5 Bears players who need a strong training camp
It's been an impactful offseason for the Bears. They won the Ben Johnson sweepstakes, fixed their offensive line, and have added some nice players to both sides of the ball. However, they don't have all of their holes fixed. No team has a truly perfect roster, but the best teams mask any slight issues with their strengths elsewhere. Chicago still has a long way to go before they're a title contender.
Coming into training camp, there are a handful of players who can help further the team. That will happen if they either develop into the players they were drafted to be or if they have bounce-back seasons. These are the five players who fit that narrative at this point.
Caleb Williams
Caleb Williams is coming into his second training camp with some pressure on him. The Bears need him to take a significant step forward, and it all starts with a strong summer. Not only has Chicago given him one of the brightest offensive minds to develop him, but they've also continued to make him a top priority. That includes overhauling the interior offensive line with the additions of Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson and Drew Dalman, as well as new weapons in rookies Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III. Although Williams didn't light the world on fire in his rookie season, he still had one of the best seasons a QB has ever had for the Bears. Although that's not saying much, it's a promising sign of what may be ahead.
Rome Odunze
Rome Odunze wasn't the best or even the second-best rookie wide receiver in 2024. Part of that was on him, but part of it was on Matt Eberflus and the former coaching staff, which was in flux all season long. In 2025, Odunze will aim to develop into the high-end NFL wide receiver he was drafted to be in the first round. His cohesion with Caleb Williams is already there, and they can help each other. With a strong training camp and preseason, Odunze can set the tone for a breakout season. With Ben Johnson at the helm, Odunze can be put in a position that some of Detroit's receivers have been in over the last handful of years. This training camp will be big for him, learning the playbook and becoming an impact contributor.
Ozzy Trapilo
Ozzy Trapilo, although a rookie, can come into training camp and steal Braxton Jones' job at left tackle. It isn't likely to happen right away, but you just never know. Jones isn't a bad tackle, but you always look to upgrade if you don't have one of the elites. If Trapilo, who impressed during the offseason program, has a big training camp, he will insert his name into the regular mix of linemen protecting Caleb Williams, who was sacked an NFL-leading 68 times last year. Trapilo is talented enough to steal a starting job throughout 2025. It starts with camp.
Jaquan Brisker
One of the biggest questions entering the 2025 season is the health status of Jaquan Brisker. He missed the final 12 games of the 2024 season due to a concussion, which made it three straight years that he had that type of injury. Brisker may have come back had the Bears not lost 10 games in a row while he was out, but that's not certain. It is certain that there was no point in rushing anything with the state of the team. At this camp, he will learn Dennis Allen's defense, which should work very well for a player of his skill set. If Brisker can stay on the field for an entire season, a big year may be ahead for him. During training camp, he needs to get his body and mind into game shape.
Montez Sweat
Montez Sweat is in the conversation for the best player on the Bears. Jaylon Johnson and a couple of players on offense may have something to say about that, but Sweat is relied on to be their premier pass rusher. He can't do it all by himself, but he can lead the charge. Chicago didn't add as much to the defensive line as they did to the offensive line, which may be an issue. That means Sweat has a lot of extra responsibility, which means he needs to have a big training camp. Sweat was outstanding when the Bears first acquired him in 2023. He didn't, however, have quite as good a year in 2024. He wasn't bad; he just appeared to be a bit banged up. If he can get off to a good start, he may be able to cover some of the holes that Chicago has on the defensive front.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC Sports
a minute ago
- NBC Sports
Jared Goff thinks Lions are making a "great transition" to new OC John Morton
The Lions' success the last couple of years led to some major changes heading into the 2025 season. They had to replace two coordinators who left for head coaching jobs and quarterback Jared Goff gave an update on how things are faring on the offensive side a few days into training camp. Ben Johnson got a lot of credit for how potent the Lions have been offensively, so his departure for Chicago has been seen as a major jolt for the Lions as they try to make it to the Super Bowl this season. On Thursday, Goff said that things are not radically different with John Morton calling the offensive shots. 'It's hard to answer that question of what's different. . . . Some of it's the exact same,' Goff said, via Eric Woodyard of 'And some of it is a little bit different and I'm not going to go into the minutia of what is different, but I think the transition from what we were doing last year to [Morton] is a lot lesser than you guys are making it seem with the questions. Like, I get that question every day. A lot of it is the same and then there's some stuff that we're learning that is new and it's not that big of a gap between those two, I guess. It's been a great transition. It's been a lot of fun. It's been a challenge, but it's been a fun challenge.' The final judgement of the Morton hire won't be based on the plays he calls, but it will be based on how the offense produces and on how many games the Lions win this season. That's a good argument for keeping a lot of what worked in place, but it remains to be seen if the results will be as pleasant for Detroit.
