Latest news with #HalasHall
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
NFL Reveals Bears' Key Dates for 2025 Training Camp
NFL Reveals Bears' Key Dates for 2025 Training Camp originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The offseason grind is in the rearview, and eyes are now set on what's ahead. As anticipation builds for the 2025 NFL season, the league has dropped some key updates that outline how and when teams will hit the ground running this summer. Advertisement On Wednesday, the NFL officially released training camp reporting dates and locations for all 32 franchises. For the Chicago Bears, camp will return to Halas Hall in Lake Forest, Illinois, where rookies are set to report on July 19 and veterans on July 22. Alongside this, the league confirmed that 29 teams will participate in joint practices during the preseason—including the Bears. This information was originally reported by as part of its league-wide training camp announcement. Chicago Bears logo on a helmetGetty Images Chicago will host two joint practice sessions in August. On August 8, the Miami Dolphins come to town, followed by the Buffalo Bills on August 15. Both practices will be held at Halas Hall, giving the Bears early tests against two playoff-caliber squads. Training Camp Key Dates – Chicago Bears Team: Chicago Bears Site: Halas Hall Location: Lake Forest, Ill. Rookies: 7/19 Veterans: 7/22 2025 Joint Practices – Bears 8/8 – Visiting Team: Miami Dolphins | Host Team: Chicago Bears | Location: Lake Forest, Ill. 8/15 – Visiting Team: Buffalo Bills | Host Team: Chicago Bears | Location: Lake Forest, Ill. With the countdown to training camp now underway, fans can begin circling dates and looking ahead to what could be a pivotal and exciting year in the Bears' development under their new-look roster and coaching staff. Advertisement Related: Bears Hard-Nosed Rookie RB Pushes Back on 7th-Round Label After Draft Slide Related: Former Bears Coach Breaks Silence on Caleb Williams' Rookie-Year Frustration This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Bears 53-man roster projection: What OTAs told us about Ben Johnson's team
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — As the Chicago Bears head their separate ways for the summer, coach Ben Johnson hopes his first offseason program left an impression on his players. 'I think when these guys walk away, they understand what the expectation level is,' Johnson said. 'I hope they also understand our coaching staff a little bit better as well. We haven't fully come together as a unit, a full team yet, just offense, defense, special teams, but I think we made some headway there in getting to know each other.' Advertisement Johnson's fiery, detail-driven persona on the practice field was the No. 1 takeaway from the offseason program. The second is that the Bears' roster is in decent shape. Building trust will be a goal in training camp. Fundamentals and techniques will be emphasized. 'They'll know what that's about — how we want to practice, what's allowed, what's not allowed,' Johnson said. 'I think, really, they're going to take that and run with it; our vets will.' After that come all the plays and various situations, and Johnson will have plenty for his players to go through as the days become longer at Halas Hall. 'I'm pleased with the progress we've made over the last few weeks,' Johnson said. 'We've got a lot of work still to come, but we're right on track.' With that in mind, here's our latest 53-man projection following Johnson's offseason program and training camp looming next month. Fishbain: Both Bagent and Keenum will make the team, so the question to answer by the end of training camp is, who is Williams' backup? It's hard to count out Bagent, who has proved himself exceptionally well since being an undrafted player from a Division II school. Keenum's experience, though, is hard to match. Austin Reed figures to get a lot of preseason snaps ahead of a return to the practice squad. Jahns: The competition between Bagent and Keenum will be worth tracking. Only one of them will be active on game days. But the most important 'competition' is Williams versus everything Johnson wants to do on offense. Johnson tweaked Williams' footwork. It's left foot forward now. He also challenged him to articulate plays faster and then get through his reads quicker. Johnson will tailor his playsheet to what Williams can handle. That will only come after some tough coaching in camp. Every rep counts 💪 — Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) June 6, 2025 Fishbain: Nick Chubb to Houston, JK Dobbins to Denver. The Bears never seemed keen on adding a veteran back. It doesn't