The Chicago Bears wrapped their first week of training camp, where they held four non-padded practices, including three open to the public.
While the pads don’t come on until next week, there were plenty of highlights and standout performers through the first four practices. The Justin Fields-DJ Moore connection was the talk of camp, but there was something noteworthy to come out of every position group.
With the first week of Bears training camp in the books, here’s what we learned about each position group after the first four practices.
Quarterback: Justin Fields off to strong start
Fields has looked sharped over the first few practices of training camp, where the miscues have been few and far between. Outside of a couple of interceptions — that came during scramble drills — Fields has been wheeling and dealing with the ball.
“For sure, he definitely is getting the ball out quick going through his reads and you can tell he’s comfortable back there and he’s putting the ball on a dime,” said safety Jaquan Brisker. “Like he’s diming. He’s throwing dimes out there…Everybody looks different, but Justin you can just tell he look different. He’s moving different and you guys going to see.”
Fields has been spreading the ball around, whether it’s wide receivers DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool and rookie Tyler Scott or tight ends Cole Kmet and Robert Tonyan.
Workin' on the weekend like usual pic.twitter.com/N8tXaLfnKb
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) July 29, 2023
But it’s Fields’ connection with Moore that’s been the talk of camp, where the pair have been giving Bears defensive backs fits. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson is the only one to get the best of Chicago’s 1-2 punch, where he’s forced a couple of incompletions.
Running back: Khalil Herbert the favorite for RB1
The running back competition is one that bears watching this summer, but we won’t get a true sense of that battle until the pads come on this week. Still, through the first four practices, it sounds like Khalil Herbert is the favorite to earn the lead back role. And it’s something Herbert expects, as well.
“I mean…Yeah, that’s my expectation,” he said. “We’ve got a great room of guys and everyone expects to be the No. 1 guy. We compete every day, everybody’s pushing each other to be better.”
Khalil Herbert to the house. Herbert has been the best RB out here. Smooth running and receiving. #DaBears pic.twitter.com/R3l9HMpx3N
— Ben Devine (@Chicago_NFL) July 27, 2023
Herbert has been smooth running and catching the ball out of the backfield, although he still needs to improve in pass protection.
As for his competitors, D’Onta Foreman, who split first-team reps with Herbert, has versatility as a runner and pass catcher that Luke Getsy praised. Meanwhile, rookie Roschon Johnson has been working with the second-team. While he had a fumble early in the week, he’s shown his ability as an all-around back, particularly in pass protection.
Herbert praised Foreman and Johnson but reiterated his expectation that he expects to be RB1.
“That’s like coming to work and expecting to lose,” he said. “You don’t ever come expecting to lose. In everything I do, I expect to compete, I expect to win.”
Wide receiver: DJ Moore is stealing the show
You can sense a difference at Bears training camp with the arrival of Moore, who gives Fields the No. 1 wideout he’s been missing. And while it’s only practice, Moore has been performing at another level, where it’s clear his connection with Fields is something special.
Fields and Moore have been virtually unstoppable during the first four practices, beating players like rookies Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith — despite solid coverage — and even besting CB1 Jaylon Johnson. Although, to be fair, Johnson has also forced a few incompletions on Moore, which has been rare this summer.
Still, it’s been a daily show with Fields and Moore, who make highlight-reel plays every practice. It’s clear that Moore is Fields’ go-to guy when he needs to make a play.
Go DJ, that’s my DJ 💫 pic.twitter.com/0QjUVr4GW7
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) July 26, 2023
While it’s still early, all indi
Tight end: Cole Kmet's big payday
The Bears signed tight end Cole Kmet to a four-year contract extension worth $50 million, keeping him in Chicago through 2027. Kmet is coming off his best season, where he led the team in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns.
Kmet is the first long-term extension for general manager Ryan Poles, who joined the Bears last offseason. The fact that Poles didn’t draft him is certainly significant, and Kmet is eager to prove him right.
“It’s obviously life-changing stuff, and it’s pretty wild to think about,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s crazy. I don’t even know how else to say it. Honored to be here. Honored that they felt I was a guy worthy of this. Ready to get going and prove these guys right and play beyond what the contract value is, in my opinion. That’s what I want to do. And show that they made the right decision.”
Through these first practices, Kmet has been making plays during practice that indicate he’s going to be a big part of the passing game again this season.
Justin Fields throwing NOTHING BUT DIMES 🔥
Cole Kmet giving the Bears their moneys worth 😏 pic.twitter.com/G7EHTmLzUE
— DeeksView (@DeeksViewOG) July 28, 2023
Elsewhere, Fields also seems to be developing a nice rapport with another new weapon, tight end Robert Tonyan. Fields and Tonyan have connected on several impressive completions over the last few practices.
