Bears training camp report: ‘Good back and forth’ between offense, defense during practice

In thick humidity, the Bears took the field Tuesday afternoon at Halas Hall seeking some answers.

Coach Ben Johnson said some practices are weighted more than others in terms of how significant they are and how much information can be gathered. Tuesday was circled on the calendar before camp began, with a scrimmage-like atmosphere expected.

Coaches provided the players with game plans on Monday night to prepare for unscripted series. How did it go? The offense had a significant edge early in practice, but as things often go, the defense was dominating before it was done after 1 hour, 54 minutes.

“It was good back-and-forth,” quarterback Caleb Williams said.

The results the staff and front office glean from film review — a process that will dominate their Wednesday — will shape decisions for who plays and how much in Saturday’s preseason opener at Soldier Field against the Cleveland Browns.

“This will come through for us: Who can play fast not knowing what’s coming?” Johnson said. “Who can react, who can adjust? It’s all about building trust right now. Not just for the coaching staff but for each other’s teammates right now.

“We’ve got some new faces, we’ve dealt with some attrition. There will be some guys on the back end of our defense that haven’t played a whole lot for us. Who can help them out? Who can help them out with some of the calls and things that are coming like that? I expect to see some leadership show up.”

Caleb Williams watch

After simulating pregame warmups — so the newcomers know the routine on Saturday — the Bears dove straight into live short-yardage and goal-line situations, areas Johnson said he felt the team needed to improve on both sides of the ball from 2025.

Running back D’Andre Swift broke through a gaping hole on the right side for a 29-yard gain on the first snap. Next, quarterback Caleb Williams had an easy toss to Swift for about 8 yards off play action. Then, Kyle Monangai ran through another huge alley on the right side for 25 yards. Monangai added another long run versus the second-team defense.

The defense improved when action moved to the 1-yard line. Safety Anthony Johnson did a nice job of covering tight end Colston Loveland on a play-action throw. Defensive linemen Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo combined to help stuff Swift for no gain with rookie safety Dillon Thieneman on a play from the 1.

During another move period, Williams connected with Kalif Raymond on a screen pass out to the right. Raymond followed blocks from Darnell Wright and Jonah Jackson on his way to a 25-yard touchdown.

Later, with the offense backed up at its own 1-yard line, Williams rolled to his right — in the end zone — and found Rome Odunze leaking out to the right. Odunze got by Thieneman for a 58-yard gain. On the next play, Williams connected with Barrington native Scotty Miller for another big gain with cornerback Josh Blackwell in coverage.

“We wanted to get two first downs and win the drill,” Williams said. “The whole objective is to get the ball in play. Rome ran a great route.”

Practice ended with an end-of-game situation from the 49-yard line with 51 seconds on the clock. The offense went four-and-out. Williams had Raymond wide open on first down and sailed a pass over him. There was a 7-yard check down to Raymond on second down. Then, linebackers Devin Bush and Jack Sanborn flushed Williams out of the pocket to his left on third down to force an incompletion. Williams missed Loveland on fourth down.

Player in the spotlight: Jedrick Wills Jr.

The rotation of players at left tackle through the first 11 practices was mirrored on the club’s initial depth chart release, which is unofficial. At left tackle, the Bears listed (in order) Braxton Jones or Jedrick Wills Jr. or Kiran Amegadjie.

Jones has been the most consistent performer, but he’s been sidelined since exiting practice early on Aug. 6 with a minor knee injury. That’s created more reps with the first unit for Wills and Amegadjie. On Tuesday, Wills received the bulk of snaps with the starters.

Wills, selected with the No. 10 pick in the 2020 draft by the Cleveland Browns, could get a significant workload on Saturday in the preseason opener against his former team. The 27-year-old is bidding to restart his career after a significant knee injury kept him out of the league a year ago.

The Bears took a no-risk shot on Wills, and his size and length at 6-foot-4, 307 pounds are easy to see. It looks like movement skills are coming back for him too. There have been some occasions, definitely in Sunday’s practice inside the Walter Payton Center, when he was late off the snap a few times, something that can improve as he knocks off the rust.

The preseason and joint practices in the coming weeks will go a long way toward sorting out the depth chart and removing the “or” currently listed between each name.

Johnson hinted last week the coaching staff might be nearing clarity at the position, but that was before Jones’ injury. The opening is slightly wider for Wills, who made 57 starts over five seasons for the Browns.

“Jed was a guy that’s supremely talented coming out of Alabama,” Johnson said. “Started off really well in Cleveland, and then obviously the injuries slowed him down. But to me, it’s the case of a player who is still gaining his confidence and strength levels back up. I think he’s starting to understand, ‘Man, I still can play at a really, really high level.’

“I keep going back (to) how well can he pass protect one-on-one? He’s got the traits, long arms. He’s able to mirror pass rushers and so it’s all there. It’s just a matter of consistency right now and familiarity with what we’re doing. He’s a little bit behind the other guys just because he hasn’t been in the system for a year. So, we’re trying to play that all out, and I think he’s doing a pretty good job.”

Seen and heard

The second-team offense didn’t fare any better in the end-of-game period at the end of practice. Tyson Bagent lofted a pass deep down the left sideline, but it appeared to be a miscommunication with his receivers because it was an easy interception for safety Skyler Thomas.

Earlier in practice, Bagent was picked off by starting linebacker Devin Bush.

With the twos, linebacker Jon Rhattigan recovered a fumble in the end zone after Dontae Manning popped running back Roschon Johnson and knocked the football out on a play from the 1-yard line.

Quote of note

There’s one wild card in the left tackle discussion. Johnson wouldn’t put a timeline on a potential return from injured left tackle Ozzy Trapilo, but he said that the Bears have seen a lot of positive progress.

“He’s been attacking this thing head-on,” Johnson said. “He’s been here pretty much all summer. I’ve gotten to see him every single day, it seems like, and he’s doing a great job with the rehab process. Like I said, there’s still a lot of things he’s got to hit in terms of making himself available for practice, but he’s done a really nice job with the rehab.”

Trapilo ruptured the patellar tendon in his knee during the wild-card round win over Green Bay in January. Over the offseason, general manager Ryan Poles said that Trapilo would miss “most” of the 2026 season. Trapilo was spotted at Monday’s walk-through at Stevenson High School, although he did not participate.

The Bears selected Trapilo with a second-round draft pick a year ago. Midway through his rookie season, he emerged as the starting left tackle.

Getting back to practice is one thing, though, and getting back into game shape is another. Whenever Trapilo returns to the practice field, he’s going to need some time before he’s ready for game action.

Injuries and participation

Johnson announced Tuesday that safety Coby Bryant will miss four to six months, a longer timeline than previously expected.

Safety Cam Lewis returned to action for the first time since Saturday. Lewis appeared to be a limited participant Tuesday.

Receivers Luther Burden III and Zavion Thomas, cornerbacks Terell Smith and Jaylon Jones, linebackers Wayne Matthews III and D’Marco Jackson, offensive linemen Luke Newman, Braxton Jones and Jordan McFadden and defensive end Montez Sweat all sat out practice.

With Newman sidelined — he had been the center for the third-team offense — ahead of the preseason opener, the Bears signed center Wesley French. In a corresponding move, the team waived safety Brandon Hill.

Six players remain on the non-football injury or physically unable to perform lists: cornerback Kyler Gordon (calf), safety Elijah Hicks (shin), linebackers Keyshaun Elliott (back) and Noah Sewell (Achilles tendon), defensive end Shemar Turner (knee) and offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo (knee).