Preseason usually means nothing for a fanbase this jaded, but this one hit different. Ben Johnson couldn’t even hide the smile on the sideline, and the vibes at Soldier Field told you everything about where this team is now.

We break down why Tyson Bajent’s uneven outing has us split on his stock, David explains why he’s already checked out on one running back he’s soured on for two years, and you’ll want to hear the takes on which rookie corner and which random defensive tackle just made a case for the 53.

Full breakdown’s on YouTube now:

P.S. Wait for the moment David compares a certain veteran RB’s speed to his own. He’s not joking.

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Ben Johnson said this offseason, “There is no building off of this. We are back at the bottom,” when speaking on the idea of carrying last season’s success into this year. And while I understand the sentiment, I don’t fully believe that. I absolutely believe this team can carry over a lot of what we saw last season, particularly the culture, foundation and playoff experience.

Obviously, preseason largely means nothing. We saw zero offensive starters, a few snaps from some first team defenders, but mostly got our first real look at the depth pieces and rookies brought in throughout the offseason.

And, as expected, there was a little bit of everything. A lot to like, plenty to question, and a whole lot somewhere in the middle.

So, with that said, allow me to provide my expert analysis, as a guy sitting comfortably on his couch, judging professional football players in a sport I have never played at any level.

The Good

Coming into the preseason, most of the conversation surrounding the Bears’ defense has been anything but positive. Between the Coby Bryant injury, Kyler Gordon still working his way back, and the overall uncertainty surrounding some of the depth pieces, there were plenty of reasons to be concerned about what this unit would look like when the starters weren’t on the field.

And honestly, that concern was still sitting in the back of my mind after Cleveland jumped out to an early 10-0 lead.

One of the first guys who caught my attention was Jack Sanborn. Just seeing him flying around the field in the Navy and Orange again made me really happy. Also, knowing he is free from an Eberflus system for the first time in his career makes me even happier.

Then you had Beanie Bishop Jr. coming away with two interceptions, and rookie Malik Muhammad looked every bit as good of a tackler as he was said to be coming out of the draft. The turnovers were great, but what stood out to me just as much was the overall play of the secondary.

Guys like Skyler Thomas and Dontae Manning kinda impressed me as well. Obviously, I’m not going to crown this defense after one preseason game. This was Preseason Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns, but I overall feel a lot better after what seems to be a glaring, depressing blackhole of injuries coming from the defense.

The Better

The group that really stood out to me today was the wide receivers. I honestly think you could make a legitimate case for four or five of these guys to make the final roster based solely on what we saw today. Obviously, it’s only one preseason game and there is still a long way to go, but there was a lot to like from this group.

The biggest thing that jumped out was how few mistakes they made. There were very few drops, guys were consistently getting open, and the overall speed of the room really stood out. Many times, I made comments about Bagents’ “hospital-like” balls being thrown, that were being attacked whether incomplete or not.

Obviously with such a deep WR room already, Kaden Davis, Scotty Miller, Maurice Alexander and many more who had very impressive games today will have to continue these type of performances throughout the preseason. The offensive production in today’s game was a simple blueprint to what Ben will want for this offense this season. A mix of speed, crisp route running and overall confusion for defenses got me extremely hyped for this offense. Give me regular season NOW.

The Best

Some of the best football I saw today came from our 38-year-old, third-string quarterback.

I honestly wasn’t even sure we were going to see Case Keenum play in this game. At this point, I’ve kinda convinced myself that his role on this team is being a glorified assistant QB coach who occasionally puts on a helmet. So when he actually came out there and started slinging the football around, I had a big smile on my face.

And he didn’t just look like a veteran trying to get through a preseason game. Keenum looked really good.

The game gave me a almost Varsity watching JV blow someone out type hype to it. Watching after every score or turnover the cut to the bench genuinely happy for their guys is what makes me so excited for this team, man.

He finished the day 9/10 for 151 yards and two touchdowns, and pretty much every time he dropped back, he looked comfortable and in control. He was decisive with the football, put some really nice throws on receivers, and seemed to have a good feel for what the Browns 3’s on defense was giving him. One of the biggest defining culture steps Ben has taken, in my opinion, was loading the QB room with knowledge for not only Caleb, but Tyson too.

Overall, I think we can all agree this was a impressive victory for the Bears. Simply put, this felt like a case of being absolutely outcoached.

After falling behind 10-0 early, the script was completely flipped, scoring 34 unanswered points to close it out. The Bears’ depth shined as the offense found ways to consistently move the ball, while the defense created turnovers and made life increasingly difficult for Watson, Sanders and Gabriel.

Obviously, it is only the preseason, and there is no reason to overreact to one game but the Bears did exactly what they needed to do. From the coaching staff to the depth pieces fighting for roster spots, The Bears looked like the more prepared and genuinely wanted it more after that 1st quarter.

If this is any indication of what Ben Johnson and his staff are building in Chicago, we Bears fans have plenty of reasons to feel good heading into the rest of the regular season.

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In Episode #228 of The BFTV Podcast, Dave, Ficky, and Griffin break down the Bears' dominant 34-10 preseason win over the Browns and while the scoreboard looked great, is it too early to get excited? The offense showed serious depth, the defense was suffocating after the first quarter, and Ben Johnson's sideline energy had everyone fired up.

The guys also cover the gut-punch Xavier Woods injury fresh off his signing, Coby Bryant's extended absence still looming, and Kyler Gordon still seen in street clothes, raising real questions about the secondary's depth heading into Week 1.

Get the raw, unfiltered instant reaction from three die-hard Bears fans on everything that went right, and what's keeping them up at night.

BEAR DOWN ! 🐻⬇️

So Mike Garafolo dropped this nugget and Bears Twitter immediately lost its mind: Chicago’s checked in with the Bucs on Vita Vea. Bills and Niners too, for what it’s worth, so this isn’t some exclusive Poles fever dream. But the Bucs’ answer, internally at least, is still “we’re not trading him.” Vea requested out back on July 27 after extension talks stalled, he’s been holding in at camp ever since, and he’s playing on the last year of a deal that pays him $17-18 million with exactly zero dollars guaranteed. That last part matters a lot, and we’ll get back to it.

Here’s the thing about “checking in,” though: that’s GM-speak for due diligence, not GM-speak for “we’re closing this deal Friday.” Keep that in your back pocket for the whole article, because it colors everything.

How much would the Bears actually pay for a guy about to turn 32?

Vea hits 32 in February. Interior D-linemen usually start losing a step right around there, and normally that’d be the part where I tell you to run the other way. Except Vea doesn’t look like a guy in decline. 34 tackles, 4.5 sacks, a career-high 760 defensive snaps last year. The dude’s still an anchor.

Problem is, Vea knows it too. He wants to stay in that top-tier interior D-line pay bracket, and the number being thrown around is $24-30 million a year, basically Dexter Lawrence money. Pewter Report’s own trade model has him closer to $24 million given his age and the fact he’s only got one year left on the books. So even the “value” version of Vea isn’t cheap, it’s just less insane than the ceiling number.

For a Bears team already squeezed against the cap, paying top-five interior D-line money for a guy on the wrong side of 30 is a real bet. Not an insane one if you view him as a foundational piece and not just a rental, but a bet.

What would the trade actually cost?

Everybody’s using the Lawrence trade as the comp. Bengals sent Cincinnati’s 10th overall pick to the Giants for him, and that number’s now sitting there as the ceiling anyone points to. One analyst framed a realistic Vea package as a second and a fifth, though even that comes with the caveat that Lawrence’s deal “sets the floor” and Vea’s older, so his actual return probably gets devalued from there.

And then there’s the part nobody wants to say out loud: even before you touch draft compensation, the Bears would be taking on Vea’s existing $17-18 million cap number for 2026. That alone is a problem when you’re sitting at $4.29-8.29 million in space depending on which report you trust.

What would a new contract need to look like?