New York Times
a minute ago
- New York Times
Fanfare follows Bill Belichick at ACC media days, but UNC's coach handles it his way
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The day was almost done. Bill Belichick had finished tackling 26 minutes of questions from a room of 70 reporters and 22 cameras. He stopped to grab some ESPN-branded boxes of popcorn at a booth in the hallway. There was a problem, though. 'You got one that's not empty?' he asked with a laugh. Advertisement The booth attendant handed him a pair of boxes filled to the brim, an apology for the unwitting prank on North Carolina's new coach, who also happens to be the most accomplished NFL coach of all time and the biggest new face in college football. Talking season was complete. Six hours of mostly uninterrupted media obligations were more than enough for the famously terse coach. Time to celebrate with a snack. Belichick has arrived at the ACC Kickoff — Matt Baker (@MattBakerCFB) July 24, 2025 At 8:47 a.m., Belichick exited a black SUV parked under a bridge and ambled into a side street entrance of the Hilton Uptown Charlotte holding a black backpack. There are no NFL media days. Thursday's ACC media days marathon was the latest new experience for Belichick, a uniquely college-football-in-July tradition. If he were ranking the responsibilities of his new job, it probably wouldn't be high on the list. But this is Belichick's new world, and the first-time college coach handled it … like any other college coach. Just with more fanfare. 'I always wanted to coach in college football. I grew up in college football. I tried to go into college football,' Belichick said, 'and that didn't work out.' In 1975, Lou Holtz hired Belichick as a 23-year-old graduate assistant at NC State but before Belichick could start the job, his position was eliminated amid the institution of Title IX. The Baltimore Colts hired him later that year as a special assistant, diverting his career into the NFL for almost five decades. 'That worked out fine,' Belichick said. At 73, he's finally in college football. To his peers, it's surreal. 'There was more than one occasion that I went, 'Yep, that's Bill Belichick right there, right here in the ACC head coaches meetings,'' Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. 'It's the most 2025 thing ever.' Advertisement Swinney noted how much he's learned from Belichick since his arrival in the league. Later, Belichick scoffed at the awe from the two-time national champion. 'Ah, come on,' Belichick said with a laugh. 'We're all learning from Dabo.' A few minutes after Belichick arrived, he met with a small group of local media in a tight conference room for 14 minutes before leaving the table to turn the room over to 'our stars right here,' referring to his players. Belichick noted that he has attended more than 10 donor events with general manager Michael Lombardi, his longtime assistant who later pivoted to a career in media and hosted a podcast with Belichick last season before joining him in Chapel Hill. Asked about his future at North Carolina, Belichick, whose ensemble included a Carolina blue handkerchief and a dark blue 'BB' monogram on his shirt cuff, tapped into his signature short wind. He declined any examination of what lies ahead. 'The future right now for us is the start of camp,' he said. He also discussed another quirk of being a college coach: Poring over class reports from his players. He never had to worry about Tom Brady's class attendance or grades. He does now with every one of his players, more than 70 of whom are new, including quarterback Gio Lopez, a transfer from South Alabama. Belichick said he and Lombardi are personally involved in keeping up with daily academic reports on his roster. 'We don't want players to fall behind,' Belichick said. 'Once you fall two or three weeks behind academically, it's hard to keep up.' Belichick avoided the rows of radio reporters in the hotel lobby and spent much of the morning in a hallway outside the green room for players and coaches, down the hall from private rooms for interviews with SiriusXM and the ACC Digital Network. Advertisement Most coaches and players sat for requested interviews on the event's lower level. Belichick abstained. A little after 11 a.m., Belichick took a lengthy phone call. As he spoke, a group of people approached. They lingered in the hallway waiting for Belichick and began to leave before a UNC official stopped them and made sure they got time with the head Tar Heel. Dream On 3 is a Charlotte nonprofit that helps fulfill 'sports-themed dreams' for kids with life-altering conditions, disabilities and mental health challenges, according to its website. It works closely with the ACC, and on Thursday, hosted the Burrell family. Belichick rewarded their patience when he found a break in his obligations. He spent a few quiet moments with the family, taking photos and signing footballs. 'That was pretty much the coolest thing ever,' said Cameron Burrell, a Clemson fan and Charlotte resident who said his son suffers from a third-degree heart block and his daughter suffers from epilepsy. 'We were all kind of starstruck,' said Maddy Fleming, the program director for Dream On 3. 'We were all just like, 'Is this real life?'' After another interview and lunch in the green room, Belichick spent a few minutes chatting with athletic director Bubba Cunningham before sitting down with ESPN's 'SportsCenter.' Around the corner, more than 40 cameras waited. But as soon as Belichick sat for the interview, cameras swarmed. Two veteran ACC reporters remarked they'd never witnessed a scene like it in their years covering the conference's media days. All eyes on Bill Belichick 👀 — ACC Network (@accnetwork) July 24, 2025 Belichick smiled and laughed as 'SportsCenter' showed a photo of him as a toddler from his father's more than three decades as a coach at Navy. Later, Belichick told a reporter he'd like to one day schedule a game with Navy. 