Bears quarterback Caleb Williams will make his Soldier Field debut Saturday afternoon.
Coach Matt Eberflus announced Thursday that starters will be back in action for the team's second preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
"We feel really good about our plan and the process that we've been through so far in training camp, and you will see the starters in that game," Eberflus said. "I talked about competitive reps the other day and I feel like we've gotten a lot of good competitive reps — 1s on 1s, a lot of good situations.
"This day was another chance for us to get competitive reps against another opponent, another skillset, which was outstanding. And then this week, coming up on Saturday, we'll get another chance to get some reps there too, so we feel really good about that."
After the Bears hosted the Bengals in a rain-soaked joint practice at Halas Hall, Eberflus told reporters the number of reps the starters will get depends on "the ebb and flow of the game."
"We'll figure that out when we're at the game," Eberflus said. "We've got a good range that we feel good about like we did last time, and we'll see where that is during the game."
After playing 18 snaps in Buffalo last Saturday, Williams will have an opportunity to build off his strong preseason debut, where he completed 4 of his 7 pass attempts for 95 yards and had a 13-yard scramble, leading the Bears to scoring drives on both possessions.
Eberflus sees a benefit to Williams and the first-team offense seeing the different style of defense that the Bengals run not only in the joint practice, but in game action as well.
"It's really good because Cincinnati offers a different structure, a different set of circumstances or looks, so to speak, that you get from different teams across the league and you're going to face week in and week out," Eberflus said. "So, I think it was very beneficial to play a Buffalo team that is very similar to us defensively, so it wasn't that big of a stretch for him to learn the rules and where things are in terms of the passing game — coverage contours are similar.
"This group is a little bit different. They do some different things. They're an odd structure team, so for him to learn the protection rules, the runs to run, the runs to pass and where the open space is, I think was really good learning for him and experience, and I thought this was outstanding today, too."
The Bears welcomed the Cincinnati Bengals to Halas Hall Thursday for a joint practice ahead of Saturday's preseason game at Soldier Field.
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_001](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/bghykanh6ilp7niryjfh.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_002](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/aptendtxgnj7mkkynqcj.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_003](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/ikrju2esycsjsppwcf32.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_004](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/ss3njulrr6j5ryzen6vv.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_005](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/hq2sqyhtzxeprnz54smh.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_006](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/ym4nriuqf58nkj7nlt5k.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_007](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/c9rrmw2tkpt4vukcjos8.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_008](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/m9lyjoknt6hv7alhiikp.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_009](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/yevdvjmkltczpwr40w7w.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_010](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/b3uygwrg8wbqxnxajsqn.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_011](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/uipjwzzhw5hlhw7cmazv.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_012](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/vf66fwx641rrr73ncktv.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_013](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/gxoooqpkumuynkxsmxtx.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_014](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/tulm6agncxgtzoiyk57l.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_015](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/uk7ahb6oyjimdzmsbky6.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_016](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/zfbfsff4clewrwlqetsu.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_017](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/ec6uudvjdolhngtlifgn.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_018](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/umi5stevko991p7z2e4y.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_019](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/f1gr5ilgzcwz2p6tijg0.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_020](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/nllligjnjztcu7as5y16.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_021](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/avaxgdjqujlbgof32y2c.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_022](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/fjxsa73mg4fzpgnxr2dm.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_023](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/rzebx8vqljmtch6lxfnj.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_024](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/yc1mhthh28rrip35yi8u.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_025](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/b6zrbapkieiwbno9nar9.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_026](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/tmxod91w2cn8h1yfl3sx.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_027](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/m1iuvpjper6pprjbijnj.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_028](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/zfgu6vmbtlny4ej7l8ej.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_029](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/odaeza571suilb2b7vlk.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_030](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/oafb43azwysrwrjide5s.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_031](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/vk3ym0ycywbjcvk2nw1n.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_032](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/qzh1803mi7ymryiy2zo4.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_033](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/ofp8mztvki9kvo91yqf1.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_034](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/ksxi2kko453ajhr93sx6.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_035](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/teiyojbqtxkjivvtxfy6.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_036](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/a5he7epgspqajoyszogu.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_037](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/rbyyinsti0843wws5zng.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_038](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/sdjjndmdpsd3xyvwv3vj.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_039](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/ubj420y4rchei3hosxia.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_040](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/hje5tdwakaz2ywghv32a.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_041](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/zigyhucrbtuxclgvgyr6.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_042](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/u5cwzrxteiomh7dmn3t0.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_043](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/ebt7rjp5xzbchjg1aagm.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_044](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/gvas701myta0997i9bnm.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_045](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/ietjs1s02e862uatefut.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_046](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/ji1yergbdypby2x1kv1r.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_047](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/ln0wd1on0maydawktrwg.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_048](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/gxqjlcdvyigiizk2o7hq.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_049](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/tne6oxxvjhfzgwnthcoh.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_051](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/esllgp0vglljgzofkjtx.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_052](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/tyswhcfmjkg420jixkpw.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_053](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/pvj1rwrrg1nlh8b2sygf.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_054](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/wiuffnwfbpf27e0d1szo.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_055](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/jgtsxz22uwngpaqhhjs6.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_056](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/ptwinwhmvebwyhaoaf7d.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_057](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/s2dj5mgakltzrxvu99na.jpg)
![2024_TC_Joint_Bengals_058](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/bears/uphv1vvzodvhppchxtnb.jpg)