and walkthroughs, and he thinks the preparation he will receive before kickoff on Sunday will be sufficient. He picks up knowledge most effectively by doing what is required of him on the field.

Many guys sense it’s time to go, according to Sneed, who feels that he and Awuzie are prepared to go. Awuzie concurs and is aware of the next player in a secondary that also has cornerback Roger McCreary, a 2022 second-round choice out of Auburn, and safety Amani Hooker, the lone returner at safety.

“Now it´s time to build an identity of who we are,” Awuzie stated. “As you are aware, Sneed hasn’t had the opportunity to hang out with the boys as frequently as you would want. However, we did have a close bond in the meeting rooms when we were hanging out in the locker room and other places. It’s just football now, then.”

Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, the first overall choice in the April draft, will put this secondary to the test. For this reason, communication is essential. According to Hooker, each practice representative must now intentionally keep everyone in agreement. The fact that the new Titans have a ton of NFL experience also helps.

“Guys are able to bring ideas over from previous teams that they had that they believe could work and help us out,” Hooker stated.

Kendell Brooks, a safety, was added by the Titans on Monday to the practice squad. He signed with Arizona following the 2023 NFL Draft after being selected undrafted out of Michigan State. This preseason, he played for Indianapolis and Washington.