After five non-contact practices to start training camp, the Bears worked out in full pads for the first time Friday at Halas Hall. It was also the first practice that was open to the public. Here's what transpired:

The defense excelled throughout Friday's practice, generating multiple plays in the backfield and secondary.

On back-to-back snaps in an 11-on-11 drill, cornerback Terell Smith dove to break up a pass intended for receiver Collin Johnson and safety Adrian Colbert intercepted a throw intended for tight end Stephen Carlson, both against the No. 2 offense.

Big hits were delivered in the backfield on two different plays by defensive tackle Jamree Kromah and linebacker Paul Moala, both on running back Ian Wheeler. The defense also drew five false-start penalties on the offense.

Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams started practice by completing a pass down the seam to tight end Gerald Everett and closed it by engineering a masterful two-minute drive. Williams rifled a 15-yard strike in traffic over the middle to Keenan Allen, drawing oohs and aahs from the crowd. Three plays later, Williams lofted a 35-yard touchdown pass to receiver Tyler Scott down the right sideline.

Williams makes 'huge step forward'

Alternating with the No. 1 offense as part of their competition for the starting center position, veterans Ryan Bates and Coleman Shelton have been impressed with the strides that Williams has made.

"That jump from OTAs to now, there was just a huge step forward for him," Bates said. "Being vocal, doing a great job with his cadence, getting everybody on the same page, the play calls, because it's a lot different than what he was doing in college, and he's embracing it wholeheartedly and he's kicking ass, he really is."

"He keeps progressing," Shelton said. "He's getting better every day. That's evident in terms of whether it's just the run downs or his talent throwing the football. It's been fun to watch and fun to be a part of."

Both centers praised Williams' leadership skills.

"As we're working through every day, he is becoming more and more of a leader," Shelton said. "He's getting all the guys in the right spot and getting the alerts right and everything … He leads by example because he has all this talent. But I think his voice has grown, too."

"He is doing a great job of being in the role he's in, being the starting quarterback of the 2024 Chicago Bears," Bates said. "He is a very personable person. We get in the huddle, he gets that big smile on his face [and says], 'What's up, boys? How we doing? Doing good today? Let's rock and roll.' I love seeing that coming in the huddle, and he's doing a fantastic job so far."

During a minor dustup between the offense and defense Friday, Williams stuck his nose into the middle of the fray to support his teammates.

"That's my quarterback," Bates said. "I love that. I love that mentality. He's got to be smarter though because we can't have that; God forbid anything happens. But I love when he stepped in there and got in the middle of it. That's who he is."

"We love a little feisty," Shelton said. "Like getting scrappy. It's part of the culture. We're always moving forward. We're moving together; 11 as one."

Backup quarterback Tyson Bagent has been especially impressed with Williams' "overwhelming physical capabilities" and his ability to make off-schedule throws.

"In the NFL, even if you're a 10-year vet, a lot of plays can go south pretty quickly," Bagent said. "So being able to not hesitate, continue to just react and play the play longer than the other team, I think he does a really good job of that. There are a lot of plays that can be made within this offense, especially with the capabilities that he has outside of the pocket and off schedule."

Revolutionizing the game

Thursday's Hall of Fame Game between the Bears and Texans will be the NFL's first contest featuring new kickoff rules that were adopted for the 2024 season.

"The unknown is what everybody is excited for," said special teams coordinator Richard Hightower. "What I expect is a lot more returns. I know the players are extremely excited about it. I know we're extremely excited to coach it and see what it is to be a part of something that's basically revolutionizing the game."

Under the new rules, the ball will be kicked off from the 35-yard line as in the past. But 10 players from the kicking team will line up at the opposing 40. Nine players from the receiving team will stand between their own 30-35, with two returners inside their own 20. No one except the kicker and returners can move before the ball is touched by a player or lands on the ground between the goal line and 20, an area known as the "landing zone." In addition, kickers cannot cross the 50.

With the new rules, NFL special teams coordinators no doubt will study preseason tape more than they ever have before.

"We're going to watch the preseason as well more in depth than we've ever watched it at times," Hightower said. "This preseason I think you're going to have to experiment with it, so I think we're going to see more different things on kickoff. I'm excited as heck for it.

"Honestly, the players and coaches have been practicing this formation; it's a condensed kickoff formation. I've been in the league 18 years and probably for 15 of those we've practiced the way this is actually going to play out because we want to save guys' legs with the running. It's just something that we're going to have to see how it plays out."

While a lot is unknown, Hightower is certain of one thing.

"I know this: if you have a good returner, you've got a chance," he said. "If you've got somebody with the ball in your hands that can break tackles and get the ball past the 30, 35-yard line on a consistent basis with 4.3 speed … you've always got a chance. Better your players are, the better chance you've got to be successful."

Open competition

Players auditioning in training camp to become the Bears' primary punt returner include DeAndre Carter, Velus Jones Jr., Rome Odunze, Dante Pettis, Tyrique Stevenson and Greg Stroman Jr.

Asked what he's looking for in a punt returner, Hightower said: "Confidence. Fearless is the No. 1 trait. You've got to be fearless, and you've got to have confidence. Those things you've got to have before you ever step on the field. And then when we get on the field, the No. 1 thing is ball security. We need somebody that is going to take care of the football and give us the best field position."

Fielding punts cleanly in camp hasn't been easy. Rookie fourth-round pick Tory Taylor typically launches the ball into the clouds and second-year pro Corliss Waitman is a left-footed punter.

"Most of the returners right now are talking about the flight of [Taylor's] ball and how it travels differently," Hightower said. "With Corliss, the spin is different with a lefty punter as well. They saw Tory's football hang up there quite a bit. They're both hard to catch. He has a lot of tricks in his bag. He's doing an outstanding job. Our returners are getting better. There's a lot of competition there. This will ramp up here and be exciting as we go into the preseason."