Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was asked shortly after his second (and probably final) preseason appearance what he learned from playing those two exhibitions.

His answer was, well, interesting.

“What have I learned by playing?” Williams said in a press conference. “That our defense is really good.”

The response got some laughs. Williams even cracked a smile, but his message was dead serious. This Bears defense has made a conscious effort to uplift their young quarterback. And not always in a tough love sort of way.

“They’ve done a great job helping me, preparing me,” Williams said. “Defensive guys (have been) talking to me about things I do and things I can get better at. Obviously, the offensive coaches and QBs and everybody talks to me. We have our meetings, but the defensive guys speaking up, telling me what they see from their lens, it has only made me better.”

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This wasn’t just a case of a rookie saying the right thing. The defense has been active trying to help the No. 1 overall draft pick transition well into the NFL.

That means playing intense, competitive practices. That means capitalizing on Williams’ mistakes and putting the pressure on. It also means taking some extra time to share information and words of encouragement, to help their young quarterback get ready for the regular season.

“Throughout this whole camp, we’ve been competing,” linebacker Tremaine Edmunds said. “We’ve been trash talking and joking around, but the goal, at the end of the day, is to make each other better. The defense is trying to make the offense better and offense is trying to make the defense better. That makes a dynamic football team.

“If we can push each other hard in practice, then, come game time, we feel like we’ve seen it and know we can go out and perform at a high level.”

Williams has at times performed at a high level. At other times – as with all rookie quarterbacks – not so much.

“You’re going to have good moments and bad moments in this league,”  Edmunds said on Monday. “…He uses every experience to get better. What I’ve learned is that he’s a competitor. Something might not go his way, but he’s going to come out the next play and still be talking and his confidence level is still high. He’s always ready to ball. That’s what I respect most about him. He’s always moving on to the next play.”

That might be Williams best trait, possibly on par with the jaw-dropping feats that he makes look easy yet few can do. His ability to rebound with calm and poise is key. So is the information given to him after his failures, by coaches and his peers on defense.

While both offensive and defensive units want to win the practice day, Edmunds and his talented crew know full well the Bears can’t achieve great goals without Williams playing well.  That’s in part why the defense has been so helpful, supplying equal parts encouragement, insight and tough love, helping guide Williams toward better things.

The defensive desire to do so comes in part from Williams’ demeanor and drive and the respect he has earned this summer.

“You’re going to have good moments and bad moments in this league,” Edmunds said. “…He uses every experience to get better. What I’ve learned is that he’s a competitor. Something might not go his way, but he’s going to come out the next play and still be talking and his confidence level is still high. He’s always ready to ball. That’s what I respect most about him. He’s always on moving on to the next play.”

Follow Marquee Sports Network Bears Insider Scott Bair on X at @ScottBairNFL.