The players are back in the building, the grass is mowed, the locker room is prepped, and football is officially in the air for the Chicago Bears. The Bears welcomed back all of their players to Halas Hall earlier this week and are set to hold their first practice of training camp on Wednesday.
The anticipation is high as the Bears are coming off an 11-6 season that resulted in an NFC North title and a playoff victory. The stakes have been raised for the 2026 season, with head coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams leading the way, with the Bears hoping to make another deep playoff run. But in order to achieve those goals, they have to get off on the right foot with a strong training camp.
With the first practice getting underway, here
are some bold predictions for camp and what may happen before the regular season begins:
1. Bears sign Darnell Wright to an extension
This isn't the spiciest take of the offseason, but we have to start somewhere. All signs point to right tackle Darnell Wright signing a long-term extension to remain with the Bears for the foreseeable future—even if general manager Ryan Poles pumped the brakes on any possible deal being imminent. Wright is coming off his best season as a pro, earning Second-Team All-Pro honors for his play last season. He surrendered just three sacks, three hits, and 19 total pressures, though his 12 penalties could be reduced. Still, if Wright continues on this trajectory, his price tag is only going to increase. Poles certainly knows that. While the two sides may need to find common ground on a number, it feels like a deal will get done sooner rather than later. The Bears don't need to create more question marks on the offensive line.
2. Sam Roush shines in practice
Training camp is an excellent opportunity to get to know the rookies coming in and how they will fit in with the rest of the roster. There's plenty of excitement surrounding first-round pick Dillon Thieneman at safety, but don't forget about the other selections like tight end Sam Roush. Williams has already praised Roush, a second-round pick out of Stanford, for what he can bring to the table. If he's currently TE3, Roush will feast on the Bears' reserves early on and make a strong first impression. The Bears made Roush their target for a reason in the draft, and we're going to see why soon enough.
3. Bears add cornerback help
The most frustrating development going into training camp has been the unavailability of cornerback Kyler Gordon, who continues to be sidelined due to soft tissue injuries. After missing much of the 2025 season, Gordon was placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list going into camp, and you can feel the frustration from the Bears' front office. With Gordon's status up in the air and still some question marks across the position, the Bears will make at least one cornerback signing during camp. They could even add a bigger name like former Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kenny Moore or former Pro Bowler Marshon Lattimore to help on the outside. Either way, it's hard not to see the Bears making some additions this summer with multiple question marks at the position.
4. Garrett Bradbury never relinquishes the starting center job
Hopes are high for rookie center Logan Jones. After all, you don't give a player Brian Urlacher's old number if you don't expect him to become great. Jones, who was selected with the first of two second-round picks out of Iowa, is the center of the future in Chicago. Many are hoping that future begins soon, but Jones has to compete with veteran Garrett Bradbury, who was acquired via trade with the New England Patriots to fill the void following Drew Dalman's retirement. While Jones should get a legitimate shot to win the job, it's hard to see Ben Johnson trusting the offense to a rookie center right off the bat. They like what Bradbury brings to the table, and he's serviceable enough to hold down the job until Jones is ready. Bradbury has a good camp and remains the starting center while Jones continues to wait in the wings.
5. Skyler Thomas becomes a camp darling
One of the best parts about training camp is seeing the undrafted and lesser-known players make names for themselves during practice. In 2023, Tyson Bagent impressed and became the backup quarterback. In 2024, players like Reddy Steward and Ian Wheeler became fan favorites. And last year, Nahshon Wright snagged a starting job at cornerback. This year, I'm betting that Skyler Thomas makes waves on defense. The undrafted rookie safety out of Oregon State is long and tackles well, making him an ideal candidate to go up against Chicago's tight ends in practice. Though the starting safeties are set, there's still a chance for Thomas to make the team. I believe he's going to be a name we hear about quite often when talking about standouts from each practice.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 5 bold predictions for Chicago Bears training camp
