Chicago Bears training camp is upon us, and with the offseason mostly in the rearview mirror, it’s time to get to work.
It’s been an impactful offseason for the Bears. They won the Ben Johnson sweepstakes, fixed their offensive line, and have added some nice players to both sides of the ball. However, they don’t have all of their holes fixed. No team has a truly perfect roster, but the best teams mask any slight issues with their strengths elsewhere. Chicago still has a long way to go before they’re a title contender.
Coming into training camp, there are a handful of players who can help further the team. That will happen if they either develop into the players they were drafted to be or if they have bounce-back seasons. These are the five players who fit that narrative at this point.
Caleb Williams
Caleb Williams is coming into his second training camp with some pressure on him. The Bears need him to take a significant step forward, and it all starts with a strong summer. Not only has Chicago given him one of the brightest offensive minds to develop him, but they’ve also continued to make him a top priority. That includes overhauling the interior offensive line with the additions of Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson and Drew Dalman, as well as new weapons in rookies Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III. Although Williams didn’t light the world on fire in his rookie season, he still had one of the best seasons a QB has ever had for the Bears. Although that’s not saying much, it’s a promising sign of what may be ahead.
Rome Odunze
Rome Odunze wasn’t the best or even the second-best rookie wide receiver in 2024. Part of that was on him, but part of it was on Matt Eberflus and the former coaching staff, which was in flux all season long. In 2025, Odunze will aim to develop into the high-end NFL wide receiver he was drafted to be in the first round. His cohesion with Caleb Williams is already there, and they can help each other. With a strong training camp and preseason, Odunze can set the tone for a breakout season. With Ben Johnson at the helm, Odunze can be put in a position that some of Detroit’s receivers have been in over the last handful of years. This training camp will be big for him, learning the playbook and becoming an impact contributor.
Ozzy Trapilo
Ozzy Trapilo, although a rookie, can come into training camp and steal Braxton Jones’ job at left tackle. It isn’t likely to happen right away, but you just never know. Jones isn’t a bad tackle, but you always look to upgrade if you don’t have one of the elites. If Trapilo, who impressed during the offseason program, has a big training camp, he will insert his name into the regular mix of linemen protecting Caleb Williams, who was sacked an NFL-leading 68 times last year. Trapilo is talented enough to steal a starting job throughout 2025. It starts with camp.
Jaquan Brisker
One of the biggest questions entering the 2025 season is the health status of Jaquan Brisker. He missed the final 12 games of the 2024 season due to a concussion, which made it three straight years that he had that type of injury. Brisker may have come back had the Bears not lost 10 games in a row while he was out, but that’s not certain. It is certain that there was no point in rushing anything with the state of the team. At this camp, he will learn Dennis Allen’s defense, which should work very well for a player of his skill set. If Brisker can stay on the field for an entire season, a big year may be ahead for him. During training camp, he needs to get his body and mind into game shape.
Montez Sweat
Montez Sweat is in the conversation for the best player on the Bears. Jaylon Johnson and a couple of players on offense may have something to say about that, but Sweat is relied on to be their premier pass rusher. He can’t do it all by himself, but he can lead the charge. Chicago didn’t add as much to the defensive line as they did to the offensive line, which may be an issue. That means Sweat has a lot of extra responsibility, which means he needs to have a big training camp. Sweat was outstanding when the Bears first acquired him in 2023. He didn’t, however, have quite as good a year in 2024. He wasn’t bad; he just appeared to be a bit banged up. If he can get off to a good start, he may be able to cover some of the holes that Chicago has on the defensive front.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 5 Bears players who need a strong training camp
Reporting by Vincent Parise, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
