LAKE FOREST— DJ Moore and Cole Kmet have made one playoff appearance combined throughout their NFL careers.
The Bears tight end made the playoffs in his debut season in 2020, which finished with a 21-9 loss to New Orleans. Moore, who was picked in the first round in 2018, is still looking for an opportunity to compete beyond the regular season.
So, it’s reasonable to say Kmet and Moore both feel a feeling of urgency about being competitive and mastering the new concept under offensive coordinator Shane Waldron.
When questioned about the realistic period in which they would become comfortable with Waldron’s offense, Kmet and Moore made it quite apparent during their Friday press conference at Halas Hall.
“Tomorrow,” Moore answered.
“Yeah, now,” Kmet replied. “Yeah, the urgency; we need to get this thing moving swiftly. There won’t be time to meander through this thing. We need to get this thing moving swiftly here. We were able to operate at a high level and fully utilize our walk-throughs when we received these items at night. The better we get through these things, the faster we will be on game day. But it needs to happen rapidly.”That is, without a question, the correct mindset. However, the offense will not only feature a rookie quarterback, but the team is still deciding who will start at center.
Clearly, this complicates everything.
Caleb Williams, however, can relate to Kmet and Moore when it comes to establishing a downfield passing assault immediately.
“I want to get it as soon as possible,” Williams stated. “Because it is not only for me. It’s something we have to do throughout the games. It’s something we need to do during practice to keep improving. So my ability to grasp whatever I can ultimately helps our squad achieve our goals for this season.”
The essential term Williams emphasized was “keep progressing,” which is exactly how the rookie quarterback sees his development in Waldron’s offense. Embracing each day and learning from his mistakes.
“I’ve had some rough days,” Williams admitted. “I expect myself to go out there.” I believe I’m the hardest on myself. I’ll go out there and mess up a play. I’ve thrown a pick in minicamp and stuff like that. Being tough on myself while also understanding where we and I are. As previously said, growth is important. It is not appropriate to develop self-doubt at these difficult moments. That’s simply a waste of time. It is time to keep learning, progressing, and believing in oneself.
Williams’ mature reaction to adversity could be beneficial as he navigates his first NFL training camp. And, while the veterans want to get started with the offense, Williams understands How to maintain patience with himself.
“So I’m not trying to match anyone,” Williams remarked. “That’s not how I look at things. However, I do have individuals like Cole and DJ that… I mean, Cole will correct me when I’m wrong, whether in the huddle or when we’re talking about something. Offensive line, we continuously discuss cadence. So it’s just about finding the correct rhythm and tempo with these players so we can continue on our upward trajectory.”
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