If Chicago actually pulls this off, an extension isn’t optional, it’s basically part of the asking price. Tampa reportedly wants a trade partner to also be willing to make Vea a market-setter, not just absorb his current deal.

Realistic range: 2-3 years, $26-32 million a year. That would push him above his current $17.75 million APY and above Lawrence’s $28 million benchmark, making him a top-five paid interior D-lineman in the league. And given Vea’s already frustrated that none of his current salary is guaranteed, you can bet any new deal comes loaded with real guarantee money up front. Otherwise, why would he agree to any of this in the first place?

What does this do to the cap?

This is the whole ballgame, honestly. The Bears are already running one of the tightest caps in football, bottom five or six teams league-wide depending on the report. They’ve already burned through their easy cap tools this offseason: trading D.J. Moore, cutting Tremaine Edmunds, absorbing the Drew Dalman retirement hit, all just to dig out from being over the cap to begin with.

To even fit Vea’s existing $17-18 million charge, Poles is looking at restructuring Joe Thuney’s $21.5 million hit, Montez Sweat’s $25.08 million number, or Grady Jarrett’s deal, turning salary into signing bonus and kicking the can into future years. That’s before you layer a $26-30 million extension on top of it. And remember, this is a defense that’s already eating $149.6 million of the total cap, with almost $31 million already tied up in the D-tackle room alone. You start stacking that much money at one position group and you’re playing with fire everywhere else on the roster.

Does he even fit Dennis Allen’s defense?

Allen runs a 4-3 base with a ton of sub-package usage, aggressive blitz calls, and man-coverage principles he’s carried over from his Saints days. He wants interior guys who can strike blocks and knock people backward at the point of attack, not just slant and shoot a gap and hope for penetration.

Vea, at 6’4”, 347 pounds, is about as pure a point-of-attack nose tackle as it gets. Commands double teams, anchors the run D, exactly what Allen’s scheme wants up front on early downs. But, and this is a real but, some scouting breakdowns of Allen’s ideal DT profile lean hard into length, wingspan, and sub-5.0 speed for passing-down disruption. That “get-off” juice isn’t really Vea’s game anymore at this stage of his career.

Right now Chicago’s DT room is Grady Jarrett, Gervon Dexter Sr., Neville Gallimore, and James Lynch. Vea would instantly be the best pure run-stopper of the bunch and fill a hole Bears analysts have been flagging as a real concern heading into the season.

So what does this actually mean for the Bears?

The fact that Poles is even making this call tells you something. He’s leaving no stone unturned trying to upgrade a roster that’s supposed to be built for a real 2026 window with Caleb Williams under center. That’s not nothing. It says the front office genuinely isn’t sold the interior D-line can hold up against the run under Allen as currently built.

But Tampa’s been consistent: not trading him. This reads a lot more like due diligence than an actual pursuit right now. And the Niners, sitting on a league-leading $67.6 million in cap space, make Chicago look like the underdog in any real bidding scenario if the Bucs ever do cave. The Bears’ $4-8 million cushion just doesn’t compete with that kind of flexibility.

Final verdict

Barring Tampa doing a complete 180, file this one under “worth exploring, not worth forcing.” The Bears have a legit need at DT and Allen clearly wants a bruiser like Vea up front, but the cap math just doesn’t favor Chicago winning a bidding war for a 31-year-old who needs both real draft compensation AND a $26-30 million extension. That’s a two-front financial commitment most teams in Chicago’s cap spot can’t stomach.

If the price ever drops to something like a clean third-rounder without the mega-extension attached, this conversation changes fast. Right now, though? This is a call worth making. Not a deal worth forcing. In other words, dont get your hopes up Bears fans.

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Four to six months.

Sit with that for a second. Not four to six weeks. Months. That’s the number Ben Johnson dropped on Bears fans this week about Coby Bryant, and if your stomach did a little drop when you read it, good, that means you’re paying attention. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Bryant was the $40 million answer. The stabilizer. The guy Ryan Poles flew across the country to get after letting Kevin Byard walk. And now? He might not play a real down until the Bears are hanging tinsel on the tree. If he plays at all this year.

Gonna be straight with you up front: this isn’t a “welp, next man up, football is a business” blog. I hate that blog. That’s the corporate line, the one every beat writer has to run because they need access next week. I don’t need access. Losing Bryant right now, in this exact window, is one of the worst-timed injuries this franchise has eaten in years, full stop, and it’s got its fingerprints on basically every question we’re all asking about this defense heading into September.

What This Actually Means for the Bears

Let’s rewind a second. Bryant hyperextended his left knee against Cole Kmet. Yeah, Kmet. In a one-on-one drill, the kind of rep that happens a thousand times a summer and nothing ever comes of it, except this time something did, a bone bruise and a small fracture along with it. First injury information leaked? Eight to ten weeks, no surgery needed. That would’ve stung, sure, but it was survivable. Bryant back by mid-October, missing four or five games, annoying but not the end of the world.

Well that was BS, because shortly after, the real truth came back. Chicago had him go under the knife last Friday, and Johnson stood up Tuesday and reset the whole timeline to four to six months. Do the math on that one. Best case, Bryant’s back “late in the regular season.” Worst case? You’re looking at a return that lines up with a potential playoff run, if the Bears are even in position to have one by then. There’s a very real chance the single biggest offseason investment this team made plays zero meaningful snaps in year one of his deal. Zero.

And here’s what makes it sting even more: this wasn’t some depth-chart luxury pick. Bryant was brought in specifically to replace two departing veterans, Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker, off a defense that led the entire NFL in takeaways a season ago. Chicago didn’t just lose a player here. They lost the anchor of an entire safety-room rebuild, in training camp, before he’d played a single meaningful snap in a Bears uniform. That’s not a rough patch. That’s a five-alarm fire Poles and Johnson now have to talk their way through in real time, in front of everybody.

Okay, So Who’s Actually Playing Safety Now?

This is where it gets messy, because the Bears don’t have one clean answer here. What they’ve got instead is a rotating cast of names getting thrown at the wall, and honestly, it’s changed more than once in the span of a single week.

First it was Cam Lewis stepping in, the versatile corner/safety hybrid Chicago signed in free agency, who’d been filling in at nickel for the injured Kyler Gordon (don’t even get me started on that whole situation) before sliding over to cover Bryant’s spot at safety. Made sense on paper. Then Lewis got carted off himself during a red-zone rep against Rome Odunze, and suddenly the Bears were down to their Week 1 starter at safety, plus a banged-up backup, plus a rookie. That’s the kind of depth chart that ages a defensive coordinator five years in a single weekend.

So Poles went out and got Xavier Woods. A 31-year-old vet with 121 career starts scattered across Dallas, Minnesota, Carolina and Tennessee, signed August 7th, and the guy was starting alongside Dillon Thieneman inside of 48 hours. Give credit where it’s due, Woods has looked the part early. He picked off a Caleb Williams prayer on a scramble drill in his first padded practice, and he’s not shy about putting a body on somebody either. Lit up Colston Loveland over the middle on a 4th-and-10 rep. Respect. That’s a vet who’s still got something to prove.

Here's the catch though, and I'd be lying if I skipped past it: Woods isn't a scheme-perfect fit. He's more of a traditional deep-half free safety than the hybrid, box-capable chess piece Dennis Allen usually wants at that spot. So the Bears are trading some versatility for reliability right now. Fair trade to make when you're desperate. Not the plan anybody drew up back in April.

What This Does to Dennis Allen’s Defense

Here’s the thing casual fans miss about Allen’s scheme: it lives and dies on the safety spot, period. His whole defensive identity is built around disguise, split two-high shells before the snap that rotate into single-high or roll down into the box the second the ball’s out. Designed to confuse quarterbacks, put them in conflict for that one extra half-second. But that only works if the safeties actually know what they’re doing back there and trust each other completely. Communication. Recognition. Reps together. Lots and lots of reps together.

