The Chicago Bears have wrapped their first full week of training camp with eight practices in the book, including three padded sessions that really ramped up the intensity.
While the offense initially ran away with things through the first four non-padded practices, the defense closed the gap once the pads came on. Quarterback Caleb Williams continued to impress in training camp, but he wasn't without his struggles as the defense through some stuff the offense's way and leaned into the physicality. Unfortunately, there were several notable injuries in the last four practices, including safety Coby Bryant, defensive end Montez Sweat and left tackle Braxton Jones, among others.
Here's a look at the winners and losers from the last four practices,
which includes some under-the-radar names who are contending for roster spots and depth chart positioning.
Winner (hopefully not loser): LT Braxton Jones
The Bears are hoping to have clarity in their left tackle competition by next week, and it's clear that Braxton Jones is the frontrunner to win the job. Jones worked with the first-team offense for four straight practices this week, and it's clearly his job to lose over Kiran Amegadjie and Jedrick Wills Jr. Unfortunately, the only thing standing in his way is himself, specifically his health. Jones exited Thursday's padded practice after a 1-on-1 session against defensive end Austin Booker, and he was visibly upset. But initial reports indicate Jones avoided a significant injury.
Loser: S Coby Bryant
Just a few days ago, Coby Bryant was a winner on this very list. But that all changed during Monday's practice when Bryant suffered a knee injury and was carted off the field. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Bryant suffered a hyperextended knee, bone bruise and small fracture that's expected to sideline him 8-10 weeks, which would put him on track for a Week 3-5 debut with the Bears. But Ben Johnson made it clear that Chicago is still "information gathering" about the extent of Bryant's injury and his timetable for return, so that's not set in stone.
Winner: WR Kaden Davis
While Colston Loveland, Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III all continue to shine, there was one pass catcher who stood out last week on several occasions. Kaden Davis had the catch of the day -- perhaps even the summer -- when he made a diving, one-handed catch from Caleb Williams on Wednesday . He followed that up with another impressive practice on Thursday, where he had an impressive touchdown grab from Case Keenum. Overall, he just keeps making plays. Davis made our "studs" list twice in the last four days, and he could be someone to watch during preseason.
Loser: CB Kyler Gordon
It's been a full week and Kyler Gordon has yet to practice as he continues to nurse a calf injury. Before Thursday's practice, Ben Johnson said there was no update on Gordon. "He's just continuing to rehab." Meanwhile, the competition at nickel continues, even with Cam Lewis shifting to safety in the wake of Coby Bryant's injury. Jaylon Jones has gotten the bulk of reps with the starters, but rookie Malik Muhammad also got a look at nickel with the first-team defense on Thursday.
Winner: DT Jordan van den Berg
Sixth-round rookie Jordan van den Berg has been a standout during training camp with his physicality, and he had a disruptive day on Thursday with the pads on. He beat both Luke Newman and Logan Jones in 1-on-1 drills and even blew up one 9-on-7 rep that left many impressed. On Thursday, van den Berg was part of the rotation with starters during 11-on-11 work, which gave him experience going against some of the best, including Joe Thuney. The Bears appear to have big plans in store for van den Berg.
Loser: DC Dennis Allen
For the second straight summer, the Bears defense has been ravaged by injuries in the secondary, and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is once again down some key pieces for his unit. The defensive back depth has been tested early in training camp with safety Coby Bryant going down and nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon and safety Elijah Hicks still on the physically unable to perform list. Chicago is still waiting on word of a timetable for Bryant's return, and there's no timetable for Gordon to return to the practice field.
Winner: RB Salvon Ahmed
With Kyle Monangai being sidelined for the first few practices of camp, it opened the door for veteran Salvon Ahmed in the run game -- and he took full advantage. Ahmed has been a standout through the first full week, where he stacked several impressive practices. He showed off his speed and playmaking ability, including on Thursday with an acrobatic catch along the sideline during 1-on-1s. Ahmed is in the thick of the battle for that RB3 spot with Roschon Johnson, and he's making a strong impression for the job.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Winners and losers from Chicago Bears' first week of training camp
