Bears training camp report: Bagent is latest absence, Johnson mixes it up at LT
A busy week lies ahead for the Bears, and they started it without second-string quarterback Tyson Bagent.
A few days after throwing for 169 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the first half of a preseason win over the Cleveland Browns, Bagent wasn’t present when the Bears returned to practice Tuesday at Halas Hall.
His status for the rest of this week — including Thursday’s joint practice and Saturday’s preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals — is up in the air.
The Bears held a physical, two-hour practice in full pads Tuesday. Here’s what stood out.
Caleb Williams watch
Coach Ben Johnson shook things up at left tackle with Braxton Jones and Theo Benedet both taking reps with the starters. Benedet did more of the team work, but that might’ve been to limit Jones’ reps as he returns from a minor knee injury.
Jedrick Wills Jr. worked at left tackle with the second team, and Kiran Amegadjie played right tackle with the twos. Amegadjie left midway through practice with an injury. After that, undrafted rookie Mason Murphy played right tackle with the twos.
During a team session, safety Cam Lewis laid a big hit on tight end Colston Loveland in the end zone to knock a Caleb Williams pass to the ground. Moments later, tight end Cole Kmet and defensive end Austin Booker found themselves in a shoving match after the whistle. It took a little time for Kmet to cool off.
During an end-of-half situation against the second-team defense, Williams led the starters 70 yards down the field and capped the drive with a 21-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jahdae Walker. With cornerback William Wright in coverage, Walker made a leaping catch with both arms extended high over his head.
Earlier in the possession, Williams completed passes to Walker, D’Andre Swift and Kalif Raymond. Rome Odunze nearly had a touchdown on second-and-10 at the 21, but the ball slipped through his fingers on a tight-window throw from Williams. Williams and Walker connected for the touchdown on the next play.
Later, in a move-the-ball period against the starting defense, Williams found Raymond for about a 40-yard gain with rookie safety Dillon Thieneman in coverage. A few plays later, Williams connected with Loveland for a 6-yard touchdown. He kept his eyes to the left before Loveland opened up on the right side for a wide-open touchdown.
Player in the spotlight: Rome Odunze
Luther Burden III continues to miss camp with a groin injury, so Odunze has been a solo act as the top option at wide receiver.
There are few doubts about the trajectory of Burden’s “stock,” as Johnson puts it, but the question for Odunze is, what’s the next step in his evolution?
While Burden led all qualified NFL wide receivers last season in target separation (4.6), Odunze ranked 33rd (2.9), per NFL Pro.
However, Johnson said that’s not where Odunze’s strengths lie.
“Rome is looking to play fast, and he’s looking to be great at the top of his routes,” Johnson said. “He’s a bigger body, and so part of what his superpower is, is the contested catches as well. So I’m not concerned.
“I think he’s making plenty of separation as is right now, and I’m really pleased with what it looks like between Caleb and him, where the ball is being placed and him being able to torque and go up for the football when needed. So he brings a different element to the offense than maybe what I’ve been around in the past, and I look forward to sinking into that.”
Odunze considers 50-50 balls to be his expertise.
“I love it,” he said. “That’s definitely something, especially on the outside, those opportunities, just to stress the defense.”
Still, he said he has watched other receivers while trying to fine-tune his overall game.
“Obviously (I) want to be better at the catch point this year, make a lot more contested catches,” Odunze said. “Make some tough catches over the middle as well as route running.
“I feel like my route running is up there, but I have a few knicks and knacks that I can clear up and make even better. Yards after catch, run after catch, is definitely something I’m looking to improve on as well.”
He doesn’t have to look far to study a receiver on that front. Burden ranked 15th with 348 yards after the catch, despite starting only five of his 15 games last season.
“I’m watching Luther’s tape, looking at how he’s making defenders miss, trying to do some of that, as well as Swift,” Odunze said. “So all around, I feel like I can improve and just be one of the best in the league.”
Quote of note
“There’s nothing to add right now,” Johnson said when asked again about injured cornerback Kyler Gordon.
Johnson answered several questions about Gordon as the nickel corner’s absence stretched into another week. Gordon remains on the physically unable to perform list with a calf injury and hasn’t practiced at all during training camp after missing much of the spring practice period.
Gordon has been with the team while he rehabs his calf and was present for Saturday’s preseason win at Soldier Field.
“There’s a plan and he’s working toward the plan,” Johnson said when asked if he feels like Gordon is progressing.
Gordon appeared in only three regular-season games last year because of various injuries before returning for the playoffs. That came after the 2022 second-round draft pick signed a three-year, $40 million contract extension before the 2025 season.
With Gordon out, several players have taken his spot at nickel corner. Jaylon Jones did for a while before being sidelined himself by an injury. Rookie Malik Muhammad II has worked at the nickel lately.
Seen and heard
- With Bagent sidelined, third-string quarterback Case Keenum worked with the second-team offense. With the twos on the field, Keenum’s offense faced fourth-and-1 with Salvon Ahmed set back deep. Free-agent addition and Naperville native Jon Rhattigan shot into the backfield and dropped Ahmed for a loss.
- There were plenty of physical hits. On a pitch to Swift, right tackle Darnell Wright put a shoulder into Muhammad, drawing some “oohs” from the sideline.
- One-on-one blocking drills got a little testy — and the defense got the better of them. Undrafted rookie defensive tackle Jayden Loving bested center Logan Jones, a second-round pick, and then Jones beckoned for a rematch. Loving won that one too. After the rep, a shoving match erupted and their teammates surrounded them trying to break it up. The coaches ended the one-on-one drills after that. Loving and Jones did make up afterward.
- Rookie guard Caden Barnett stood out in one-on-one drills, holding his own against veteran defensive tackle Neville Gallimore and fellow rookie Jordan van den Berg. Defensive end Daniel Hardy showed off his speed against both Wills and Benedet at left tackle.
- In a special teams drill, Jeremiah Martin put rookie tight end Sam Roush flat on his back, hyping up his fellow defensive lineman.
Injuries and participation
Running back Kyle Monangai is “week to week” with a knee injury.
Offensive linemen Ozzy Trapilo and Jordan McFadden participated in individual drills but not team work. Defensive end Montez Sweat has been back at practice after missing time with an undisclosed injury, but he has remained somewhat limited in team work.
Wide receiver Zavion Thomas returned to practice for the first time since Aug. 9.
Beside Bagent, Burden and Monangai, absences included cornerbacks Tyrique Stevenson (undisclosed), Terell Smith (undisclosed) and Jaylon Jones (ankle), linebackers Tony Fields II (undisclosed) and Nephi Sewell (concussion) and offensive linemen Luke Newman (foot) and Wesley French (undisclosed).
Defensive end Marcus Davenport, whom the Bears signed Monday, did not practice Tuesday.