Bryant was supposed to be the quarterback of that back end. The guy calling the checks, cleaning up Thieneman’s rookie mistakes before they turned into touchdowns, making the whole thing hum. Now Allen’s been handed almost zero time to build that chemistry with whatever combination he’s rolling out on a given Tuesday. He said it himself, more or less, that this is just “part of football,” that it forces other guys to step up. Which is coach-speak for this fucking sucks and we have to pretend it doesn’t.

The timing genuinely could not be worse. Pattern-matching, rotation-heavy defenses like this one don’t get built in a week, they get built over an entire training camp, and Allen just lost his most experienced piece before that process even really got going. One analysis I read called this a flat-out worst-case scenario for Allen. Hard to disagree with that one.

How Big a Deal Is Safety in This Defense, Really?

Massive. Can’t stress that enough. In Allen’s system, safeties aren’t deep-ball insurance policies standing around waiting on a Hail Mary. They’re hybrids, and I mean that literally, part cornerback and part linebacker, expected to handle deep coverage, slot coverage, and box run support all in the same game plan, sometimes on back-to-back snaps. That’s exactly why the offseason plan looked the way it did: pair a versatile, experienced vet (Bryant) with a rangy, ultra-athletic rookie (Thieneman), let them grow into the thing together.

Last year’s tandem, Byard and Brisker, earned the “stabilizing force” label for this defense for a reason. That experience and interchangeability at safety is what let Allen dial up the exotic stuff on early downs without worrying about getting gashed for it. Continuity at that spot matters more here than it does in most other schemes around the league, and that’s exactly why losing Bryant hits so much harder than a normal starter going down would. It’s not a plug-and-play position in this defense. It’s the load-bearing wall. You mess with it, the whole house shifts.

What It Means for Dillon Thieneman

Nobody’s getting squeezed harder by any of this than the rookie. Thieneman, the 25th overall pick out of Oregon, was always going to play a ton this year, that much was never in question. But Bryant’s absence fast-tracked him into being THE guy back there, months ahead of schedule, and it’s shoving him into a role he wasn’t necessarily built for. He’s got that blazing 4.36 speed that screams free safety, roaming-center-fielder type stuff. Instead he’s out there learning strong safety technique on the fly, literally the exact job Bryant was brought in to handle, while going up against Chicago’s own absurd receiving corps, Colston Loveland, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, in practice every single day.

And look, it’s shown. He’s gotten Mossed a couple times in camp already, including touchdowns surrendered to both Loveland and Burden, and Bears Twitter did what Bears Twitter always does with that. But he’s flashed too, two picks off Caleb in camp reps, a couple of genuinely nasty run fits where he just shows up and ends the play before it starts. Allen’s been pretty measured about it publicly, saying expectations for Thieneman “aren’t going to change a whole lot” and leaning on the incremental-growth line instead of hitting any panic buttons. Most of the beat guys covering this are calling it normal rookie growing pains against a legitimately complex system. Not a red flag. Not yet, anyway.

Here’s my honest read though: normal rookie mistakes hit different when they’re not getting cleaned up by a $40 million safety standing right next to you. That’s the real cost buried in all of this. It’s not just that Thieneman’s a rookie, it’s that he’s now a rookie without a safety net, and every mental error he makes is going to show up live, in a real game, against a real opponent, way sooner than the Bears ever wanted.

Should the Bears Go Get Kevin Byard Back?

I know this question’s coming in every group chat and comment section by tonight, so let’s kill it now. No. Not realistically. Honestly, it’s basically a dead question already. Byard is under contract elsewhere, he signed a one-year, $9 million deal with the Patriots this offseason after Chicago let him walk. Reports had the Bears open to a reunion, his market value was reportedly climbing toward $7.8 million, but the two sides never got a deal done before free agency and Poles pivoted hard to Bryant instead.

So unless New England suddenly wants to trade him, and there’s zero reporting suggesting that’s even a possibility, chasing Byard now isn’t a phone call, it’s a trade negotiation with a team that has no reason on earth to help Chicago fix a problem Chicago made for itself. Not happening. And even if it were somehow on the table, is that really the move? Reuniting with a guy you specifically chose not to re-sign, mid-season, on another team’s terms? That’s not a plan. That’s a panic button.

The more realistic path, and the one the Bears are actually walking right now, looks like this: get more out of Xavier Woods and Cam Lewis, let Thieneman keep taking his lumps and growing through them, keep an eye on the trade and waiver markets if this room’s still thin as the season gets closer. Not sexy. Not a headline-grabbing reunion. But it’s the real and honest answer.

Final Verdict

Here’s where I land on all of this. The Bears didn’t lose a role player. They lost the centerpiece of a defensive rebuild, in a scheme where that specific position IS the ballgame, at the worst possible moment on the calendar. Xavier Woods has been a legit pleasant surprise, and I’ll take whatever optimism I can find these days. But he’s a stopgap, not a long-term scheme fit, and everybody inside Halas Hall knows it even if nobody’s saying it out loud.

The real story here is Thieneman. Everything Dennis Allen wants to build on the back end now runs through a rookie who was supposed to have a $40 million training wheel bolted to him all year long. Maybe he handles it fine. Rookies have surprised us before, plenty of times. But make no mistake, this defense’s ceiling for 2026 just got a lot more dependent on a 22-year-old figuring it out in real time, live, on Sundays, in front of everybody.

Buckle the fuck up. This safety room’s going to be must-watch TV whether the Bears want it to be or not.

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Hey guys,

Just wanted to send out an email and let you know that there has been a slight change. We are renaming Mostly Bears to just Bears Fan TV.

Everything you got on Mostly Bears, you’re going to get from me going forward. It’s just going to be under our Bears Fan TV umbrella. It just makes more sense.

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I’m super excited to bring you guys a lot of content. Myself, Ficky, and Griffin will all be writing, giving you news, analysis, instant reactions, and just fun articles all around.

If you’ve already subscribed, thank you. And to any future subscribers, I can’t wait to continue building this thing.

Of course, you can check out all of our socials at Bears Fan TV.

Bear down. Let’s have a great season.

(Check out our latest episode on YouTube)

In Episode #227 of The BFTV Podcast, Dave, Ficky, and Griffin break down everything from Chicago Bears Training Camp Week 1, and the early returns have Bears fans feeling good. Caleb Williams looks locked in, the offense is clicking like we haven't seen in years, but can the defense keep up?

The guys also go through their biggest winners and losers of the week, highlighting Kalif Raymond's breakout camp, Rome Odunze's bounce-back, and Colston Loveland being an absolute matchup nightmare. Plus, Ben Johnson's composed sideline presence has them fired up heading into the preseason.

Get the full unfiltered Week 1 camp breakdown from three die-hard fans who live and breathe this stuff.

BEAR DOWN ! 🐻⬇️

Through three practices, one thing continues to stand out: Caleb Williams looks like a completely different quarterback than he did during last year’s training camp.

He’s playing with more confidence, processing quicker, and the ball is coming out on time. It’s hard not to be encouraged by what has been coming out of training camp.

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The first-team offense had its best day of camp overall

The defense got the better of the offense during a 7-on-7 red-zone period, but the offense responded by winning the 11-on-11 work throughout the day. While it wasn’t a perfect practice, the unit consistently bounced back after mistakes. Rome Odunze has shown a lot of good from reports and videos coming out of Halas Hall. Like he said earlier in the week, the foot is good. And we should all believe him.

It wasn’t perfect though

Caleb Williams got visibly upset at one point during practice, and Ben Johnson pulled rookie WR Zavion Thomas out of a drill after he lined up incorrectly. There’s no need to panic, though. Luther Burden had a very similar experience during training camp.

Based on everything coming out of Halas Hall including the videos we saw today the intensity appears to be extremely high.

Colston Loveland

Loveland was heavily involved once again and continues to look like one of Caleb Williams’ favorite targets.

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His ability to high-point the football looks natural, and he consistently created positive plays throughout practice. The Williams-Loveland connection was one of the biggest storylines of the day.

Left tackle competition

The Bears continue to rotate players at left tackle.