mean it won't happen, but it's worth seeing how Swift looks in this offense behind an improved offensive line. Seventh-round picks tend to be on the roster bubble, but Monangai doesn't seem like a normal seventh-round pick. Homer's special-teams experience, along with Roschon Johnson's, is valuable. Advertisement Jahns: There was a point during the offseason when another addition felt inevitable. But it never happened. Maybe it's because Monangai continued to impress everyone throughout the offseason program. Johnson commended the rookie for his attention to detail, which, coming from Johnson, means plenty considering the coach's obsession with the details. Fishbain: After missing OTAs and minicamp, Burden will be one of the players we'll closely watch in training camp. He has tremendous potential after putting up big numbers at Missouri. He was a second-round pick for a reason, but how quickly can he earn the trust of Williams and the coaches to be the starting slot? Ideally, it'd be right away, but we haven't seen him on the field since rookie minicamp. Jahns: Burden's injury surely slowed his progress. But the Bears never had to rush his development, either. He was a luxury pick with Moore and Odunze already on the roster. With Burden out, Zaccheaus and Duvernay made catches and plays throughout the spring. Both players looked like they could be contributors in Johnson's offense. Their experience will provide Burden with time to catch up if he needs it after his injury. Fishbain: I'm old enough to remember the summer of 2018 when we talked about all the '12' personnel we'd see with Trey Burton and Adam Shaheen, or 2020 when it'd be the Kmet-Jimmy Graham show, or the excitement around Robert Tonyan's addition to the offense. Remember Gerald Everett? OK, enough from memory lane. Kmet is different, Loveland is different and the coach is different. It should be fun to watch how Johnson uses them in the offense. Jahns: If Matt Eberflus were still the Bears' coach, maybe we're discussing the team having one more defensive back on the roster. But Johnson is in charge. He's calling the offense, and Wilson earned his attention and praise with his route-running during the offseason program. If Johnson — a former tight ends coach — wants another young tight end with potential, then so be it. Advertisement Fishbain: This group has only four returning players from last season, a sign of the overhaul. The competition for the final offensive line spots will include Doug Kramer, a 2022 draft pick, Ryan Bates, whose 2024 was derailed by injuries, Ricky Stromberg, Chris Glaser and Jordan McFadden. Regardless of who OL8 or OL9 is, the top seven look a lot better than what the Bears have had in several years. Jahns: It'll look even better if the Bears hit on Trapilo. His competition against Amegadjie and Jones still needs to play out in training camp. Their one-on-one drills with the pads on against Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo will be must watch in August. The joint practices with the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills will also intensify the competition. Fishbain: The interior defensive line looks a lot deeper than the edge, especially if someone like Billings might be the No. 4. But that disparity won't matter if a few things go the Bears' way. Can Sweat get back to the form we saw when the team first acquired him in 2023? Can Odeyingbo live up to his contract and turn his pressures into sacks? Can Booker and Robinson use their athletic traits and thrive in a new system? Jahns: The Odeyingbo and Turner additions do improve the depth and potential of the group. But the real improvements might come through defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's scheme. What if Dexter fits it better? He's no longer in the three-technique defensive tackle role. Or what if this scheme is really what unlocks all of the potential the Bears saw in Robinson years ago when he was drafted? Johnson highlighted what Robinson did during the offseason program. Allen seems to have plenty to work with up front in his first year in charge of the Bears' defense. Fishbain: It'll be the 2025 Day 3 pick versus the 2023 Day 3 pick for the starting 'Sam' linebacker job. Hyppolite, who was chosen by this coaching staff, should have an edge over Sewell, who has struggled to stay healthy. This is the third and final summer to say, 'Can Sewell put it all together in camp?' There's not a ton of depth here, but the lack of other additions says a lot about the team's confidence in the backups. Jahns: Hyppolite's speed stood out especially during minicamp when Edwards was out with a soft-tissue injury. Hyppolite and Sewell