The Chicago Bears continued with the final phase of their offseason program with mandatory minicamp on Wednesday, where they conducted the second of three practices this week.
There were plenty of updates that came out of Halas Hall on Wednesday, which featured more situational football. The main headline was the two-minute drill, where the defense has consistently bested the offense this offseason. But that changed on Wednesday with an impressive 90-plus yard drive from quarterback Caleb Williams, where the offense made an impact. It was also a big day for rookies, as three members of Chicago’s 2025 draft class had standout days.
Let’s recap what went down during the second day of Bears minicamp. From the offense getting the best of the defense to Kyle Monangai’s big day, here’s what we learned from Wednesday’s practice.
Offense bests defense in 2-minute drill
In what will come as no surprise, head coach Ben Johnson said the defense has gotten the best of the offense during two-minute drills in OTAs. But that changed on Wednesday when the offense bested the defense with an impressive touchdown drive. According to Zack Pearson, quarterback Caleb Williams led the first-team offense on a 94-yard touchdown drive during the two-minute drill, which culminated with a Williams touchdown pass to rookie running back Kyle Monangai. While safety Jonathan Owens nearly picked Williams off twice (one was dropped, the other off his hands), the second-year QB made a nice throw to receiver Olamide Zaccheaus during this period. Johnson noted they played through a would-be sack. But this still counts as a rare win for the offense during the spring.
Caleb Williams has bounce-back day
All eyes are on second-year quarterback Caleb Williams and whether he’ll have a breakout year in his first season with Ben Johnson. But Williams is going to have his ups and downs as he learns a new offense, and that was the case so far in minicamp. While Williams had an up-and-down day on Tuesday, Clay Harbor noted Williams had a “very nice practice,” where he “hit some big throws” and got to use his legs during the move-the-ball period as he scrambled for some first downs. There was “nice growth from Day 1 to 2.” Williams’ biggest success came during the aforementioned two-minute drill, where he led the offense on a 94-yard touchdown drive and found rookie running back Kyle Monangai for a touchdown.
Ozzy Trapilo impresses with starters
The battle wages on for the Bears’ starting left tackle job. With Braxton Jones sidelined as he recovers from a fractured fibula, second-year pro Kiran Amegadjie and rookie Ozzy Trapilo are each getting a chance to win the job. After Amegadjie worked with the starters on Tuesday, it was Trapilo’s turn with the first-team offense on Wednesday. According to Clay Harbor, Trapilo had a “very nice practice” with the starters and noted he looks uncommon for a rookie. Said Harbor: “Reminds me of Ryan Ramczyk as a rookie when I was with the Saints how he fits in so quickly.” While there’s still a long way to go in this battle — as the pads don’t come on until training camp — Trapilo is positioning himself to win the starting left tackle job as a rookie.
Kyle Monangai has standout day
The Bears waited until the seventh round to draft a running back in Kyle Monangai, and he very well might be a steal for Chicago. According to Clay Harbor, Monangai had an “excellent” practice when it came to “catching the football and making some nice plays.” Monangai played a key role during the offense’s successful two-minute drill, where he hauled in a touchdown pass from Caleb Williams to cap the 94-yard drive. Harbor said Monangai is “very impressive for a rookie” and that he’s “got some juice.” While D’Andre Swift is entrenched as the lead back right now, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Monangai make a case for additional reps as a rookie behind Swift and Roschon Johnson.
Ruben Hyppolite solid in coverage vs. Cole Kmet
There are a number of position battles that will unfold during training camp, including the third linebacker spot between Noah Sewell and rookie Ruben Hyppolite II. According to Clay Harbor, Hyppolite “looked good in coverage” as he had some nice reps in 1-on-1 against tight end Cole Kmet. Harbor said you can “see (Hyppolite’s) speed and athleticism” on the field. We could be looking at yet another rookie making the case for more playing time.
Underrated standout players
Sure, it’s only June and we’ve still got weeks until the pads come on in training camp. But it seems as if there are some underrated Bears players making a name for themselves during the offseason program. According to Clay Harbor, the three players who have impressed him so far this offseason include undrafted rookie wide receiver J.P. Richardson, receiver Maurice Alexander and tight end Joel Wilson. These players might not necessarily make the roster, given the depth at each position, but they could carve out a spot on the practice squad or make the case for a roster spot elsewhere.
Attendance report
Head coach Ben Johnson announced that the Bears had perfect attendance at mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, although there were a number of players sidelined due to injury. Johnson said cornerback Jaylon Johnson and safety Elijah Hicks were excused due to personal issues. Elsewhere, linebacker T.J. Edwards was back on the field participating during individual drills while cornerback Kyler Gordon was seen at the beginning of the stretching period, according to Matt Zahn.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 7 takeaways from Day 2 of Bears minicamp
Reporting by Alyssa Barbieri, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