Kiran Amegadjie worked with the first-team offense today, another sign that the coaching staff is continuing to evaluate the position rather than settling on a starter.

Caleb Williams

The offense wasn’t flawless in the red zone.

Caleb Williams threw an interception to Jaylon Johnson during 7-on-7 work, there were drops by Luther Burden and Colston Loveland, and there were a few missed opportunities.

The encouraging part was the response. Caleb showed visible frustration after mistakes, regrouped, and immediately followed them with positive plays instead of letting them snowball.

The highlight of practice came during the first-team two-minute drill.

Starting with 1:37 remaining, two timeouts, and the ball on his own 39-yard line in a tie game, Williams led the offense on a touchdown drive.

Even after a sack midway through the series, a play that likely would’ve turned into a scramble in a real game, the offense never lost momentum.

The drive included:

• A quick completion to Luther Burden.

• A short completion to Loveland.

• An offsides penalty drawn by the defense.

• A third-down conversion to D’Andre Swift on the ground.

• A 13-yard strike to Loveland.

• A 19-yard completion to Loveland off a naked boot.

• Another hard count that drew the defense offsides.

• A 14-yard touchdown pass to Loveland to finish the drive.

From all reports and videos, Williams was quick, decisive, and accurate throughout the possession, showing poise after adversity.

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The quarterbacks

Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent were among the biggest standouts of the day.

Both quarterbacks were in command of the offense, threw with anticipation, and consistently delivered good balls. But the Bears pass catchers also made up for some passes that weren’t perfect per say.

One of Williams best throws came after he backed away from the line of scrimmage before the snap, reset the offense, and fired a rope to Rome Odunze.

Darnell Wright

Veteran right tackle Darnell Wright was asked about Williams’ growth from last season.

“He’s leaps and bounds better than what he was.”

Wright was also asked about his own future with the organization.

“I know I’ll be here for a long time. Hopefully my whole career.”

I’ll leave you with this

Some final thoughts regarding Bears training camp so far:

I think it’s okay to believe. It’s okay to be a little excited about the hype.

This isn’t Matt Nagy 2.0.

What Ben Johnson, Caleb Williams, and the Bears are building feels like the real deal.

Good Bears Follows

Some of today’s observations were reinforced by the reporting, videos, and notes from:

@thecarm

@AdamHoge

@BradBiggs

@Devan_Kaney

@JoshGBuck

@OchoK_

@AdamJahns

Drop them a follow.

Special shoutouts

Special shoutout to two great Bears accounts, @ilannfl18 and @CalebIsHim.

They shared a ton of great footage from camp today along with live updates throughout practice. If you’re looking for more clips from Day 3, they’re both well worth following. Bear Down.

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I just got out of seeing the new Spider-Man: Brand New Day. No spoilers, by the way, so you’re good.

I instantly started thinking about how I could tie it to Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams entering Year 2 together.

The Chicago Bears are only a few days into training camp, but something feels different. From Colston Loveland looking unstoppable to Caleb Williams looking a lot more comfortable and truly dialed in. That doesn’t mean he won’t make mistakes. He will. Ben Johnson still has plenty to prove, too. Does it matter if Caleb is on the Madden cover? Not really.

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Brand New Day for the Bears

The correlation? It’s different this time.

You don’t have to force yourself to believe the Bears have a quarterback. You don’t have to convince yourself they finally have a head coach. Everyone knows it. The question is whether we’ll see these two reach the heights of their powers. But why does it feel like a brand new day?

That brought up a few questions for me.

Every training camp, fans spend their time trying to convince themselves that this team is different. That this quarterback is going to be different. That this guy is finally going to break the curse. That the Bears finally have a head coach who can call plays. This year? Nobody is questioning whether Ben Johnson can run an offense. Those questions we’ve heard year after year simply don’t exist anymore. That’s why it feels like a brand new day.

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Does that mean the Bears are going to win the Super Bowl? No.

But I do think it means this franchise has finally turned the page. And that’s because of Caleb Williams. That’s because of Ben Johnson. The Bears also have a few superheroes of their own. One of them is Colston Loveland, who has looked absolutely unstoppable in training camp. But there’s no slogan this time around.

No coaches trying to sell us on “the why.”

No HITS principals.

The Bears just finally found their cornerstones. And every one of them seems completely locked in on their craft. With that being said, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is one of the best Spider-Man movies I’ve ever seen. I highly suggest you go watch it.

Tom Holland is my favorite Spider-Man, and the entire cast absolutely crushed it.

Both Marvel and the Bears are BACK.

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*QUICK DISCLAIMER

OK, I want to add a quick disclaimer because we’re only a couple of days into training camp. But based on everything we’re hearing and seeing, the Bears’ offense, for the first time in a while, might actually be ahead of the defense.

The pads aren’t on yet, so we’ll have to wait and see how things look once the physicality ramps up. But I think it’s OK to get a little excited.

DAY TWO

If Day 1 was about getting back into football, Day 2 felt like the offense settling in.

Caleb Williams put together one of his sharpest practices of camp according to multiple reports, looking decisive, accurate and completely in control. The ball rarely hit the ground, he spread it around to nearly everyone, and he looked much more comfortable operating Ben Johnson’s offense.

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The highlight of the afternoon came on a deep touchdown to Kalif Raymond, a perfectly placed ball that traveled more than 50 yards and capped off an impressive day from Chicago’s quarterback.

Just as encouraging, though, was how the offense functioned as a whole. The timing looked cleaner. The ball came out quickly. Williams looked confident working through progressions, trusting what he was seeing and letting the playmakers do the rest. But this is all without pads so take it with a grain of salt.

Caleb Williams

After an encouraging first practice, Williams took another step forward.

He looked decisive with the football, accurate at every level of the field and in command of Ben Johnson’s offense. He distributed the ball to a variety of receivers, kept the offense moving and continued showing the confidence Bears fans have been waiting to see.

The chemistry with his pass catchers also continues to grow, and it showed throughout practice.

Ben Johnson

One thing that continues to stand out is just how much is happening before the snap.

The Bears are using constant shifts, motions and misdirection to create favorable looks. One of the biggest plays of practice came off a double-motion concept that sprung Luther Burden III free downfield.

There’s a lot of eye candy built into this offense, forcing defenses to communicate before the ball is even snapped. It’s still early, but the offense already feels noticeably more detailed than it did at this point a year ago.

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Offensive coordinator Press Taylor said Thursday morning that growth is exactly what should happen entering Year 2 under Ben Johnson.

“So now, I mean, we’re in second grade, essentially. We moved on from first grade.”

Taylor explained that instead of spending time teaching the basics again, the coaching staff can build off last season, evolve the offense and better tailor it to the players currently on the roster.

He also pointed to continuity in the quarterback room as another reason the offense is operating more efficiently. Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent, Case Keenum and quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett all return with a full year in Johnson’s system, allowing conversations to go far beyond learning the playbook.

“We have shared experience to pull from and be able to communicate through, so we get going a lot faster.”

It’s easy to see why Taylor also had this to say about Johnson himself:

“When he steps on the field, there’s a certain look in his eyes and you get excited on our side because we have Ben. That’s part of the process of why you think you’re going to win. We have Ben.”

If that doesn’t get you amped up, not sure what else will. Ben is the best.

Kalif Raymond

Raymond was one of the biggest winners of the day.

His deep touchdown catch from Williams was the play everyone will remember, but it wasn’t his only contribution. He consistently created separation, hauled in passes from both Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent, and once again showed why coaches continue trusting him in this offense.

If there was an “all-hands team,” Raymond belongs on it.

THE BIG THREE

Rome Odunze continues looking like himself after rehabbing his foot throughout the offseason.

After practice, he made it clear there aren’t any lingering concerns.

“My foot feels great. My foot feels amazing.”

He backed that up with another strong showing, creating separation consistently and looking explosive throughout the day.

Luther Burden III also continues stacking impressive practices. He was one of the most targeted receivers on the field, ran crisp routes, picked up yards after the catch on a reverse and continues building chemistry with Williams. Every day he seems to flash in a different way.

