The Bears’ preseason meeting with the Bengals should give Chicago a cleaner read on a handful of offensive players fighting for real roster leverage, and Week 2 looks especially important for five names.
Salvon Ahmed has been one of the camp risers so far, turning a strong summer into a preseason showing that already included a catch-and-run touchdown. Even with that momentum, Ben Johnson has made the next steps plain: Ahmed has to carve out a special teams role and sharpen up in pass protection if he wants to stick. That makes this week a key test for the running back.
Kaden Davis is also in the middle of a meaningful battle, with veteran Scotty Miller for the sixth wide receiver job. Davis has repeatedly flashed with Tyson Bagent and brings return ability into the mix, which gives him a real path to the roster. With Bagent not playing this week, the question is whether Davis can keep producing with Case Keenum.
At tight end, Sam Roush should get a bigger opportunity than usual. The Bears are not expected to give Colston Loveland or Cole Kmet much, if any, run, which should put the rookie in line for plenty of snaps. Roush came out of college with a reputation as a strong blocker, but the passing game is where Chicago will want a better look, even if that is not expected to be a major part of his regular-season role.
Theo Benedet’s situation may be the most interesting of all up front. The left tackle competition is still alive, and all signs point to Benedet getting the start there this week.
Kiran Amegadjie and Jedrick Wills have shifted to the right side for now, leaving Benedet with a chance to show he can handle the job he filled in eight games last season. He has not spent much time at left tackle this summer, so this is a valuable chance to make a push.
Caden Barnett rounds out the list as another rookie with a real shot. The undrafted free agent from Wyoming still has a path to the roster, and with most of Chicago’s starting offensive line unlikely to play long, he should get another extended look. The main question is whether he can separate from Jordan McFadden and claim the tenth offensive line spot.
In Other News...
Bears Receiver Battle Suddenly Has One Roster Spot Everyone's Watching
Training camp and preseason have turned Jahdae Walker into one of the more interesting names in the Bears receiver mix. The young pass catcher has looked more confident and more physical, and that combination has helped him stand out in a group where a few spots already feel spoken for.
The real intrigue now sits with the final opening at receiver, where the conversation has narrowed to who can grab the last place on the roster. Walker has put himself in a strong position to land the fifth receiver spot, but with decisions still pending, the Bears have left at least one piece of the puzzle unresolved. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Just Reopened An Uneasy Garrett Bradbury Question
The Bears got useful work out of their joint practice with the Bengals, especially when it came to the passing game, but the session also brought a reminder of how quickly one position can become a talking point in August. Chicagos offense had stretches that looked functional, yet the Bengals defensive front still found ways to make quarterback Caleb Williams uncomfortable and force the Bears to sort through some protection concerns.
Garrett Bradbury is the player most likely to be measured against those concerns, because he came in expected to hold down the starting center job and bring stability to the middle of the line. Instead, a practice that should have helped settle the offense also reopened questions about whether Chicago has enough certainty there, especially after a day when the pressure came more frequently than the Bears would have liked. [Read more 🡒]
Ben Johnson Is Zeroing In On Caleb Williams Biggest Limiter
Caleb Williams has clearly taken steps forward in his grasp of the offense under Ben Johnson, but the Bears are still sorting through the same issue that can determine how far this group can go. Johnson has made it plain that the next step is not just about knowing where to go with the ball, but putting it there with enough precision to help receivers turn routine throws into explosive plays.
It is a familiar tradeoff for a young quarterback with big arm talent: play aggressively and keep the offense dangerous, or play safer and leave potential on the field. Johnson has stressed that balance in practice, and for Chicago that focus matters because the Bears are trying to build an attack that can stress defenses without sacrificing the kind of accuracy that makes the whole thing work. [Read more 🡒]