should also be competing for spots on special teams, where Hyppolite's speed might give him the edge. But here's another storyline: Edmunds' place in Allen's scheme should also be watched. Edwards received his extension, while there's an affordable exit point built into Edmunds' deal for after this season. Fishbain: Johnson's a Pro Bowler, Gordon has played like one, and Stevenson has flashed like one, though he'll be under scrutiny after a turbulent 2024. This could be the Bears' strongest position, and that'll be reflected at the back end of the depth chart in a battle for the final roster spots. Smith's durability has been an issue, but he's talented. Veterans Nick McCloud, Shaun Wade and Alex Cook could factor in the battle, especially if they're effective on special teams. Advertisement Jahns: Nashon Wright needs to be mentioned, too. He played in place of Johnson during minicamp. Wright doesn't have much starting experience, but at 6-foot-4, he fits the physical profile the Bears now want in their secondary. He also played for Al Harris, the Bears' new defensive backs coach/defensive passing game coordinator, previously in Dallas. Can Wright force a tough decision upon the Bears? Fishbain: It won't be a headline-grabbing roster battle, but Hicks — entering Year 4 — may have to fend off veteran Tarvarius Moore, along with undrafted rookies Tysheem Johnson and Major Burns, to stick. The focus of this position all summer will be on No. 9, Brisker. Fans will hear him often, and the Bears would love to see Brisker the playmaker stay on the field. Jahns: Safety remains a position on the verge of change. Byard, Brisker, Owens and Hicks are all in the final years of their contracts. In an ideal world, Brisker makes it through the season without injury and is retained with a short-term extension. However, his health will be a storyline until the season ends. Fishbain: It'd take a lot for undrafted rookie kicker Jonathan Kim to supplant Santos, but who wouldn't love a training camp kicker battle? Either way, the Bears wouldn't mind feeling comfortable with Kim on the practice squad, or at least on speed dial, as an emergency option. Jahns: The Bears' kicking battery is a solid, reliable one. And it's one less thing for Johnson to worry about in his first year in charge of the Bears. Taylor should be better in his second season, too.
CBS News
06-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Bears wrap up mandatory minicamp, Coach Johnson says staying in shape is key
Thursday marked the final day of the Chicago Bears' three-day mandatory minicamp up at Halas Hall. The Bears have one more week of organized team activities next week, with head coach Ben Johnson saying the emphasis will be on young guys and special teams. So for many of the veterans, the last day of minicamp was their last organized team work until training camp in late July — and it is on them to be mentally and physically ready to go when camp opens. "We felt pretty good about what we've been able to accomplish. The onus is on our players now to take advantage of the next six weeks," said Johnson. "They've built a lot of goodwill with their bodies, conditioning-wise. We've got to continue that trend, because for us, training camp's not a get-in-shape camp, it's show-up-in-shape camp, so that we can become a good football team." Bears receiver Rome Odunze concurred that readiness will be key. "It's not, you know, a break that we're kind of all going to, you know, forget everything and forget football in a way," he said, "you know, kind of the offseason is kind of, take a little relaxation, a little mental break, so that way, when it comes to training camp, we're making strides to be in very, very good shape for the season." Odunze said he will be at Halas Hall next week for optional OTAs. He said he just turned 23 and doesn't have many other things to focus on other than getting better. Meanwhile, Johnson is known for getting tricky with his offensive play calling including — sometimes even using his offensive linemen as pass catchers. "I let those guys know—we only do this once a year, and it's an evaluation, and we'll circle back in training camp and in the season and see who we can trust to catch the ball or throw the ball, and I think there's a couple of guys on the O-line that stood out, and I think we've got some toys to work with," he said. Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent was asked if any offensive linemen got his attention as a pass catcher. "No sir," he said. "Nobody that I threw the ball to, at least." Johnson noted four standouts from minicamp, including two rookies — linebacker Ruben Hyppolite and running back Kyle Monangai.