Colston Loveland had another standout moment with a diving catch over Dillon Thieneman on a deep out route, while Omari Kelly quietly continues putting together a strong camp of his own.

DJ Moore

Rome Odunze met with the media on Thursday and shared a really cool nugget regarding fromer Bears WR DJ Moore. Rome said DJ recently reached out to him and credited him for everything he learned during their two seasons together.

Pretty damn cool. Gonna miss DJ on the sidelines.

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Worth keeping an eye on..

Rookie Xavion Thomas continues earning opportunities all over the field, seeing work with the first, second and third-team offense while also getting kickoff return reps.

His day was a mixed bag. There was an early fumbled exchange and a couple of drops, but he responded exactly how you’d hope a rookie would, finishing with a nice catch late against Malik Muhammad.

Salvon Ahmed showed noticeable burst and looked comfortable operating in space, while Montez Sweat returned after yesterday’s conditioning work.

Position battles

Cam Lewis continued taking first-team reps at nickel, while the left tackle competition remains interesting.

Braxton Jones is still the starter, but Jedrick Wills Jr. once again worked with the second-team offensive line and even replaced Jones for the final snap with the starters before the second unit took over. Kiran Amegadjie rotated with the third team.

Kyle Monangai was not spotted during practice.

Things feel a bit different (but it’s early)

Through two practices, the offense has generated most of the buzz.

Williams is playing fast, the receivers are consistently creating separation and Ben Johnson’s scheme already appears to be opening up opportunities across the field.

That doesn’t mean the defense didn’t have moments. Coby Bryant broke up a pass during team drills, and the secondary continued flying around the football. But early in camp, the passing game has clearly had the upper hand.

Through two days of training camp, it’s still important not to overreact. Pads aren’t on yet, the install is ongoing and there will be days when the defense gets the better of the offense.

But it’s hard to ignore how comfortable Caleb Williams looks, how much faster this offense is operating and how intentional everything feels under Ben Johnson. The foundation looks noticeably different than it did a year ago, and that’s exactly what the Bears were hoping to see entering Year 2.

Good Bears Follows

No one catches every single thing at training camp.

Some of today’s takeaways were reinforced by notes/takeaways from the people below:

• @thecarm

• @AdamHoge

• @BradBiggs

• @Devan_Kaney

• @JoshGBuck

• @Zack_Pearson

• @clayharbs82

Drop them a follow. Fans will be attending camp very soon so I will highlight all the fans who get videos and more details as well. Bear down.

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In professional sports, players come and go. In the NFL, rosters change week to week and are usually nuked (look completely different) after 3–5 years. Of course, if you have a quarterback, they tend to stick around. But even great players eventually run their course in a city.

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Enter DJ Moore and his time in Chicago. The Bears moved on from DJ this past offseason. GM Ryan Poles did right by him and sent him to a good team with a great quarterback in Josh Allen. However, something felt unfinished. Moore had been here during the Justin Fields days. He had to deal with Shane Waldron. Matt Eberflus. Year 1 under Ben Johnson wasn’t easy either. He just never got to experience winning. That is until the 2025 season.

A season that was the best and most fun I’ve had covering the Bears and simply being a fan. I’m not sure it will be topped unless they go on to finally win another Super Bowl. But back to the subject of this post: DJ Moore.

He deserves more love for his time here. So many great memories. That TD catch in OT to beat the Packers was absolute cinema. It’s now a core memory for me and so many other Bears fans.

He was also tough as hell. He kept his sense of humor even during that 13-game losing streak in 2023. He backed up Fields when things got rocky. Showed Caleb Williams some tough love in the beginning but always had his back. And in 2025, he delivered time after time. I just want to put it on the record one more time that I appreciate that. Tough catch after tough catch. Big hit after big hit. The dude always found a way to be on the field.

As we start Bears training camp, it just feels like a story was left unwritten. Like a great TV show that you love, but it didn’t get renewed. And I guess that’s sometimes for the better. That playoff loss to the Rams stung, as it turned out to be the final chapter of his time in Chicago.

But that’s the NFL. You never know what next season will bring. Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson will be fine. This Bears offense is more loaded than any I’ve seen in my lifetime (29 years).

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As camp begins, lots of new and returning faces will walk around Halas Hall. So shoutout one last time to a guy who helped put Chicago back on the map. A player who embraced the rivalry between Chicago and Green Bay. Despite some bad body language at times, one thing was never in question:

“F the Packers always.”

The Bears held their first training camp practice of 2026 on Wednesday. No, the offense wasn’t rewriting record books or anything like that, but it looked organized. Honestly, it looked much better than those first few weeks of camp a year ago.

Here are the biggest takeaways from Day 1.

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Caleb Williams is playing faster

Caleb Williams met with the media after practice and one thing was clear: there’s a lot more on his plate this season.

He said the offense is much more detailed this year, with more kills, alerts, and pre-snap responsibilities. He’s recognizing defenses faster and is excited about the challenge.

When asked about cutting down on sacks, Caleb basically laid out the blueprint.

Get the ball out. Trust the protection. Take the checkdown. Use your hot answers. Make defenders miss when you have to. And throw it away when that’s the right decision.

He also talked about improving his completion percentage. Caleb believes it starts with confidence. Confidence in knowing the offense, trusting where to go with the football, trusting his receivers, and trusting the coaching. His goal is simple: complete 70% of his passes by consistently making the easy throws.

Ben Johnson is still coaching him hard

If you were wondering whether Ben Johnson has eased up on Caleb entering Year 2... he hasn’t.

Caleb said Ben still coaches him hard, and he welcomes it. If Ben gets on him or yells at him, it’s because they both share the same goal.

Bringing a championship back to Chicago.

Year 2 confidence

Caleb said he feels much more confident entering his second season because he now understands what winning and losing actually look like in the NFL.

He wants to continue leading by example and mentioned something interesting. Teammates are starting to sound like coaches because everyone has a much better understanding of the system.

That’s usually a good sign.

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Plenty of praise for his weapons

Caleb had a lot to say about the Bears’ young pass catchers.

He believes Colston Loveland has everything it takes to become the best tight end in football. He praised his versatility, route running, and willingness to block. Their chemistry has grown through honest conversations, and Caleb shared a cool story from after the Cincinnati game when Loveland told him, “Just give me a chance.”

He also couldn’t say enough about Luther Burden III, praising his route running and ability to separate while saying he has a ton of confidence in him.

As for Rome Odunze, Caleb said Rome looks completely healthy. They’ve spent plenty of time talking through routes, and Caleb keeps reminding him the football is coming his way.

“They drafted him high for a reason.”

He said when the ball goes to Rome, he expects either a catch or an incompletion... not a mistake.

Building chemistry

There was one miscommunication during practice with Garrett Bradbury, but Caleb said communication has otherwise been excellent as the offense continues building chemistry.

He also made it clear that whatever happened last season doesn’t matter anymore.

The focus now is improving every day, building trust, and spending more time together on and off the field.

Don’t count out rookie C Logan Jones..

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A lighter Caleb

Caleb also revealed he lost around 10 to 15 pounds this offseason by changing his diet and meal schedule.

The goal was simple: move better and play more fluidly.

Practice observations

A few things stood out from today’s practice.

• Luther Burden III saw a ton of targets both inside and outside while flashing his quick route running.

• Rome Odunze looked healthy and explosive during individual drills, although he didn’t record a catch during team periods.

• Caleb Williams and the quarterbacks consistently got the ball out on time. Overall, it was a solid first day.

• Jaylon Jones spent most of practice working as the starting nickel corner.

• Braxton Jones and Garrett Bradbury worked with the first-team offense.

• The defense actually had more pre-snap penalties than the offense from what I saw.

• The Bears won’t practice in full pads until Monday because of the NFL’s acclimation period.

Dennis Allen set the tone

Dennis Allen was as fired up as I’ve seen him during his morning press conference.

Honestly, it felt like he was talking directly to his defense.

