Bears rookie QB Caleb Williams sharp in preseason debut

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Caleb Williams era began Saturday with a score. Helped by a 42-yard screen pass to running back D’Andre Swift, the No. 1 overall pick marched the Bears for a 30-yard Cairo Santos field goal on his first drive in a preseason game.

It was the first of many in the Bears' 33-6 win against the Bills at Highmark Stadium. All four of the Bears' touchdowns — a pick-six by linebacker Micah Baskerville , two runs by Ian Wheeler and one by Velus Jones — came after Williams left the game.

The Bears kicked a field goal after both of Williams' drives.

His first possession started slowly. After a three-yard handoff to Swift, right tackle Darnell Wright was flagged for holding as Williams rolled left on a pass play. A draw play to Khalil Herbert made it third-and-12. Williams converted, looking left and finding receiver DJ Moore at the sticks for a first down.

On the next play, the Bears popped the screen pass to get to the Bills' 18 . Two Herbert runs set up third-and-1, but the running back was stuffed to force the field goal.

Williams was even sharper on his second possession, driving 84 yards and collecting five first downs before settling for another Santos field goal.

Williams' best throw was a 26-yard completion to tight end Cole Kmet along the right sideline. Williams rolled right, pump-faked into the flat and zipped the pass on the run.

Williams went 4-for-7 for 95 yards and a 101.8 passer rating before being replaced by Tyson Bagent. He scrambled for a 13-yard gain before sliding for a first down.

Williams played behind four-fifths of the Bears’ projected starting offensive line. Right guard Nate Davis has been out for the past two weeks with a muscle strain.

Coach Matt Eberflus sat he wanted Williams to master the operation of the offense — calling the play correctly in the huddle, getting the unit lined up to run the play and then using the cadence of his voice as a weapon to keep their defense off balance.

Along with the Bears’ other regular starters, Williams sat out the Hall of Fame game last week in Canton, Ohio. The Bears want to give Williams 45-55 snaps this preseason, something that will be accomplished in the span of the next week. The Bears will host the Bengals for a joint practice Thursday before the two teams meet again Saturday at Soldier Field.