New York Times
04-06-2025
- General
- New York Times
Bears minicamp takeaways: Ben Johnson's obsession with details takes hold at Halas Hall
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Two weeks ago, Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet felt the wrath of new head coach Ben Johnson in front of his teammates, coaches, media members and even some special guests watching from the balcony of the Walter Payton Center during organized team activities. What the heck happened? Advertisement 'It's probably an alignment thing,' Kmet said. He surmised that he was probably misaligned by just a yard, and he laughed when he said that. Kmet gets it, though. He likes it. The finest of details matter to Johnson — a lot. 'That's just an example of Ben not letting up on those things and making sure everybody's on the details,' Kmet said Tuesday after the first day of mandatory minicamp at Halas Hall. 'It's funny, on that play with the alignment, I'm kind of cheating myself out of getting the ball the way I was aligned. So afterwards, he's kind of joking. He's like, 'I was trying to get you the damn football.' … I mean, he's not just yelling at you because he doesn't like you. He wants things right, and he wants to win, and he knows that's what you have to do. And I think guys have been really receptive to that so far.' Kmet is in only his sixth NFL season, but he's a grizzled veteran when it comes to coaching changes at Halas Hall. Johnson is Kmet's third head coach. He has heard play calls from Matt Nagy, Bill Lazor, Luke Getsy, Shane Waldron, Thomas Brown and now Johnson. 'I think what sticks out (with) Ben and this staff … is just how detail-oriented they are,' Kmet said. 'You can feel that in the meetings; they're relentless on the details. I think that's something that may be a little unique from what I've had in the past. Not saying other coaches weren't detailed, but it's like an obsession with the details. … He just can't let it go. You feel that from him. Whether it's on the field, in the meeting room, he brings that with him wherever he's at.' Johnson's fiery persona at practice has been an early storyline this spring. It should continue in training camp. Fans will get to see it then — how Johnson coaches on the field and in meetings. The players appear to be responding to it. Several have said it was needed after last season. Advertisement 'It's every day, and it's relentless,' Kmet said. 'He's definitely thrown a lot at us in this short time here in the spring, but I think he wants to challenge us as a group to see what we can handle. I think we've done a pretty good job so far. There's definitely been some ups and downs, but I think that's kind of the method to the madness so far.' Johnson's intensity hasn't surprised running back D'Andre Swift. He played for Johnson in Detroit. But Swift quickly learned that Johnson reached a new level after taking over the Bears. 'He's more serious because he has to be,' Swift said. 'He's done a hell of a job. Just seeing him transition even from where I was before, just seeing his growth as a coach and as a man, (I'm) excited to play for him.' Swift totaled 931 yards from scrimmage and scored eight touchdowns in 14 games during the 2022 season, which was Johnson's first as the Lions' offensive coordinator. 'As we are installing, things are starting to come back to me a little more,' Swift said. 'But the offense we have, all the concepts, the run game and all the different stuff that he is doing, (Johnson's) one of the smartest football minds I've been around. He's really intelligent. It's a lot of stuff.' And it's a great opportunity for Swift at this point in his career. He knows that. In 2023, the Lions signed David Montgomery in free agency and drafted Jahmyr Gibbs before trading him. The Bears were linked to Ashton Jeanty, TreVeyon Henderson and other running backs before the NFL Draft. But the team waited until the final round to draft Kyle Monangai. Swift is the Bears' top back. 'I kind of look at it like whatever they were going to do, my mindset wasn't going to change,' Swift said. 'If they brought somebody in, if they do, they don't, my mindset is, 'Go to work and be undeniable.'' Advertisement The rotation at left tackle continued on the first day of minicamp. Kiran Amegadjie played with the starters. Last week, rookie Ozzy Trapilo was with the first team during the open practice. 'Both guys are taking turns, and they're making the most of their opportunities,' Johnson said. 'I think the head's still spinning for almost everybody on offense, but certainly in the (offensive) line room. We got a lot of new things we're throwing at them.' Johnson credited offensive line coach Dan Roushar and assistants Kyle Devan and Zach Cable for staying on the offensive line throughout practice. 'The cool thing to see is Ozzy, for a guy that's a young player, he's really polished in terms of the mental aspect of the game,' Johnson said. 'We're looking to key up some things, quicken up his steps, his identification process. And Kiran's done a nice job just for the little bit that we've had him as well, just the growth prospects. So far, so good.' The competition will intensify in camp with the pads on. Braxton Jones should also be back on the field by then as he recovers from left ankle surgery. Johnson also emphasized how one of the left tackles can distinguish himself. 'The No. 1 job of an offensive tackle, doesn't matter right or left, is to pass protect,' Johnson said. 