He didn’t pull any punches about the unit needing to improve.

Then, as has become tradition, every defensive player opened training camp by doing 40 up-downs.

Safe to say the message was received.

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The Bears returned to Halas Hall on Monday, and we heard from Ben Johnson and Ryan Poles. Here’s a quick recap of everything we learned and the biggest takeaways. Before we jump in, I will be doing recaps every single day for Bears training camp, so if you’re enjoying this, go ahead and hit that subscribe button.

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Ben Johnson

One of the biggest takeaways from today was Ben Johnson. He used the media to send a message. He was asked about Kyler Gordon and if he had a message for him, and he said two words: get healthy.

Ben was also in mid-season form as he was asked about training camp, and he said, “This is where it’s fun. I’m excited for the competition.”

He truly is all business. I think that’s probably my favorite part about Ben Johnson. He doesn’t change for anyone. He will call out any player, whether a starter, star, or even someone on the Madden cover.

Speaking of the Madden cover, Ben did talk about Caleb Williams. He said things are starting to slow down for him, but he wants to see more anticipation. He went on to praise him and said he’s got it all: elite arm talent, playmaking ability, escapability. Really cool to see the growth between these two, and I’m excited for year two.

Then he was asked if the goal for Caleb Williams’ completion percentage was still 70%. He laughed and said it always will be.

Luther Burden

Luther Burden can’t stop calling his QBs, and that’s scary for the rest of the league.

Now, I guess it’s time for me to add a little bit more context. Bears GM Ryan Poles was very excited about talking about Luther Burden in year two.

“If there’s a guy I’m really excited about, it’s Luther Burden. You can feel the fire inside him. He just loves football.”

Poles also dropped a really fun nugget that will kind of make that first line make sense. He said Luther Burden has been texting all these quarterbacks, trying to find someone to throw to him every day.

Earlier in the summer, Ben Johnson had a quote that essentially said, “I’m buying Luther Burden stock.” I’m not saying it’s too late, but it’s getting damn close.

Luther Burden is gonna be a superstar, and I can just feel it.

Darnell Wright extension...

This might be the most disappointing part of Day 0 of training camp.

One thing I expected was Darnell Wright to probably get an extension before the regular season, but Bears GM Ryan Poles was asked about a potential extension for Wright, and he said, “There’s a window to get a deal done. At some point, we have to go play football, so we’ll figure it out.”

“Darnell is a guy we want here for the long term.”

And, to be honest, that doesn’t sound like good news at all. The market for offensive tackles continues to rise, and I know Chicago can kind of be frugal with the money, but this is a situation where you just have to pay.

Darnell Wright was Second-Team All-Pro, and if there’s one thing on Poles’ agenda, he’s got to get this deal done.

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Kyler Gordon

Obviously, I touched on the message that Ben Johnson said in regards to Kyler Gordon, which was simply, “Get healthy,” and to me, this is just not a fun situation.

Kyler Gordon is a great player, but he’s just never available. Obviously, they already signed him through 2028, so the extension’s been done. There’s no real easy way out.

I think both Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson know this, but I am glad they both kind of called him out. It’s not his fault, sure, but at the end of the day, the Bears need him.

The only downside is there’s no timetable for him to return, and that doesn’t make me feel great about the severity of this injury.

However, Ben Johnson sent a message today, and it kind of reminds me of the Joker from The Dark Knight. It’s not about the money. It’s about sending a message.

Other Injuries

Dayo is back, as there wasn’t any mention of him not being 100%.

Keyshaun Elliott has a back issue.

Elijah Hicks had some discomfort in his shin.

Noah Sewell is rehabbing from surgery.

Ozzy Trapilo is doing a “great job” working his butt off in recovery.

Shemar Turner is working to get back as well.

I’ll leave you with this..

There’s still a lot to be excited about. The Bears are officially back. Football is in the air.

Although there are a few messy situations, at the end of the day, I think the Bears are more than healthy and have a very talented and young roster that should be able to compete and make some more noise in 2026.

And, to be honest, that’s all you can ask for when it comes to your football team.

Again, if you enjoyed this, be sure to stick around and subscribe. It’s free all training camp.

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Let’s talk about Bucs Pro Bowl DT Vita Vea requesting a trade on Monday evening. Immediately, I started thinking about how the Bears could make this work. Would Ryan Poles even be interested? How old is Vea again? I found out he’s 31.5 years old. Kinda old for a defensive tackle, but Vea isn’t your typical DT. He’s a beast.

So that brings us back to: Is Ryan Poles willing to give Tampa a call? I think he is. So let’s see how Chicago can make this happen. But before that, let’s look at why Vea wants a trade in the first place.

IT’S ALWAYS THE MONEY.

Vea wants a new contract. He believes he’s the best DT in the game, and he’s in the last year of his previous contract with Tampa. Currently, he’s making less money than other DTs, as the market has changed since he signed that last deal. So, like most great players, especially ones later in their career, he wants to make as much money as possible.

Vea being 31.5 would make any GM cautious. However, Vea is still very healthy. He played 17 games last year, 16 in 2024, and 15 in 2023. For a big fella, that’s really impressive. So the question really isn’t, “Is it worth the risk of his age?” It’s more, “Do you want to pay him $25+ million, potentially at 31.5 years old?”

Again, he’s a different animal. I still think there’s a couple of productive years left. However, if you’re signing him to a three- or four-year extension, which I believe he probably wants, he’ll be around 35 years old, and that’s just a risky move.

WHAT’S THE PRICE TAG?

According to ESPN, a trade package for Vita Vea would start at a second and fifth round pick, according to a league executive.

When I first saw this, I thought it was actually pretty cheap. A second-round pick obviously is nothing to blink at, but I think Chicago has the ability to perhaps give one up, especially because of the timeline they’re on with Caleb Williams and this roster. Especially if you’re able to push it back to 2028 as far as a second-rounder, parting with that would make it even better.

One thing I would not want to do is give up Austin Booker or anything like that. To be honest, I wouldn’t wanna give up any starters. To grab Vea for a second-round pick and perhaps a Day 3 pick is something I would pull the trigger on.

However, the next question is: How would the Bears make this work financially?

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BEARS GOTTA GET CREATIVE.

Honestly, it would be difficult. They currently have around $8 million in cap space, so there would have to be a lot of restructuring. But that’s why these franchises have cap wizards who can manipulate money. We’ve seen the Rams and other teams do it. I believe Chicago could definitely make it work.

The question is, do they value Vea the same way perhaps I do and other fans do? I think the answer is somewhere in the middle.

So, if I had to predict what Ryan Poles does next, I think he would probably get with his team and see if the financial numbers can even make sense before he gives Tampa a call.

But again, I think it’s possible and would definitely give Chicago more juice on the defensive line. And to me, I think you need as much ammo as possible when you play in the NFC North.

To refer to the timeline once again, the Bears are in win-now mode. They have a quarterback on a rookie deal, so I would go for it and be aggressive but, of course, still calculated. And I think the Bears can do that here.

Joe Thuney cracked the NFL Top 100. Obviously.

However, when news dropped Monday morning that he was ranked No. 49, it was a bit, well, underwhelming. Immediate thoughts were: Bears tax is real. But then I realized, after a bit of research, that this was the first time Thuney made the NFL Top 100 list.

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Thuney is a 4x Super Bowl champ. A 3x First-Team All-Pro. And this is his first mention on the Top 100 list in his career. Ever. Which is voted on by the players.

That is a red flag when it comes to the credibility of how this list is put together. Just so odd to me. Another note: the first recipient of the NFL’s Protector of the Year Award couldn’t be a bit higher up? If you asked me before his ranking was revealed, I would have said top 30 and not thought much more about it. Bears tax is a real thing, though. And I do think it plays a role, just not sure how much it does here in the Top 100. But there is no doubt that Joe Thuney is one of the best players in the NFL, and it’s still so sick that he’s here in Chicago.

I’ll end with this: Perhaps the trenches just don’t get as much love as they should.