With a heavy emphasis on the red zone on Saturday, it wasn’t a surprise that Fields found Tonyan for a couple of touchdowns, and it’s clear Tonyan can be a real threat in the red zone this season.
Offensive line: Darnell Wright accidentally in the best shape of his life
Darnell Wright is in the best shape of his life — and it happened by accident. Wright told reporters he was actually training for the wide receiver conditioning test, instead of the offensive lineman one, before training camp, which includes more cardio and distance runs. Then he realized he was preparing for the wrong test.
Wright said he lost about 16 pounds while conditioning, but he didn’t lose muscle mass. Now, he feels quicker and more powerful heading into his rookie season.
.@ChicagoBears rookie OL Darnell Wright accidentally trained for the wide receiver conditioning test 😂🤷♂️
"He absolutely crushed [it]. Like didn't break a sweat." pic.twitter.com/fTqxzlTh2Z
— NFL (@NFL) July 29, 2023
It’s been hard to evaluate Wright through the first week of practices — we’ll get a better sense when the pads come on next week — but he’s had some ups and downs.
On Friday, defensive end Terrell Lewis brought pressure on the right side and would’ve beaten Wright for the sack on Justin Fields had it been a game. The pressure led to Fields’ first interception of camp.
But during 1-on-1 between offensive and defensive linemen, Wright got the best of Rasheem Green on two different occasions. The true test when the pads come on and the hitting begins.
Elsewhere, Lucas Patrick and Ja’Tyre Carter split reps at right guard in place of Nate Davis during Saturday’s practice. Davis isn’t hurt, coach Matt Eberflus said he wanted to get others some work with the starters in case of an injury.
Edge rusher: DeMarcus Walker bringing fire to the defense
Defensive end DeMarcus Walker was the Bears’ biggest addition at edge rusher this offseason, and he’s tasked with leading a group that finished worst in the league with 20 sacks last season.
Through the first few practices of training camp, Walker is bringing an edge to the defensive line group, which hasn’t gone unnoticed by teammates. Defensive end Dominique Robinson praised Walker and defensive tackle Justin Jones for their leadership, which has brought a new energy to the defensive line room.
“We needed that last year and we didn’t have that much,” Robinson said. “We were all trying to push by. It’s going to be different this year.”
New Bears DL DeMarcus Walker definitely adds a needed edge/fire to the defense. Two days in a row now you can see it — and hear it. That’s in individual drills and team.
— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) July 27, 2023
During 1-on-1 between offensive and defensive linemen, left tackle Braxton Jones won the first rep against Walker. But Walker got the better of him in the second rep, throwing him to the ground.
The real fun starts next week when the pads come on, where Walker will get a chance to set the tone for an edge rusher group with plenty to prove.
Defensive tackle: Ready for the pads to come on
The Bears added a couple of impact defensive tackles with Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens in the NFL draft, where they’ll have the opportunity to contribute immediately as rookies.
Dexter and Pickens will serve as key rotational pieces along a defensive line that was arguably the worst in the league, where the hope is they’ll push starters Justin Jones and Andrew Billings for reps as the season progresses.
One thing that’s been evident early in camp: Dexter and Pickens are massive.
Watching the defensive line up close and rookies Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens are advertised. They’re both among the biggest in the entire group. #Bears
— Usayd Koshul (@usaydkoshul) July 28, 2023
There hasn’t been a lot to see so far with the linemen in training camp, as all four practices haven’t featured pads. But that changes next Wednesday, when the team will get to hitting for the first time this summer.
Linebackers: Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards already making an impact
Outside of DJ Moore, the biggest offseason acquisitions for the Bears have been linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards. And they’ve made their presence known with some takeaways during these early non-padded practices.
Edwards came away with Fields’ first interception of the summer on Friday. Defensive end Terrell Lewis brought pressure on the right side, beating rookie tackle Darnell Wright for what would’ve been a sack in a live game. Instead, Fields extended the play and wound up tossing an interception to Edwards.
“He’s a very instinctual player,” linebacker Jack Sanborn said of Edwards. “I think that’s kind of what you see about him is he’s just a baller.”
One day later, Edmunds picked off QB2 P.J. Walker and returned it for a touchdown.
“He is a special guy,” Eberflus said of Edmunds. “He has that length and range in the middle of our defense. You know Chicago Bear ‘Mike’ linebackers are pretty special, and he’s going to be special. He’s on his way to doing that and he’s had great practices in the spring and he’s started off really well, and that was a really good play today. He has really good ball skills. He has the length to get that done in the middle and we’re excited where he is.”
That Maine is a savage 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/kMthYQ3ezN
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) July 29, 2023
After overhauling their linebacker group in a big way this offseason, it’s clear Edmunds and Edwards are going to have a massive impact on the direction of this defense moving forward.
Cornerback: Tyrique Stevenson, Terell Smith battling for CB2
Don’t look now, but the Bears have a battle brewing between rookies Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith for the CB2 role opposite Jaylon Johnson.
