Training camp is about to open, and for the Bears, the real intrigue isn’t just the starters. It’s the back end of the roster, where a few names are suddenly pushing their way into the conversation.
Chicago is coming off a division title and a playoff win, so the pressure to look sharp early is real. That also means some veterans can’t afford to coast, because there are depth players in this camp who have a legitimate shot to force their way onto the 53-man roster.
Coleman Bennett is one of the clearest examples. The Bears showed last year, with Kyle Monangai, that draft status doesn’t buy anyone a roster spot.
Outside of Monangai and D'Andre Swift, the running back picture is wide open for RB3, and Roschon Johnson appears to have lost the confidence of both the organization and the fan base. That gives Bennett, an undrafted rookie, a real opening to grab the final spot in the room.
At defensive tackle, Jordan van den Berg is drawing attention after Chicago added three players at the position in free agency. The sixth-round pick has already been compared to Grady Jarrett, which is enough to get people talking, even if that doesn’t guarantee anything. He still has to earn it, but his ability as a run stopper gives him a path to making the team on that alone.
Scotty Miller brings a different kind of case. He’s been around long enough to know how to stick in the league, and the Bears’ receiver group has enough uncertainty behind Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III to keep the door cracked open. Kalif Raymond likely has the edge for WR3, but Miller could still land one of the final receiver spots if Chicago keeps six wideouts.
Linebacker is another spot worth watching closely, and Tony Fields II fits the profile of a player who can sneak onto the roster by doing the dirty work. He’s been active in the UFL over the last few months and was one of the league’s top tacklers, so he arrives in football shape. Add in his reputation as a depth piece and special teams option, plus the injury issues Chicago dealt with at linebacker last season, and he has a very workable path.
On the offensive line, Caden Barnett is getting buzz as one of the undrafted rookies who could surprise people. The Bears did shuffle a couple of starters, but the bench looks largely the same as it did a year ago. Barnett could change that if he turns heads in camp, with a chance to back up Joe Thuney or Jonah Jackson in Week 1.
Then there’s Dallis Flowers, a cornerback who has flashed in preseason before without quite breaking through. Chicago’s secondary lost five key players this offseason, and that opens the door a little wider than it was before. Flowers may finally have the kind of opportunity that lets him lock down a roster spot and contribute on special teams right away.
In Other News...
Bears Suddenly Have A Receiver Decision That Could Get Uncomfortable
JP Richardson is trying to turn a year on the Bears practice squad into something more substantial in his second season. The undrafted wide receiver spent his rookie year learning the ropes in Chicago after his college run at Oklahoma State and TCU, and now he is pushing for a spot on the 53-man roster in a receiver room that already has plenty of bodies to sort through.
What gives Richardson a path is the kind of all-around value teams keep looking for in the back end of the roster. He needs to keep improving his yards after catch and show he can be a more reliable slot option, but his speed and special teams work could help him stand out if the Bears decide the final receiver spots should be decided on more than just pure receiving talent. [Read more 🡒]
Rome Odunze Faces Defining Summer In Bears Fight For Caleb Williams' Trust
Rome Odunze enters the summer with a real chance to emerge as the Bears' top target, and the timing matters with DJ Moore no longer in the mix. Luther Burden III is in the conversation too, but Odunze has already shown enough with Caleb Williams to make this more than a simple depth-chart exercise. In Ben Johnson's offense, the label on the back of the lineup card may matter less than who earns the ball and keeps stacking productive days.
For Odunze, the opportunity is obvious, but so is the pressure. Chicago wants a passing game built on merit, not reputation, and that puts every practice rep under a brighter light as Williams and the new coaching staff sort out who they trust most. If Odunze can stay on the field and keep building on what he has already flashed with his quarterback, he could turn this into a defining summer for his place in the offense. [Read more 🡒]