The Chicago Bears are finally shifting from the grind of spring work to the preseason, and the first game should tell us plenty about where a few defenders stand. Some jobs are already spoken for. Others are very much up for grabs.
Jordan van den Berg is one of the names to watch right away. The rookie sixth-round pick missed the first week because of injury, but he has already started making up ground.
Even so, he’s still buried on the depth chart. Catching Gervon Dexter, Grady Jarrett, or Neville Gallimore would be a steep climb in the preseason.
The more realistic battle is with James Lynch and Kentavius Street, and if van den Berg can force his way into that mix, that would be a big deal for a rookie.
Ruben Hyppolite is in a different spot, but the pressure is just as real. He’s heading into his second NFL season and already sitting on the roster bubble.
Linebacker is crowded, though a lot of the group won’t be on the field in this one. T.J.
Edwards has his role locked down and is working back from injury, while D’Marco Jackson is also out. Keyshaun Elliott and Noah Sewell are still on the PUP list.
Devin Bush may see some action because this is a new defense, but none of the other top five projected linebackers are expected to play. That leaves Hyppolite, Jack Sanborn, Nephi Sewell, Jon Rhattingan, Wayne Matthews, and Tony Fields to soak up the snaps, giving Hyppolite a real chance to stand out.
Malik Muhammad brings a different set of questions. The rookie fourth-round pick is making his NFL debut, and the first thing to figure out is where he fits.
Is he a slot corner? Is he outside?
Maybe a little of both? The Bears are still sorting that out.
Slot usage will be worth watching on its own, especially with Cam Lewis shifting from safety and getting more work there, and Beanie Bishop now in the mix after being signed. Jaylon Jones, Josh Blackwell, and Muhammad have been the three seeing the most work, so that pecking order will be under the microscope all game.
Then there’s James Lynch, who has been quiet in camp but still has a path to a role. The free agent signing is viewed as someone who could line up on the edge in run situations and move inside when it’s time to defend the pass, much like Shemar Turner. The preseason opener will show whether he gets those chances and what that might mean for his roster outlook.
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Jahdae Walker Is Making The Bears Receiver Battle Harder To Ignore
Jahdae Walker has spent his second year trying to turn a promising rookie season into something bigger, and the Bears receiver room has given him a real chance to do it. After scoring two touchdown catches last season, Walker is back in a wide-open competition where injuries and depth chart changes have opened the door for reps that were harder to come by before.
Rome Odunze and Luther Burden still sit ahead of him, but Chicagos pass-catching pecking order is far from settled, and Walkers camp work is making the battle harder to ignore. For a team sorting through several receivers for playing time, his chance to carve out a larger role in 2026 is very much alive. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Depth Chart Puts Several Key Jobs Under The Spotlight
The first unofficial depth chart of the Bears offseason has arrived just ahead of the preseason opener, and it offers a quick snapshot of where some of the biggest questions still sit. As expected, it is not an official declaration of anything, but it does put several jobs in view across the roster, with a few players clearly still in the middle of their summer push and others working their way back from injury as the team keeps sorting through the offense and defense.
The most interesting part for Bears fans is how many of those decisions remain unsettled in the same spots the team has been monitoring all along. Left tackle is still very much open, with multiple names in the mix, while the backfield picture also has movement behind the top option as roster battles continue to take shape. For a team trying to settle its depth before the games start counting, the chart is less a verdict than a reminder of how much is still up for grabs. [Read more 🡒]
Ben Johnson Says Bears Have One Issue Talent Alone Wont Fix
As the Bears work through the final stretch before the regular season, Ben Johnson is stressing that the roster still has some connecting to do. Chicago has new faces coming in, roles shifting on both sides of the ball and injuries adding another layer of difficulty, which makes the present more about building habits than showing off individual ability. Johnsons point is simple enough: talent and playbook knowledge matter, but they do not mean much if the group is not moving with the same sense of trust.
Johnson has been clear that the next step is less about learning calls than about playing through the inevitable rough patches together. For a team trying to settle its offensive and defensive identities at the same time, the issue is whether the Bears can function smoothly when a drive goes off track or a defensive snap breaks down. That kind of cohesion usually shows up only after reps, and it can become the difference between a team that looks organized in camp and one that actually holds up once the games count. [Read more 🡒]