'That'd be tough,' he said with a laugh. As he made his way into the large news conference room, cameras and reporters followed him as if summoned by a tractor beam. Advertisement Belichick took the stage and jokingly shielded his eyes from the blinding light before making a 4 1/2-minute opening statement and taking a few questions about the role of fullbacks in the sport, why he came to North Carolina and roster building in the modern game. Absent from Belichick's time on stage and in the breakout room with reporters: Any discussion of his personal life, the most-talked-about topic of Belichick's UNC tenure thus far. Jordon Hudson, his 24-year-old girlfriend, did not accompany him to the event. North Carolina has reiterated that Hudson handles Belichick's personal engagements and is not a university employee. After ceding the microphone to defensive back Thaddeus Dixon, Belichick sat back and relished his immediate impact on his players. Asked about the magnitude of a season opener against TCU, certain to be watched by millions, Dixon reiterated it was just another game. Players just needed to execute. Belichick leaned back in his seat with a satisfied smile. A few minutes later, as Dixon lauded the toughness he's seen in the team, Belichick reached over for a fist bump from wide receiver Jordan Shipp. 'You can't make plays on Saturday until you do it in practice,' Dixon added, drawing a large nod from his coach sitting quietly on stage. A question about Shipp's unfortunate childhood nickname – Duke, also North Carolina's chief rival – drew a belly laugh from Belichick. As NC State coach Dave Doeren took the stage following Belichick, he remarked on the suddenly cavernous room, noting it got a little sleepier. Belichick crowd vs non-BB crowd… We are just the worst. — 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 24, 2025 But next door, a breakout room with one row of seats on Day 1 and 2 was expanded to three rows and a riser for cameras for the final day, featuring North Carolina, NC State, Duke and conference power and title favorite Clemson. When Belichick arrived, those 22 mounted cameras and around 70 reporters were waiting. While every other coach fielded questions himself, the crush of media required a UNC official to moderate Belichick's session, calling on reporters who peppered the coach with questions. Advertisement He was long-winded on his recruiting strategy. 'Be authentic. This is who we are. We're not really going to change too much. If this works for you, this is a great place. If it doesn't, then honestly, you're better off going somewhere else. We're not trying to overhype or oversell something we can't deliver. We're trying to sell who we are,' he said. 'I think a lot of people want that. But for the ones that don't, it's better for both of us that they go somewhere else.' He was short on questions about the format of the College Football Playoff – ask Nick Saban or Kirk Ferentz, who would know better, he said. He stumped for Mike Shanahan to be included in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and waxed nostalgic on his relationship with Boston College coach Bill O'Brien. He also defended the House settlement bringing an end to walk-ons in college football, arguing that adding 20 more available scholarships for programs could be a net positive for athletes and the sport, even though technically there would be no more walk-ons. He joked with a reporter who was an alum of Foxborough High that he could no longer use his New England Patriots-era motivational tactic of warning players he could find a better player at the nearby high school. A little after 3:30, his day was complete. Belichick made his way back into the green room and finished his popcorn. He re-emerged and refilled his tea, squeezing a few lemons and pouring a pair of sugar packets over the ice before pouring the tea into his plastic cup. He took a few sips, and his players joined him near the bank of elevators. He stepped inside and made his way to the black SUV waiting to take him home to Chapel Hill via Interstate 85. The talking is over. Belichick? He's on to training camp. — The Athletic's Matt Baker contributed to this report.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Bill Belichick: North Carolina is a pro program, we have an NFL approach in college
North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick says he's coaching his college football team like he coached in the NFL. Asked at the ACC media day if he's trying to introduce NFL-level schemes and concepts to college football, Belichick answered, "That's exactly what we're trying to do. That's my philosophy." Belichick said he views the Tar Heels like a pro team that just needs some minor adjustments for younger players. "It's a pro program," Belichick said. "Practice, training, food, schemes, terminology, it's all a pro program. Not to the extent that we did it in the NFL — there will be fewer plays, fewer adjustments — but it will be along those lines." Belichick said to the extent that he'll coach differently, it's largely about the differences between NCAA rules, such as college football's wider hashmarks and the overtime format that takes place mostly in the red zone. "There's some things I don't think we'll need at this level and other things that we are," Belichick said. "Based on hashmarks and things like that that are difference, the overtime system — the red area could potentially come up a lot more than in the NFL on a percentage basis. Things like that that you just have to take into consideration. But fundamentally, we're going to do as much as we can as a pro system."