Stevenson has long been the favorite to start on the outside, with Kyler Gordon in the slot, but Smith has gotten plenty of opportunities during the first practices of training camp.
After sharing reps with Stevenson with the starting defense on Friday, Smith got even more opportunities on Saturday. Stevenson and Smith split reps on the outside, where Smith had a pass breakup that led to an Edmunds interception.
“He’s been really solid,” Eberflus said of Smith. “He’s learning the position. He’s got a lot of good speed. He’s got a lot of good long speed to him. He’s got good size too. He’s smart. He knows what to do and how to do it. We’re going to create competition at those spots and that’s certainly one of them that we are doing that. It’s good to see him in there. He did a nice job.”
It’s a battle worth monitoring as camp progresses, where Smith could very well push Stevenson for the starting job.
Safety: Jaquan Brisker primed for big year
Safety Jaquan Brisker appears primed for a breakout season in Year 2, where he’s fully healthy and looking to build off an impacful rookie season. The goal for Brisker in his second season? Making more plays.
“Just make plays, whether that’s in run support or whether that’s in the back end,” Brisker said. “Getting more [turnovers], creating more turnovers, interceptions, forced fumbles, and really just taking the ball away. That’s pretty much it. Doing whatever to help my team and try to move around a little bit more.”
While Brisker hasn’t had any of those so far during training camp, he’ll have an opportunity to showcase his physicality that when the pads come on Wednesday.
Khalil Herbert had a run to the perimeter on the right side. Jaquan Brisker showed impressive closing speed and was ready to deliver a big hit on Herbert.
You can just tell that Brisker is ready for pads.
— Nicholas Moreano (@NicholasMoreano) July 27, 2023
Also, Eddie Jackson had a veteran rest day on Saturday, which gave second-year safety Elijah Hicks reps with the first-team defense alongside Brisker. It looks like Hicks has the upper hand on that third safety spot at this point in camp.
Special teams: Velus Jones Jr. impressing
Velus Jones has had a strong start to training camp on offense, but he’s also been a standout on special teams. Last season, Jones struggled with fielding punts, which included a couple of muffed punts that led to losses. At one point, he was even benched for a couple of games.
Now, in his second season, it’s clear Jones has been feeling more comfortable and confident. Eberflus said Jones has been “much better” and comfortable when it comes to punt returns this year, which is something he struggled with last season.
Through the first few practices of camp, Jones has seen work returning both punts and kickoffs, where he could prove to be a valuable asset on special teams. While he’s been rotating with rookie wideout Tyler Scott (punts) and running back Khalil Herbert (kickoffs), Jones has been the main guy.
Velus Jones and Tyler Scott taking punt returns pic.twitter.com/sNS3kXWZiV
— Just Another Year Chicago: Bears (@OfficialJAYCHI) July 29, 2023
Jones could very well find himself on the roster bubble this summer, and a strong performance both on offense and special teams is exactly what he needs to secure a roster spot.
Remaining Bears training camp schedule
Here’s the remaining training camp schedule, which features seven more practices open to fans.
| Monday, July 31 | 10:00 a.m. practice |
| Tuesday, Aug. 1 | 10:00 a.m. practice |
| Wednesday, Aug. 2 | 10:00 a.m. practice (closed to public, Community Invite Day) |
| Thursday, Aug. 3 | OFF DAY/NO AVAILABILITY |
| Friday, Aug. 4 | 10:00 a.m. practice |
| Saturday, Aug. 5 | 10:00 a.m. practice (closed to public, Community Invite Day) |
| Sunday, Aug. 6 | Meijer Family Fest at Soldier Field – 10:35 a.m. |
| Monday, Aug. 7 | OFF DAY/NO AVAILABILITY |
| Tuesday, Aug. 8 | 10:00 a.m. practice |
| Wednesday, Aug. 9 | 10:00 a.m. practice |
| Thursday, Aug. 10 | 10:00 a.m. practice |
| Friday, Aug. 11 | OFF DAY/NO AVAILABILITY |
| Saturday, Aug. 12 | Titans at Bears – Noon |
| Sunday, Aug. 13 | OFF DAY/NO AVAILABILITY |
| Monday, Aug. 14 | 10:00 a.m. practice (closed to public, Community Invite Day) |
| Tuesday, Aug. 15 | OFF DAY/NO AVAILABILITY |
| Wednesday, Aug. 16 | Joint practices with Colts (time TBD) |
| Thursday, Aug. 17 | Joint practices with Colts (time TBD) |
| Friday, Aug. 18 | OFF DAY/NO AVAILABILITY |
| Saturday, Aug. 19 | Bears at Colts – 6 p.m. |
| Sunday, Aug. 20 | OFF DAY / NO AVAILABILITY |
*all times CT
