With Training Camp just over a week away, we’ll wrap up the final installment of a two-part series. This week, we’ll take a deeper dive into the three best camp battles on the offensive side of the ball.
July is in full swing, so training camp for all 32 teams is approaching. It’s been an active offseason with little downtime for teams like the Chicago Bears. They’ve brought in a new coaching staff, made multiple impact moves in the trade and free agency market, and an eight-man draft class. Changes have been aplenty in Chicago, making training camp and the preseason much more interesting.
In the first of two installments, we’ll take a look at three camp battles on the offensive side of the ball. With most starting spots filled (barring injury), focusing on the depth chart with role players will be the idea here. Here are three training camp battles to keep an eye on in the month of August.
1. Left Tackle
Over the last two offseasons, the Bears have attempted to upgrade at the left tackle position. Last year, they opted for Rome Odunze over one of the tackles. This year, three went in the first nine picks, which led Chicago to wait until the second round. To make matters even more complicated, incumbent starter Braxton Jones is still working his way back from a broken leg that cost him the final few games in 2024. There have been minimal updates on his status, but the expectation is that he’ll either be placed on PUP to kick off camp or be severely limited while he works back into on-the-field shape.
Couple that with Jones being in the final year of his four-year rookie deal, and it makes sense why the Bears would want to explore different options. Dan Moore’s four-year, $82 million free agent contract was a sobering reality: Even below-average tackles are making good money now.
Luckily for the Bears, they’ve got two young and capable bodies that they can continue to take their time evaluating. Kiran Amegadjie missed most of last year’s camp and preseason due to an injury he suffered at Yale. Because of that, he was woefully unprepared to face NFL competition in his rookie year. The team failed him by even trying to put him out there, but those 100-plus snaps have stuck in the mind of this fanbase. In 2025, he’ll have a chance to go through an entire NFL offseason program and should be more prepared to face true competition.
Ozzy Trapilo was one of the team’s second-round selections at No. 56. The 6’8 Boston College product has experience on both sides of the offensive line, but his most recent starting experience has come on the right side. The new coaching staff has been working with him on the left side, and fans can expect that to continue into camp and the preseason.
There’s no guarantee that either player looks good enough to be ready for Week 1 against a vaunted Minnesota Vikings front, but they’ll have some time to figure it out before September. Don’t be surprised to see Darnell Wright see some snaps at left tackle, but I’ll maintain that swapping sides would be a last-ditch effort type of move.
2. Running Back
Since hiring head coach Ben Johnson, running back has been one of the bigger talking points this offseason. Last year’s free agent market was deeper and provided more top-end talent. That’s why many believed that they would strike early in the draft at the position. Ashton Jeanty went No. 6 overall, which meant Day 2 should have been the sweet spot. The Bears were forced to adjust their plans once Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson went off the board before their pick at 39. In the end, Chicago came away with Rutgers’ Kyle Monangai in the seventh round with their final pick of the draft.
The coaching staff has used the last month’s worth of organized team activities to assess the depth chart. For financial reasons, D’Andre Swift is locked in for 2025. Barring a surprise, Roschon Johnson is also expected to make the final roster. Travis Homer being brought back at the special-teams ace should leave one open spot on the final 53-man roster. Monangai would now have the leg up over Ian Wheeler and Deion Hankins. That said, there are multiple avenues where the Bears could seek an upgrade.
Nick Chubb and J.K. Dobbins were linked to the Bears at times, but both have since signed with new teams. In the trade market, names like Kenneth Walker II and Breece Hall have dominated Bears fans’ minds. Walker feels like the safer bet to actually be traded, but as we’ve learned with general manager Ryan Poles, keep an open mind to additional targets.
In the end, it feels likely that the Bears will add an outside name to the mix, which could cost Johnson or Monangai a roster spot. For now, it’s best to closely watch Johnson, Monangai, and Wheeler for that 1B role alongside Swift.
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3. Wide Receiver
The last three offseasons have resulted in quite the makeover for the receiver room. In Poles’ first offseason as general manager, the team’s depth chart consisted of names like Byron Pringle, Equanimeous St. Brown, Velus Jones Jr., Ihmir Smith-Marsette, and Dante Pettis to complement Darnell Mooney. Heading into 2025, the Top 4 spots are set with D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, and Olamide Zaccheaus.
Barring injury, this should leave one, maybe two spots open on the depth chart behind those names. The competition should be intense, and the end result should produce one of their more well-rounded units in franchise history. Devin Duvernay, who was signed as a free agent in March, figures to lead all contestants heading into training camp. On top of being a speed threat down the field, his ability to return both kicks and punts should give him more than enough value as WR5. Behind Duvernay are many options, including former four-round pick Tyler Scott, 2019 third-round pick Miles Boykin, Samori Toure, and undrafted free agents J.P. Richardson and Jahdae Walker.
Special teams’ ability will play a key role in deciding the final spot (or two). If the Bears choose to keep just one of those names, Duvernay should have the decided advantage. The former All-Pro returner still has plenty of juice and could help give the team an explosive return game. Scott has an uphill battle to make the final roster after playing just 20 offensive snaps in 2024.
Boykin is an interesting name with plenty of hype coming out of Notre Dame. At close to 6’4, he’s the type of big body this offense could look for in a final roster spot. He’s totaled just 34 receiving yards over his last four years, which included sitting out last season. Toure was a player who seemed poised to break out and find a role in Green Bay, but never found traction at his first NFL stop. He spent all last season on the practice squad and is another big-bodied receiver that could earn a role in this new offense.
On the surface, there doesn’t appear to be a spot for an undrafted free agent to make their mark, at least out of the gate in September. Richardson never posted big numbers during his four-year stint in the Big 12, but he has some explosive ability in his game. Walker wasn’t heavily involved in Texas A&M’s offense, but averaged just under 15 yards per reception during his two years in the SEC.
No matter how this competition pans out on the back end of the depth chart, there should be a few players that fans will fall in love with throughout training camp and a three-game preseason schedule. Bears fans are conditioned well for receiver training camp battles, but can rest easy knowing that the Top 4 names on the depth chart are set in stone.