The Chicago Bears have reported to training camp, and there are a lot of things set to be played out on the practice field over the next few weeks.
The Bears had an impactful offseason that included, most notably, the hiring of head coach Ben Johnson. They also overhauled the interior offensive line (with the addition of Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson and Drew Dalman), brought in some defensive line help (with Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo) and added some key players in the 2025 NFL draft (Colston Loveland, Luther Burden III and Ozzy Trapilo).
Like every other team in the league, there are a lot of good storylines surrounding the Bears this summer. With that in mind, here are some early storylines to watch during training camp:
Caleb Williams in his first season with Ben Johnson
For the first time, Caleb Williams will truly start to work in the most serious of environments under Ben Johnson, with all of his veteran leaders also around. The logic behind hiring a guy like Johnson was that he is an offensive guru who can scheme an offense into success. Jared Goff, who had an up-and-down career as a former No. 1 overall pick in Los Angeles, turned into a star with the Detroit Lions and Johnson. Williams is looking for that level of success, without having to wait as long as Goff did. It won’t be perfect right away, but training camp is designed to have everyone ready for kickoff in September. How Johnson calls plays as a head coach with Williams under center will have the entire NFL world watching.
Colston Loveland and Luther Burden’s health
Rookiess Colston Loveland and Luther Burden are each dealing with some injury trouble as training camp begins. How are each of them going to look once they step onto the field for the first time? For Loveland, the No. 10 overall pick, he’s been an observer up to this point as he recovers from surgery on his AC joint in his right shoulder. The goal for him now will be to get his body into NFL shape while learning the new style of offense that he will be participating in. As for Burden, he missed OTAs and minicamp after suffering a soft tissue injury during rookie minicamp, but he should be good to go in time for camp opening up this week. The second-round pick has the potential to thrive in this offense, and training camp will be his first time working with quarterback Caleb Williams.
Left tackle competition
Braxton Jones has been the starting left tackle for the Bears for the last three seasons. He has done a solid job playing one of the most important positions on the field, but there has always been a desire for the team to get better. That won’t leave Jones out of a job, as he’s a good lineman, he just might not be the long-term answer at left tackle. Ozzy Trapilo has already impressed the coaching staff during the offseason, and he’s going to have a shot at the starting left tackle job (along with Kiran Amegadjie). As of now, it’s fair to assume that he is going to battle Jones and Amegadjie for the starting job. Of all the positional battles going into Chicago’s camp, this one may have the most impact. Outside of left tackle, there are also notable battles at backup quarterback, the third linebacker spot and perhaps even at outside cornerback.
Where will T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds line up?
Is true change coming to the defense under new hired defensive coordinator Dennis Allen? With Ben Johnson’s focus mostly on the offense, Allen will have range to make the changes that he sees fit. One of the potential changes is the positioning of linebackers T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds. These two have been in lockstep ever since signing with the Bears, but now they may be flipping where they line up. Allen said that Edwards could be moved to the middle position while Edmunds kicks outside. Both players will get a look at the MIKE spot, so we’ll have to see who shines brightest in their respective roles while the battle for the strong side linebacker plays out between rookie Ruben Hyppolite II and Noah Sewell.
Is Jaylon Johnson going to show up to camp before restructuring his contract?
Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson was added to the Non-Football Injury list, although there is no indication of what his injury might be. There is indication, however, that he is interested in restructuring his deal. Johnson wants to be more fairly compensated based on what the other elite players at his position are now making. Johnson has always been on a team-friendly deal, but that luxury could end soon. Will he show up to training camp before he gets his way? While there’s no indication that Johnson is holding out, his arrival (or lack thereof) is something to monitor while players start to trickle in and get ready for the season.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 5 storylines to watch as Bears training camp begins
Reporting by Vincent Parise, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
