The Chicago Bears kicked off training camp at Halas Hall this week, which means football Sundays are just around the corner.
The regular season peaking just over the horizon is bringing fans back into the Bears fold to learn all about the 2023 rendition of the team: how the rookies are faring, how well the offense is performing, etc.
With questions and anticipation swirling in the still very warm Chicago air, let’s take a step back and examine the biggest storylines heading into Bears training camp.
1
Justin Fields' development
Bears quarterbacks are always the subject of scrutiny, but none have been more in the public eye than Fields. The Bears starting quarterback has been receiving some much-deserved love over the last week, most notably being heralded by other NFL players as the 86th-best player in the NFL last year, notably above fellow quarterback and 2021 draft mate Trevor Lawrence.
The recent praise being handed to Fields gives fans a reason to be excited but also a reason to expect more from the former Ohio State signal caller. There is now an expectation that the team collectively will take a big step forward this season and Fields will be the catalyst of its evolution. The elite play required to allow the team to take such a leap must be shown early, in training camp. Fields not only must do what is expected of him — like process plays correctly or throw an accurate ball — but he also has to stay tapped into his bottomless well of potential, making special plays on a routine basis.
Fields is already doing exactly that. On the first day of training camp, Fields had reportedly a “strong day,” punctuating the practice with a deep ball connection with his new weapon D.J. Moore, putting it in the perfect spot away from rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson.
Justin Fields connecting with DJ Moore.
Perfect throw. Chemistry is building.pic.twitter.com/VhwH6Hot5z
— Dave (@dave_bfr) July 26, 2023
2
Offensive line continuity
The Bears’ philosophy in addressing the rotating door that was the offensive line was to go younger and bring in high draft picks to fill the holes. Rookie tackle Darnell Wright is the prime example of this solution, as he will be the youngest addition to an already youthful starting group.
The main thing to watch here is getting the group’s chemistry right, which will be a tall task for the two veterans on the line, Cody Whitehair and newly acquired Nate Davis. The duo will need to make sure the younger players around them are performing up to standard, not only physically but mentally, as pre-snap recognition and assignment is crucial.
3
Workload for Bears running backs
While Khalil Herbert is defaulted to be the starting running back for the Bears, that title may not mean much in the grand scheme of the offense. The Bears seem poised to employ a “running back by committee” approach, in which the runners may share a similar workload. With that approach in mind, the question is not “who’s the starter?” but “who’s getting the bigger workload?” The answer may still be Herbert, but other players like free-agent acquisition D’Onta Foreman and rookie Roschon Johnson could cut deeply into Herbert’s timeshare.
An answer as to who might be the go-to back may reveal itself in training camp. Training camp scrimmages may prove to be revealing, as it will shed light on which running back is with the first team, how often they rotate, who is with the two’s and three’s, etc. If all goes well, the Bears may come into the regular season with a three-headed monster in the backfield.
4
Positional battles at cornerback and kicker
This year’s training camp will not have quite the firework show it had in year’s past with previous positional battles, but struggles for key roles on the team will be happening all the same. Specifically, the outside cornerback spot will have veteran Kindle Vidor and rookie Tyrique Stevenson bidding for it and, surprisingly, the Bears will have a competition for who will be kicking footballs through goalposts at the kicker position.
Many fans feel as if Stevenson is a shoo-in for the position, but Vildor is a solid player who has several years of experience. There is a world where Bears coaches determine Stevenson just isn’t ready to have the keys to a starting spot and opt to go with a player that will do his job. Stevenson’s talent will be hard to ignore, however, so as long as Stevenson continues to learn, the battle might be his to lose. Other underdog suitors for the role could be Terell Smith or Jaylon Jones.
Now, onto a less glamorous but important position. Cairo Santos has brought much-needed security to the kicker position, making 21 of 23 field goals last year. Money will forever be the plague that affects all aspects of life, however, as the Bears are entertaining the idea of letting Santos go to free up cap space. Enter undrafted rookie Andre Szmyt, who won the award for best kicker in the nation in his freshman year. Szmyt may turn out to be a boogeyman that Santos can’t shake in training camp.
5
Roster cuts
Yes, the roster cutdowns that teams have to endure through training camp can pull at the heart strings — an effect that HBO’s “Hard Knocks” has profited off for years. It’s no wonder that HBO thought the drama of training camp could be a success; fans get attached to these underdog players, only for their dreams to be momentarily shattered. Bears fans will have to brace themselves for that same fate, as roster cuts will inevitably happen. The question is, who will be released at each position?
The attention will be on the wide receivers, who have many contributors last year who suddenly find their Bears careers on the chopping block. Velus Jones Jr., Equanimeous St. Brown and Dante Pettis are notable pass-catchers who may see their time in Chicago end.
Other players who will attempt to have great training camps to avoid the infamous sit down with the head coach and general manager are running back Trestan Ebner, center Doug Kramer, tight end Jake Tonges and safety Elijah Hicks.
