The first stretch of Chicago Bears training camp has already started to sort out the board, and a few names are clearly moving in opposite directions.
D’Andre Swift is one of the biggest early winners. All the chatter about him being in a true timeshare, or getting squeezed by Kyle Monangai, has quieted down now that camp is underway. Swift has looked sudden and explosive, while Monangai has had trouble staying healthy.
Monangai’s situation has flipped the conversation. The injury is not serious enough to sound alarming on its own, but it has made it easy to see how he could fall behind Swift on the depth chart and stay there.
There’s a similar split at wide receiver, where Kaliff Raymond has made his case for a real role. Even with the Bears high on rookie Zavion Thomas, Raymond has shown he is still part of the plan. Thomas is more of a gadget player, while Raymond is the one who looks set to handle the actual third-wideout duties.
Up front, Braxton Jones has not completely locked down the left tackle job the way many expected when camp opened. He still leads the race, but he hasn’t put it away yet, and the Bears have already worked three other options in with the starters during camp.
Garrett Bradbury, meanwhile, has done exactly what you want a veteran center to do early in camp: earn steady praise and run the show with communication. That has put him in a strong position, though the real test still comes when the pads go on.
That development makes life tougher for second-round rookie Logan Jones. He still has a chance to make up ground once the physical work begins, but right now it’s hard to overcome Bradbury’s edge in communication and leadership.
At linebacker, Ruben Hyppolite has taken advantage of a messy situation. The Bears are without Keyshaun Elliott and Noah Sewell because of injuries, TJ Edwards has just returned, and three players who were expected to be ahead of Hyppolite on the depth chart have not been on the field. That has opened the door, and the second-year player has stepped through it.
The injury list is its own stock report, and it’s not a pretty one. Elliott and Sewell stand out here, with Elliott’s rookie season now looking like a wash and Sewell facing an uphill climb to make much of an impact. Elijah Hicks has not been able to push for his roster spot, Kyler Gordon may be losing his role in the slot, and the injury to Coby Bryant is simply unfortunate and leaves the Bears in a difficult spot.
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Bears Camp Sleeper Is Suddenly Making A Real Roster Push
Kaden Davis has been around enough NFL stops to understand how quickly a camp can change a players standing, and his latest chance with the Bears is starting to feel more real. The recently signed wide receiver has already carved out a reputation as someone who can help in multiple ways, with kickoff return work and special teams experience giving him a path onto the roster even before the offense fully sorts itself out.
The buzz picked up during a recent 7-on-7 drill, when Davis turned in a notable one-handed catch that caught attention inside camp. More than just a highlight, it underscored why he remains in the mix: he knows how to find a role, he brings value beyond offense, and he has familiarity with Ben Johnsons system from their time together in Detroit. For a player who entered the league undrafted in 2022, that combination has made his push worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Camp Battles Are Starting To Change Who Really Matters
Training camp has a way of sorting out the depth chart before the games even start, and for the Bears, a few of the most watched position battles are already tilting the conversation toward players who were easy to overlook a week ago. Left tackle remains a full-on competition, and Chicago is still sorting through final roster spots at offensive line, running back, defensive tackle, linebacker and cornerback, with preseason practices giving the staff a closer look at who can handle multiple jobs and who can only survive in one.
Zavion Thomas has been one of the more interesting names in that mix, bouncing around different roles and giving the Bears a possible spark if his play keeps trending the right way. The bigger picture is bigger than one player, though, because injuries and camp absences have already widened the opening for some backups to become much more than insurance, and those shifts could end up changing which players the Bears truly need by the time the roster gets cut down. [Read more 🡒]