ORCHARD PARK, New York -- Caleb Williams makes no small plans and isn't one to temper excitement.
The rookie quarterback has not shied away from the attention and expectations he and the Bears face this fall while at the podium. His preseason debut Saturday against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium did nothing to tamp down the blaze of enthusiasm his arrival has created.
Williams played 18 snaps in the Bears' 33-6 win, showing the arm talent, pocket presence, and improvisational playmaking ability that captivated general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus early in the draft process.
Down four starters, the Bears' defense also looked the part in their quarter against Bills quarterback Josh Allen and the rest of Buffalo's starters.
But the day belonged to Williams. Saturday in Western New York, the air was heavy with anticipation. An electric current surged through the stadium as Williams took the field. It quickly dissipated when he left, and the game devolved into a typical preseason game.
But all that mattered Saturday were Williams' two drives, which only increased the excitement and energy around him and the Bears' bright future.
Here's what we learned in the Bears' 33-6 win in Buffalo:
Chicago Bears
The wait is over
Williams' unofficial NFL debut had a little bit of everything.
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The No. 1 overall pick went 4-for-7 for 95 yards (passer rating of 101.8) while adding 13 on the ground.
Williams and the first-team offense racked up 147 yards on two drives. His day included a cross-body dart to tight end Cole Kmet on the run, a nifty shovel pass to D'Andre Swift for a gain of 42, and a shot to DJ Moore to move the sticks on third-and-12.
Williams did miss an open Rome Odunze in the end zone on his second drive, but all in all, it was a good debut for the new face of the Bears' franchise.
Outside of the Bears' red-zone woes, Saturday went about as well as the Bears could have hoped. Williams flashed his rare arm talent and playmaking ability, but there were a few teaching moments. Most importantly, he left healthy. The offense also had no operational issues which has been a problem in camp.
Saturday's game in Orchard Park was a critical step in the march to get Williams ready for Week 1.
D-line standouts
Saturday was a potentially positive development in the Bears' quest to figure out the state of their pass rush outside of Montez Sweat and DeMarcus Walker.
With Sweat not playing due to an injury, the Bears got a long look at the progress and growth of Dominque Robinson, Austin Booker, and Daniel Hardy.
Robinson started in Sweat's spot opposite Walker. The third-year defensive end flashed on the first drive as he and Walker blew up a James Cook run on third-and-1 to force a punt.
In the second quarter, Booker and Hardy sacked Bills backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky for a loss of 5. Booker also notched two sacks in the fourth quarter against the Bills' third-string.
Booker finished with five tackles, 2.5 sacks, and three QB hits.
Backup defensive tackle Zacch Pickens also sacked Trubisky in the second quarter.
These plays could wind up being meaningless. Most preseason moments turn out to be just that.
But Booker has been making steady progress in camp, and both Robinson and Hardy flashed this past week while working with the first-team defense.
The Bears' pass rush remains one of the team's biggest question marks heading into a season with raised expectations. Getting reliable reps from Booker and one of Robinson or Hardy will at least help mask an area general manager Ryan Poles could not bolster this offseason.
Roster clues
With several starters sitting out Saturday, the Bears offered a glimpse into their roster picture with only a few weeks until roster cut-down day.
As mentioned above, Robinson started in place of Sweat with Booker and Hardy coming in with the second team.
Cornerback Jaylon Jones filled in for Tyrique Stevenson opposite Jaylon Johnson. Josh Blackwell got the nod as the starting nickel over Greg Stroman Jr. with Kyler Gordon out. Elijah Hicks started at safety for Jaquan Brisker.
On offense, Matt Pryor started at right guard with Nate Davis and Ryan Bates both out.
All of these mirror what we have seen in camp.
Hicks is locked in as the third safety, which leaves Adrian Colbert and Tarvarius Moore jockeying for the fourth safety slot. Blackwell and Stroman have taken turns as the first-team nickel with Gordon out. I expect both to make the roster. Jones could be categorized as a "fringe" roster guy, but his spot feels safe, especially after the injury to Terell Smith.
Hardy has probably overtaken Jacob Martin for one of the final spots. Martin flashed early in camp but has missed the last two weeks after suffering what appeared to be an ankle injury.
At linebacker, Micah Baskerville's pick-six in the fourth quarter likely helped inch him closer to overtaking Noah Sewell for the fifth linebacker spot. Sewell has been out for most of camp with an injury.
Velus Jones' journey to make the 53-man roster continued Saturday when he took his first snaps as a running back. Jones rushed six times for 34 yards and a touchdown. He also took the field as the Bears' primary kick returner, which should signal that his roster spot is relatively secure for now.
Jones did muff a kickoff but was able to recover it. Those are the types of errors that have plagued Jones in his first two seasons. The Bears can't afford those mistakes this fall, and Jones won't make the roster if he can't prove he can reliably take care of the ball.
Undrafted rookie running back Ian Wheeler rushed five times for 43 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Wheeler is a roster longshot, but he feels like a solid candidate for a practice squad spot.