Stay with me for a few paragraphs. Caleb Williams is the NFL version of Doctor Doom. Now, some will say that title belongs to a guy like Patrick Mahomes. To that I say, you are not wrong. But for the sake of this piece, we believe (like the MCU) there are many variants. And with Caleb Williams he is perhaps the most powerful Doctor Doom variant the NFL has ever seen.

WHY THIS COMPARISON?

I was doom scrolling (couldn’t help myself, ha) late Saturday night and all the news from San Diego Comic Con was dropping on Twitter and it was electric. New Black Panther casting, Ryan Gosling is gonna be Ghost Rider. It’s sick.

Around like 1 a.m. I was going through the MCU and trying to link them to a current Bears player. I wanted to start with Caleb Williams and hopefully I’ll publish more comparison pieces down the road. Now I consider myself fluent in Marvel but I didn’t know all that much regarding Doctor Doom besides surface level facts. So I started doing some late night research to see if it was even possible to tie Williams to Doom. It was easier than I expected.

WHAT IF I DON’T KNOW WHO DOCTOR DOOM IS?

For those that aren’t familiar with the MCU, comics, and Doctor Doom’s game. I got you.

PERSONALITY

Doctor Doom is a very confident individual. He seems himself as above all. He is also very intelligent. Comparable to Dr. Strange or Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic). From what I learned he is typically always a few steps ahead of everyone. That includes the best of the best. AKA the Avengers. Similar to Caleb Williams right? Not so much the arrogance part but you almost have to believe highly of yourself to get to this level. To turnaround a franchise like Chicago, you have to have a mindset that is simply different. As far as being a few steps ahead, like Doom, Caleb’s game is just that. In 2025 he was the best at sack avoidance. He had a supernatural ability to feel the pressure even when his head was turned the opposite direction. Looking back at the Rams playoff game, you know where I am going right? It’s the throw that felt like we were all watching Madden. He ran backwards 20 yards, and then somehow found the perfect spot to chuck the ball 50+ yards for a game tying TD.

From the comics, many of Doom’s losses are due to his ego. Now, Caleb Williams isn’t arrogant. Far from it but his game can almost be interpreted that way at points. His interception in that same Rams game that DJ Moore was the intended target is a good example of Williams ego. Caleb will go for the kill shot because.. well he believes his arm is better than any DB, Safety, or DC. He believes (and said it himself) he can make any throw. That no throw is necessarily a bad one. Now I never said this would be perfect comparison but Doom has similar tendencies, just on a cosmic scale.

Lastly, Doom is a villain. But he’s a very popular and loved villain. Caleb coming out of USC, he was kind of a villain. Now, the criticism he received was very unfair. But fast forward to right now, he’s the golden boy. He’s graced the Madden cover. He is one of the faces of the league. But similar to all superstars, there comes a point where the public gets bored. I don’t think we have seen Williams NFL villain arc but I know if he reaches the peak of his powers in the next few years under Ben Johnson, we’ll get it. His greatness could get old and winning too much is a bit annoying to fans. Examples like the Patriots, Chiefs, Warriors etc. The Bears and Williams have a long way to go before we get to those conversations but I could see it (hopefully) playing out that way.

POWERS

We already touched on how smart Doctor Doom is. Caleb possesses a similar trait on the football field. But to elaborate on Doom’s powers that relate to Williams, we will go to the dark arts. Doom has a very high level grasp of the mystic arts. He can hang with the best in the comics. The guy in Chicago is similar when throwing the football. Only few in the league can make throws and extend plays like he can. Some say it’s only rivaled by the Mahomes/Josh Allen types. Another power so to speak that Doom possesses is his armor, which is comparable to Iron Man. Doom is extremely durable and to make it even better his incredible willpower. Williams (knocks on wood) doesn't get hurt. He is battle tested. And just never comes out of the game. Ask Matt Eberflus, who saw first hand how tough Williams is. Caleb also embodies Dooms spirit of never giving up. Very cliche thing to say but Williams truly never believes a win is out of reach. Down 21-3? In a playoff game? Doesn’t matter. Williams doesn’t blink.

FINAL FORM

Spoiler warning. If you’re an MCU fan, we have Avengers Doomsday coming in December. After that, we get Avengers: Secret Wars. Now, it could look different than the comics but this is where we see Doctor Dooms final form. Essentially Doom becomes a God.

Meet God Emperor Doom

Normal Doom is a an Avengers level threat. But this form of Doom is him at his absolute peak. Like prime Tom Brady. Stopping him is very difficult at this point. It’s like kicking to Devin Hester, you know what’s coming but doesn't matter. From my late night research, God Emperor Doom is one of the most powerful versions in the MCU. We are talking bigger than Thanos. One of his tools at his disposal is he can reshape reality and controls life and death. Just an absolute monster. Well, this is where Caleb Williams comes in. Before you laugh, again this is all for fun anyhow but Williams shares the same type of potential. 2025 Caleb Williams was unstoppable at times. Most teams couldn’t stop him with the game on the line. However he still made mistakes. That’s the scary part with him and also Doom. We haven’t seen either at their absolute peak. To be fair, we haven’t seen Doom outside a post credits scene from the Fantasic Four. But for the sake of this article, just know Doom is a problem like Williams has also shown to be in the best way possible. But with Ben Johnson helping accelerate Williams growth, we can only hope he reaches his final form. One that can make us reevaluate what we know is possible on a football field. A player who can put the team on his back and simply say “I’m better than you and there’s nothing you can do to stop me”.

Williams has already shown flashes. He’s transformed the city of Chicago into a real threat in the NFC. But there is still levels to his game that we are yet to witness.

We haven’t met the Caleb Williams of the future. But that day is coming.

Kyler Gordon. He’s one of my favorite players on this Bears roster. But how much longer will he be around in Chicago, if he can’t stay healthy?

Is it time to panic?

No.

Is it frustrating?

Absolutely.

The Bears signed Kyler Gordon to a three-year, $40 million extension back in April 2025, making him one of the highest-paid slot corners in football and tying him to Chicago through the 2028 season. You don’t hand out that kind of contract unless you believe a player is a cornerstone of your defense.

And when Gordon is healthy, he absolutely is.

That’s never been the question.

The problem is getting him on the field.

He missed voluntary OTAs and minicamp this spring while dealing with another soft-tissue injury. Now he’s opening training camp on the PUP list. Add that to the hamstring, calf, and groin injuries he’s battled throughout his career, and it’s fair to say this has become a trend instead of a one-off.

That’s the frustrating part.

Not because Kyler Gordon isn’t talented.

Because he is.

Not because he isn’t tough.

I don’t question that for a second.

It’s just that, at some point, availability becomes part of the conversation.

And honestly, I feel for him because this isn’t something he’s choosing. Soft-tissue injuries can become a vicious cycle, and unfortunately that’s been the story of his career so far.

This is a massive season for Gordon.

I’m rooting for him, and I know most Bears fans are too.

There’s nothing the Bears are going to do right now. They’re obviously not moving on from him, and anyone suggesting he won’t make the 53-man roster is overreacting. That’s not reality.

But this season feels pivotal.

If he can stay healthy, he’ll remind everyone why the Bears gave him that extension in the first place.

If the injuries continue, though, those questions aren’t going away.

As for right now, I’m not hitting the panic button.

The Bears are going to be cautious, and I understand why.

But I’d also be lying if I said I wasn’t a little concerned.

Because today, we honestly don’t know if Kyler Gordon will be ready for Week 1.

Hopefully, this ends up being nothing more than a slow start to camp.

The Bears need 6 on the field.

And after everything he’s battled through, I’d love nothing more than to see him put together the healthiest season of his career.

In Episode #226 of The BFTV Podcast, Dave, Ficky, and Griffin kick off training camp LIVE as the Bears rookies report to Halas Hall and the energy is electric. With Chicago sports on a full-on golden era run, is this the year the Bears stop surviving close games and start dominating them?

