The Bears got their first real taste of joint-practice action with the Bengals, and by most accounts, the offense brought the juice. There was plenty to like, plenty to clean up, and a clear split between players who helped themselves and one unit that had a rough day.
Kaden Davis made the strongest push for the “stock up” category. With injuries thinning the wide receiver room, he kept taking advantage, and his red-zone touchdown during the joint practice drew attention from every reporter on hand. The buzz around Davis is growing, and this was another day that only fed it.
Another name that stood out was Thieneman. With so much focus on the secondary because of injuries, he delivered a moment that mattered, picking off Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. For a rookie carrying first-round expectations, that kind of play can go a long way in building momentum through the rest of camp.
Raymond also kept building his case as a dependable target for Williams. He was mentioned multiple times for making plays, and one of them was a red-zone touchdown catch. With Luther Burden III still working back from injury, Raymond’s role looks increasingly important, and he could be lined up for a bigger share of the offense this season.
The passing game got off to a sharp start in seven-on-seven work, too. Williams hit three touchdowns on his first five throws, marking a second straight practice where the Bears opened fast through the air. Even with the offense clicking, there was still a clear obstacle in front of it.
That obstacle was the interior offensive line. Bengals defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence was a problem all day, and the Bears struggled to handle the pressure in the middle.
Garrett Bradbury, who has otherwise had a solid camp, appears to be part of the issue. Williams was under constant heat from the interior, and Chicago will have to sort that out before the season gets here.
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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 🡒]