The NFL season is officially right around the corner! The Chicago Bears, who are fresh off their third-straight offseason championship, reported to training camp on Saturday.
On paper, the Bears field a roster that looks like it can make some noise in the NFC playoff picture. Training camp will offer some insight into whether they will finally live up to expectations, as it will be their first test to see if the team is up to snuff.
Between an entirely new coaching staff and a significant infusion of talent, there are several storylines to keep an eye on over the next month. While the preseason games understandably garner the flashy headlines, the progress made through practices during the week will be equally (if not more) important.
1. Who will win the left tackle job?
The Bears’ left tackle job is the most vital roster battle to keep an eye on throughout training camp. You could make a strong case that Caleb Williams is the most important investment in franchise history. They have to keep him healthy, and that starts with protecting his blindside.
Braxton Jones has been a solid starter since being selected in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. However, he suffered a torn ACL late last season, and it’s currently unclear how active he will be throughout training camp. Jones is entering a contract year and appears to be a longshot to return next season, considering they drafted Ozzy Trapilo in the second round in April.
The University of Boston College product undoubtedly will be given a chance to be the future starter at left tackle. With that said, it is fair to wonder whether they will give him the reins right out of the gate. He is making the switch to the left side after playing on the right side over the past two years.
While he made a concerted effort to practice his footwork on the left side after practice, there will still be an adjustment as he gets comfortable in his full-time position. He controls his destiny. His year-one impact could hinge on how quickly he can get acclimated.
2. How quickly does Caleb Williams adapt to the new offense?
I already mentioned just how important Caleb Williams is to the Bears’ success both this season and beyond. That really can’t be emphasized enough. Ryan Poles got the memo. Not only did he add a significant amount of talent around him, but he landed the top head coaching candidate on the market this offseason in Ben Johnson.
If anyone is capable of getting the most out of Williams, it would be Johnson. The guy who spent the previous three years resurrecting Jared Goff’s career after many had already written him off. He is one of the best play-callers and offensive masterminds in the entire league. He has already promised to tailor the offense around Williams’ strengths.
The Johnson hire has all the makings of an A+ move for the Bears, but there will still be growing pains to overcome. It would be naive to expect otherwise. Williams is coming off a season where he reportedly received minimal assistance from his coaching staff, and it should be night and day with the new regime.
The Bears will live and die by Williams’ right arm this year. We won’t know whether Johnson unlocks the USC products’ untapped potential until the season begins. However, it’ll be difficult not to get extremely excited about the marriage if early reports indicate last year’s top pick turns out to be a quick study.
3. What is Ben Johnson’s coaching style like?
How will Ben Johnson handle a two-game losing streak? Does he have a firm grasp of clock management? Is he capable of making shrewd halftime adjustments? These are obviously all questions that can’t be answered until the regular season begins. However, you can still glean a few insights about his coaching style before the games start to matter.
How does Johnson interact with the players? Is he engaging with fellow coaches? How does he react when the players make a mistake? How does he react when they make a great play? These questions will be answered over the next few weeks.
Johnson is a first-time head coach. He is going to have a lot of firsts over the next month, and he’s going to learn how to roll with the punches on the fly. While he had similar responsibilities as an offensive coordinator, that role didn’t require him to speak to the defense or other defensive coaches. Being the guy responsible for the entire roster is a whole different animal, and it will be interesting to see how he handles the pressure.
4. Is Colston Loveland healthy?
It will be interesting to see just how much Colston Loveland plays in year one. Tight ends historically take a longer time to develop than other positions, but Ben Johnson helped Sam LaPorta (who Loveland got compared to throughout the pre-draft process) reach the Pro Bowl as a rookie in Detroit two years ago.
With that said, the difference between the two situations is quite stark. LaPorta was the unquestioned starter right out of the gate, while Loveland will be competing with Cole Kmet for playing time. They have the potential to be one of the most potent TE duos, but it will probably be a 1A/1B situation.
Loveland’s health is a factor to keep an eye on over the next month. The University of Michigan product underwent surgery on his right shoulder to repair an AC joint dislocation in January.
The Bears invested the tenth overall pick in the talented weapon. That indicated they will probably take it slow with him and make sure he’s 100% before throwing him out there. How much he does over the next month will be a clear indication of where he is in the recovery process, though.
5. What will the defensive line rotation look like?
The Bears significantly improved both sides of the line of scrimmage this offseason. While the additions to the offensive line room garnered most of the headlines (largely due to two new starters joining the team via trade), the additions to the defensive line room shouldn’t be overlooked.
Having a lot of depth is a good problem to have, and Chicago suddenly has somewhat of a logjam at the defensive tackle position. Former starters Gervon Dexter Sr. and Andrew Billings will now compete with Grady Jarrett and Shemar Turner for playing time. Billings’ role at nose tackle is somewhat unquestioned, but the starting three-technique job appears to be up for grabs.
Jarrett is the favorite to land the starting job there, but Dexter is young and still improving. They will have a healthy rotation along the defensive line, and Turner playing on the outside is also a possibility. In fact, his size fits the profile of what new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen covets from his edge rushers.
Turner will have to compete with Dayo Odeyingo, whom the team signed to a three-year, $48 million contract this offseason, if he hopes to make a name for himself on the edge. I know fans have been clamoring for another pass rusher, but something tells me they feel good about their depth. It will be fun to see who plays where and how they divvy up the snaps over the next month.
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