Byard on Chicago’s elite defensive playmakers, helping Williams in training camp |
LAKE FOREST, I.L. - Safety Kevin Byard is entering his ninth season in the NFL. However, this season represents many firsts for Byard.
This is his first training camp with a team other than the Tennessee Titans, after playing for them for 120 games. “It’s my first time having a training camp outside of Nashville. That’s been pretty cool. My family is flying up in the next few days, still trying to pack up some stuff at the house. But, it’s going to be fun to come to a new city like Chicago. Really excited,” Byard said. “The family is really going to enjoy the city, especially my kids, a lot of stuff for them to do. But, I’m just excited, just a new chapter of this journey and I’m just embracing it.” The two-time Pro Bowler has had at least one interception every year since 2017. He has been a consistent presence in the NFL and is known as a reliable safety for the Titans. However, they traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles in the middle of last season. Now, Byard will have his first opportunity to play against the Titans and get an interception against his former teammate, quarterback Will Levis in Chicago’s season opener on Sun. Sept 8 (Noon / FOX). “I’m looking forward to seeing some of the guys. It is going to be just another game. But, (I’d) be lying to say I’m not looking forward to it. I was just in Nashville training and then obviously, see some of the guys. We kind of go through the same gym. I’ve seen (quarterback) Will (Levis), a lot of guys during the offseason,” Byard said. “So, I think it’d be a little bit different if we (were) going to Tennessee. But the fact it’s going to be here, but I’m definitely excited. I’m excited to see the other guys, excited to try to go get one against Will. It’ll be fun.” With Byard and Jaquan Brisker as the starting safeties for the Chicago Bears and the rest of the talented secondary group including cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson and Kyler Gordon, there are a lot of expectations for Chicago to have an elite defense next season. Byard says the team is continuing to work daily to meet those expectations and bring energy to the entire team. “A lot of pieces, a lot of talent. I see a lot of confidence, very confident group. I think expectations kind of been talked about a lot this offseason. I think we all kind of understand that and we’re working to live up to those expectations,” Byard said. “But, we’re just going to take it day-by-day, continue to work, continue to build this group, keep building this culture not only just with the defense, but with the entire team. We want to be able to bring that energy so the entire team can feel it.” Brisker has been a solid safety his first two seasons with an interception each year. He did step up in his second year with nine passes defended and two forced fumbles. In each of his first two seasons, he recorded over 100 total tackles. While Eddie Jackson was a good mentor for Brisker, playing under a Pro-Bowler like Byard should also prove to be incredibly beneficial for him “He’s a guy that reminds me of myself when I was a younger player, very hungry. He wants to be All-Pro and I love that about him. He wants to be the best and that’s how you have to be and like I said, every single day, we’re always talking,” Byard said. “We’re trying to get that, our communication down to a point where we could just kind of just look at each other. We can already know what we’re kind of talking about. So, but, it’s been good so far. Excited to work with him this year.” Stevenson is another player who should benefit from Byard’s veteran presence. As a rookie last season, Stevenson consistently was aggressive and went after the ball. It paid off for him as he finished the season with a total of four interceptions, the most of any rookie last season, in addition to two forced fumbles. Learning from Byard, perhaps those numbers can increase for Stevenson in his second season. “Tyrique is a young guy who had a really good ending of last year, four picks. Really excited for him this year to go out there and get some more turnovers,” Byard said. “So, you just see the energy of the defensive backs and how hungry we are to go out there and try to make plays every single day.” While Johnson has more experience than Brisker and Stevenson, he can also learn a lot from Byard. Johnson is working toward increasing his role as a leader by becoming more vocal in group settings. However, Byard explained that part of leadership is learning how to deal with certain players and that it is not always the same. “We know Jaylon’s one of the better corners in this league. I just think guys should be who they are. If that’s his style of leadership, then he should show that every day. Everybody’s going to be different,” Byard said. “Really just depends on who it is (because) I think some guys maybe you need to just pull them to the side and have a one-on-one talk. Some guys, you got to kind of fire them up in front of the team. It just depends. Every situation is different. But, I would just always tell guys to be who they are and just be the same person every single day. You don’t have to go outside your character to try to show something different. Just be who you are and if all 11 kind of just does that, I think we’ll be fine.” With all of these talented players on the defense, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams will learn from some of the best in the game. Byard stated that their group is trying to make him better by challenging him every day during this training camp. “We’re all bringing it every single day. But like I said, just even with Caleb, I think he’s doing really good,” Byard said. “Obviously, as we continue to go, continue to go, it’s going to be more offensive installs, more defensive installs. So, excited to continue to just make him better and that’s what it’s all about. We’re trying to make each other better.” Fans will get their first glimpse at Chicago’s defense when the Bears face the Houston Texans in the Hall of Fame Game on Thurs. Aug. 1 (7 p.m./ABC).
