Chicago Bears training camp is starting to sort players into two clear buckets: the ones making noise every day and the ones barely getting mentioned at all.
On the rise, Austin Booker is checking the box the Bears wanted him to check. The defensive end spot next to Montez Sweat needed somebody to seize it, and Booker is doing exactly that as he lives up to offseason expectations. With Dayo Odeyingbo possibly sliding inside, Booker could be closing in on the starting defensive end job.
Garrett Bradbury is also making a strong case for himself, and that matters even more with rookie second-round pick Logan Jones viewed as the future at center. Right now, though, Bradbury is the one owning the present. He’s been praised all over camp for taking charge of the offensive line and keeping the starting center job locked down, which is a welcome development after losing Drew Dalman to retirement.
Luther Burden III has brought exactly the kind of buzz Bears fans were waiting for. The rookie has been running by corners and flashing the speed that has made him one of the loudest stories of camp. He’s already looking like the right answer for the WR2 role, and there’s even a path where he could eventually become the top receiver in this offense.
And then there’s Caleb Williams, who has looked far sharper than he did at this point last summer. The offense hasn’t been spotless - there have still been some miscommunications and turnovers - but Williams has mostly been delivering the ball where it needs to go. D'Andre Swift even called Williams the most improved player at camp, which is a pretty strong sign he’s headed toward an MVP-caliber season.
On the other side of the ledger, Scotty Miller has been quiet enough to raise questions. With several receivers drawing attention, including Kaden Davis, Miller has barely registered. He still has a path to the roster, but only if he puts together a big preseason, because right now he’s on the outside looking in.
Roschon Johnson is in an even tougher spot because he’s fading without much of a trace. He’s not showing up in the camp reports, and that’s never a good sign.
Even with Kyle Monangai sidelined, Salmon Ahmed has been the one getting the work and proving he belongs as RB3. The longer camp goes, the more Johnson looks like a player the Bears could move on from at the end of August.
Terell Smith sits in a murkier place. He hasn’t produced many memorable moments, but the injuries in the secondary may still keep him on the roster. What’s notable, though, is that he isn’t really in the mix for CB2 or slot corner, and that says plenty about where he stands in this group.
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Ben Johnsons Bears Offense Sounds More Aggressive Than Fans Expected
Ben Johnson arrived in Chicago with a reputation built in Detroit for a run-heavy, efficient offense, so plenty of Bears fans naturally expected a scheme that would lean on control and patience first. But the early read from offensive coordinator Press Taylor suggests Johnson wants more than just steady gains. His approach is centered on attacking defenses and hunting explosive plays, a wrinkle that adds another layer to what already looked like a promising fit.
That matters for a Bears offense that was already among the leagues better units in explosive rush and pass play rates last season. The challenge now is figuring out how Johnson blends that aggressiveness with the disciplined foundation that made his offense so effective in the first place. If it works, Chicago could be looking at a unit that is not just efficient, but far more dangerous in how it stresses a defense. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Left Tackle Battle Is Starting To Affect Caleb Williams
The Bears are still sorting out their left tackle picture after last years starter, Ozzy Trapilo, went down with an injury, and the competition has started to settle into a more defined shape in camp. Braxton Jones has been working with the first team for three straight days, which has put him in position as the leading candidate while Kiran Amegadjie and Jedrick Wills Jr. continue to push for a role on the edge.
For Caleb Williams, the stakes are obvious, since the quarterbacks comfort and timing are tied directly to who is protecting his blind side. Wills is still in the mix, but his bid has been clouded by time away from the field, leaving the Bears with a decision that could ripple well beyond one practice period if they want stability before the regular season arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Need This Dayo Odeyingbo Change To Finally Pay Off
The Bears are trying to tap into a version of Dayo Odeyingbo that showed up more often in Indianapolis, where he spent a notable share of his snaps working from the inside. After a limited first season in Chicago, the team is moving him back into an interior pass-rushing role during training camp, a change designed to give him a clearer lane to impact games and fit more naturally into what the defense needs.
There is still some careful management built into the plan, though, because Odeyingbo is coming back from an Achilles injury. Chicago wants to use him in specific situations rather than asking him to carry a heavy load right away, which makes this camp adjustment feel less like a simple position switch and more like a test of whether the Bears can finally unlock the disruptive player they expected to get. [Read more 🡒]