A little more than a week into Chicago Bears training camp, a few early trends are starting to harden. Some players are climbing, others are slipping, and injuries are already reshaping parts of the depth chart.
D’Andre Swift has been one of the clearest early winners. Talk of a true timeshare, or of Kyle Monangai cutting into his work, has faded quickly. Swift has looked sudden and explosive, while Monangai has not been able to stay healthy.
Monangai, of course, lands on the other side of the ledger. His injury is not serious enough to raise major alarm, but it has already made it difficult for him to close the gap on Swift.
At receiver, Kaliff Raymond has made his case as a steady presence. Even with the team showing interest in rookie Zavion Thomas, Raymond appears set to keep a real role. Thomas is viewed more as a gadget player, while Raymond is the one handling the actual third wideout duties.
Braxton Jones is another player whose spot is not fully settled yet. He entered camp as the expected starter at left tackle, and he is still the leader there, but he has not locked the job down. The Bears have worked three other options in with the starters, which keeps the competition open.
Garrett Bradbury has been getting strong reviews throughout camp. The veteran has drawn praise for his communication and leadership, and that matters in a spot where the Bears want stability. The real test will come once the pads go on.
That makes life tougher for Logan Jones. The second-round rookie still has a path, but Bradbury’s strong start has made it harder for him to push into the starting lineup. Jones may be able to make up ground when the physical work begins, but matching Bradbury’s command is a different challenge.
Ruben Hyppolite has taken advantage of the injuries and absences around him. Keyshaun Elliott and Noah Sewell are both out right now, TJ Edwards has just returned, and three players expected to be ahead of Hyppolite on the depth chart have not been on the field. That has opened the door for the second-year linebacker to get noticed.
The injury situation, though, is the bigger story on the downside. Elliott and Sewell both fit that group, and their absences have changed the shape of the linebacker competition. Elliott’s rookie season now looks like a wash, while Sewell is also facing an uphill climb to make an impact.
Elijah Hicks has not been able to make a push for his roster spot, Kyler Gordon may be losing his slot role, and the injury to Coby Bryant is simply bad luck that leaves the Bears in a tough spot.
In Other News...
Isaac TeSlaa Faces An Early Camp Test In Crucial Year 2
Isaac TeSlaa is spending training camp trying to turn a strong rookie season into a bigger role for the Lions, and the focus right now is less on highlight plays than on the finer points of his craft. Detroit wants him to expand his route tree and sharpen his technique, the kind of work that can separate a promising young receiver from one who is ready for a larger share of the offense.
Dan Campbell said TeSlaa has run into some of the usual growing pains that come with those adjustments, but the coach made it clear the team sees this as part of the development curve rather than a setback. Campbell likened it to refining a golf swing, the sort of thing that only gets better through repetition, and TeSlaas next step will be showing that the work in practice can carry over once the games start to matter again. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Camp Still Leaves Big Questions About Who's Really Ready
Detroits seventh camp practice came with the kind of heat that can turn a routine August session into a test of endurance, and several players were left managing their workloads because of it. The Lions had a mix of limited participation and absences as the temperature and a handful of injuries shaped the day, with the staff clearly taking a cautious approach rather than forcing anyone through a long workout.
Jahmyr Gibbs was back on the field, but his return still stopped short of full participation, and Tyler Conklin also rejoined the mix after coming off the PUP list. Even so, both were handled carefully as the team eased through walkthrough work and individual periods, leaving their next step in camp as the more interesting question than simply whether they were present at all. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Camp Just Raised The Stakes For One Crowded Position
An open practice for fans gave the Lions another look at a linebacker room that has become more interesting by the day. Detroit has been leaning into competition and depth on defense, and the recent addition of Devin White only sharpened that dynamic as the team works to keep the unit adaptable heading into the season.
Kelvin Sheppard has already pointed to Whites experience as part of the appeal, but the bigger picture is still centered on how the group sorts itself out once the pads stay on. Dan Campbell is also expected to offer an update on Malcolm Rodriguez after his ankle issue, adding another layer to a position battle that already has plenty riding on it. [Read more 🡒]