'And so you need to be able to block their best pass rusher one-on-one. To me, that's the No. 1 job, and everything we can get out of them in the run game will be gravy on top of it. But we've got to find out who the best pass protector is, the most consistent pass protector is, and really, that's for all five guys up front.' Kmet and receiver DJ Moore spoke for the first time since the Bears' draft selections of tight end Colston Loveland in Round 1 and receiver Luther Burden III in Round 2. Kmet said he received a reassuring phone call from Johnson after the Bears took Loveland at No. 10. Advertisement 'At first, you're taken aback a little bit,' Kmet said. 'But Ben was awesome about it in terms of calling me right away and kind of explaining the decision. From there, you're all on board with it and kind of understand their vision. You understand that there's going to be areas where we complement each other, and there's obviously — just like any position room — there's going to be areas that we compete for things. 'That's football, and that's how it should be. So, I'm excited about it, to not only push him and for him to push me, and we're going to make each other better. I think the goal with it is to become the best 12 (personnel) tandem in the league and see where we can take it from there.' The Bears have selected two receivers — Rome Odunze (No. 9 last year) and Burden (No. 39 this year) — in the first two rounds since trading for Moore. 'Their role, they're keeping me young even though I'm not that old in the room,' said Moore, who is 28. 'Rome just turned 23 today. Happy birthday to him. But (it's) just seeing them follow behind my lead and just grow from there. Rome's taken a step this year. I can already tell. Then, who we drafted in the second round, I can't wait to see what he can do. I've seen him in rookie minicamp doing a lot of things.' But Burden suffered a soft-tissue injury during rookie minicamp and hasn't returned. 'Sadly, he's not out there right now, but I know he's watching,' Moore said. 'He's been asking a lot of questions, so I've just been helping him that way.' Moore is also winning over Johnson every day. 'What we've seen the last six, seven weeks has been a guy that's highly motivated,' Johnson said. 'He wants to be as complete of a receiver as he can possibly be, and he's willing to do whatever it takes to get there.' Moore's body language became a talking point last season as the losses and frustrating misses on the field added up. This year should be different because of Johnson. Similar to quarterback Caleb Williams, Johnson has discussed with the receiver the importance of body language. 'Just don't do it,' Moore said. 'Just keep it inside. Talk about it later. Just don't put it on film. Don't put it on TV. So you guys can't run with it. That's how it is.' Advertisement Moore learned how serious Johnson is about it recently during practice. 'To be honest, right now and then we ain't gonna talk about it. I did it once and we nipped it in the bud, and it never happened again,' Moore said. Johnson said all of his players were 'in the building' for the first day of mandatory minicamp. Some injured players remained out of action, including Loveland, Burden, nickelback Kyler Gordon and linebacker T.J. Edwards. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson participated in practice but sat out during team drills.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ben Johnson details first practice as Bears head coach
Ben Johnson led his first practice as the Chicago Bears kicked off rookie minicamp on Friday. It marked a first for the new head coach, where he had to learn how to adjust from a coordinator to a head coach in the roughly one-hour practice. "I've never blown the whistle to stop the play; I've got a little bit of work to do there," Johnson said with a smile. "I can get better in that aspect. Other than that, it was great. I'm surrounded by a phenomenal coaching staff. It was fun to watch them get their hands on these players and be able to work with them like that. I'm very encouraged." Advertisement For Bears rookies, draft picks and undrafted free agents alike, it was the first time they'd stepped foot on the practice field at Halas Hall. While this weekend is a learning experience for the players, it also serves as a beneficial experience for Johnson and his coaching staff. "We call it rookie orientation," he said. "It's a coach orientation for us this year, too. It's our first time as a coaching staff to really have a practice format like that. It was fun to see them get after it and get to work a little bit. We've got a long ways to go, but [I'm] really happy with how the guys went out there and competed and learned . . . and look forward to seeing the progression there over the course of the weekend." One of the standouts during this first practice was the intensity from Johnson and his entire coaching staff, which is a far cry from when Matt Eberflus led the show. As for as Johnson, his style is already sitting well with the rookies. 'I'm a big fan,' said first-round pick Colston Loveland. 'I love his spirit, his energy. He's super determined. He's ready to go. He's ready to take this thing to the top. I've seen him getting on people's butts. [He's] fired up too. I'm loving how he coaches. It's early, but I'm excited to play for him.' Advertisement According to the Sun-Times, Johnson spent time with general manager Ryan Poles and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen at the start of practice, and then he split time near evenly between the offense and defense. While Johnson will be leading the offense, he's learning how to run an entire team. And leaning on Allen, a former head coach, is beneficial before the veterans hit the field for OTAs in the coming weeks. Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Ben Johnson details first practice as Bears head coach