The guys also break down the NFL Top 100 with Caleb Williams checking in at #51, debate how many close fourth-quarter games Bears fans should expect this season, and preview which players absolutely need a big camp to make the roster or climb the depth chart.

Get real, unfiltered fan reaction to Day 1 of Bears camp; the hype, the hope, and the honest questions heading into Year 2 with Ben Johnson.

BEAR DOWN ! 🐻⬇️

If Caleb Williams were eligible for this list, he’d be No. 1.

Obviously.

He’s entering Year 3, his second season with Ben Johnson, and training camp will be our first real look at how much this offense has evolved. Every throw, every rep, every interaction is going to be worth watching.

But putting Caleb at the top would be like making a list of the best Chicago foods and putting deep-dish pizza at No. 1. It’s true, but it’s also the least interesting answer possible.

So, for the sake of making this list a little more fun, Caleb is officially disqualified.

Here are the 10 Bears I’ll be watching the closest once training camp gets underway.

10. Dillon Thieneman | S

I still can’t believe the Bears landed Dillon Thieneman.

He was one of my favorite defensive prospects in this draft, and now he’s walking into Chicago with an opportunity to earn a starting job from Day 1.

Nothing is going to be handed to him, and that’s exactly why I’m excited to watch him.

Training camp is where rookie safeties either start trusting their instincts or start thinking too much. I want to see how quickly Thieneman adjusts to the speed of the NFL because if he’s anything close to the player he was in college, Bears fans are going to fall in love with him pretty quickly.

9. Rome Odunze | WR1 (Maybe?)

It feels like people have forgotten just how good Rome Odunze looked before his foot injury.

He came out firing last season, found the end zone early, and was building chemistry with Caleb Williams before the injury slowed things down.

Now he enters Year 3 with something to prove.

Not because he disappointed anyone.

Because people outside (and inside) of Chicago have started sleeping on him.

I still think Rome has another level to reach, and I can’t wait to watch him and Caleb continue building that connection throughout camp.

8. Austin Booker | ED

Austin Booker might have more to gain during training camp than almost anyone on this roster.

We’ve seen flashes.

Now it’s about consistency.

The Bears have invested heavily in their defensive line, but there’s still room for someone to earn a much bigger role. Booker has that opportunity.

If he puts together a strong camp, don’t be surprised if he becomes one of the biggest stories coming out of Halas Hall.

7. Coby Bryant | S

Replacing Kevin Byard isn’t exactly an easy job.

Fortunately, Coby Bryant isn’t trying to be Kevin Byard.

He’s bringing championship experience after winning a Super Bowl in Seattle, and I’m excited to see how he settles into Dennis Allen’s defense.

I’m especially interested in watching him alongside Dillon Thieneman. Veteran leadership paired with young talent could make this one of the more exciting safety duos the Bears have had in a while.

6. Darnell Wright | All- Pro RT

Training camp offensive line drills are football’s version of heavyweight boxing.

Nobody embodies that better than Darnell Wright.

Once the pads come on, someone usually ends up getting moved against their will, and it’s often because Wright decided today was going to be a long day for whoever lined up across from him.

Coming off an All-Pro season, an extension feels inevitable. Like very soon (more on that another time).

He’s also somehow one of the funniest players on the roster while simultaneously being one of the most intimidating.

5. Kyle Monangai | RB

There are players you appreciate.

Then there are players who make you laugh because of how violently they run the football.

Monangai falls squarely into that second category.

Every carry feels like somebody’s about to make a business decision they immediately regret.

He’s quickly become one of my favorite players on this roster, and Bears fans are going to love watching him throughout camp in year 2.

4. Zavion Thomas | WR

Ben Johnson wanted him.

Honestly, that’s enough for me.

Thomas brings legitimate speed, and training camp will be our first opportunity to see how creative this coaching staff plans to get with him.

He’s the type of player who can completely change the energy of a practice with one explosive play.

I’m expecting more than a few of those over the next month.

3. Kyler Gordon | CB

I really only have one request.

Please be healthy.

Kyler Gordon is one of the best nickel corners in football when he’s on the field.

After dealing with the hamstring injury, I just want to see him make it through training camp healthy and available.

We haven’t heard much about the injury recently, which is encouraging, and hopefully that’s because he’s ready to hit the ground running.

If Gordon is fully healthy, Chicago’s defense becomes significantly more dangerous.

2. Luther Burden III | WR1 (Probably)

There’s almost nothing left to say about Luther Burden that hasn’t already been said.

The talent is ridiculous.

I love Rome Odunze, and I think he’s going to have a really good year.

But I genuinely believe Burden has the highest ceiling of any receiver on this roster.

I don’t think we’ve even come close to seeing what he’s capable of yet.

Training camp should give us our first real glimpse of how Ben Johnson plans to unleash him, and I have a feeling he’ll produce at least one highlight that dominates Bears Twitter for days.

1. Colston Loveland | TE

This is the player I’m most excited to watch.

We saw flashes last season.

Now I want to see what happens when he’s more comfortable, more confident, and fully settled into the offense.

Loveland has everything you’re looking for in a modern tight end. He’s explosive after the catch, creates mismatches all over the field, and already has great chemistry with Caleb Williams.

I honestly think we’re only scratching the surface of what he can become.

If he takes the leap I think he’s capable of taking, he could finish the season as one of the Bears’ most dangerous offensive weapons.

And if that’s the case, this offense is going to be a whole lot of fun to watch.

Honorable Mentions

A few players barely missed the list.

Jaylon Johnson

CB1. He’s healthy. Will be fun to watch.

Montez Sweat

I’m still higher on Montez Sweat than a lot of Bears fans seem to be. Last season wasn’t up to his standards, and I’m excited to see if he looks like the dominant pass rusher we know he can be.

Devin Bush

Bush is a veteran, so we have a pretty good idea of what he brings. That said, I’m still interested to see how quickly he settles into Dennis Allen’s defense and how he fits alongside T.J. Edwards. His speed and experience could make him one of the Bears’ better free-agent additions.

Dayo “Motivated” Odeyingbo

I’m really interested to see where Dayo is physically.

He’s working his way back from injury, and training camp should give us our first real indication of how close he is to being the player the Bears signed in free agency. If he’s healthy, he could be a major boost to Chicago’s pass rush.

Logan Jones

Center is one of the most important positions on the field, which automatically makes Logan Jones fascinating to watch since Drew Dalman retired.

It’s a tall task for any rookie to earn a starting job, but if he strings together a strong training camp, he could force the coaching staff into having some difficult conversations.

Cole Kmet

Cole Kmet is one of the longest-tenured Bears on the roster now, which honestly feels weird to say. He’s coming off the most winning season of his career, but it’ll be fascinating to see how Ben Johnson uses Kmet this with Loveland’s rise.

Is the writing on the wall for Kmet? Maybe. Maybe not.

Either way, he’s one of the leaders in that locker room, one of the better tight ends in the NFC, and he’s always one of the more enjoyable players to watch during training camp. Good player. Even better dude.

Let’s Enjoy The Ride

Training camp is always one of my favorite parts of the NFL calendar.

It’s where hype starts becoming reality. It’s where rookies stop being draft picks and start becoming football players. It’s where position battles are won, expectations are challenged, and every fan convinces themselves they’ve found the next breakout star.

A few names on this list will probably look different a month from now.

That’s what makes training camp so much fun.

In Episode #225 of The BFTV Podcast, Dave, Ficky, and Griffin react to Caleb Williams cracking the ESPN Top 10 QB rankings, voted on by actual NFL executives, coaches, and scouts. Is this the clearest sign yet that the league is taking Caleb seriously, or is the best still way ahead of us?

The guys also dig into Caleb's Year 3 outlook with Ben Johnson, break down the highs and lows of his game from the film room, and answer the biggest Bears questions submitted by the fan community. Plus, Rome Odunzes' status and Bears stadium talk heat things up.

If you want real fan takes, not hot takes, on where this Bears team stands heading into training camp, this is your episode.

BEAR DOWN ! 🐻⬇️