The Chicago Bears are gearing for their return to Halas Hall for the start of training camp, where second-year head coach Ben Johnson will prepare his team for what's shaping up to be a thrilling 2026 season.
One of the biggest reasons for the hype and excitement is Year 2 of Johnson's offense, featuring rising star quarterback Caleb Williams, one of the NFL's best offensive lines with left guard Joe Thuney and right tackle Darnell Wright and a cast of weapons led by tight end Colston Loveland and wide receivers Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III.
While the offense is the strength of this team, there are still storylines to monitor this summer and season. With training camp just around the corner, we're taking a look at some burning questions on offense,
which is poised to once again be a top unit in the NFL under Johnson.
Will Caleb Williams emerge as a top NFL quarterback?
Technically, the NFL already views Caleb Williams as a top 10 quarterback after ESPN's ranking that polled coaches and executives. Which is encouraging considering Williams still has a long way to go in his development as he's just scratching the surface of his potential. Williams wowed the NFL with his clutch ability and impressive elusiveness, his completion percentage and intermediate passing game left plenty to be desired, and those need to be cleaned up. Williams is eligible for a contract extension after the 2026 regular season, the Bears are looking for him to make the decision easy for them by taking another step forward in his development. Williams made impressive strides in just one season with Ben Johnson, and the offensive guru will continue his work in developing Williams into one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
Who will win the starting left tackle and center jobs?
The Bears had one of the top offensive lines in the NFL last season, and they'll be looking to plug a couple holes following center Drew Dalman's surprise retirement and left tackle Ozzy Trapilo's ruptured patellar tendon expected to sideline him for most of the 2026 season. Garrett Bradbury, who was acquired via trade shortly after Dalman's retirement, is the favorite to start at center. But rookie Logan Jones, selected as the top center in the second round, will bring real competition for the starting job. Meanwhile, Trapilo's injury forced Chicago to pivot at left tackle, bringing back Braxton Jones on a one-year deal to compete with Jedrick Wills Jr. and Theo Benedet.
Who will emerge as the Bears' top receiver?
While you could technically throw second-year tight end Colston Loveland into this category in terms of pass catchers, it's more of a question of whether Rome Odunze or Luther Burden III will be Caleb Williams' top wideout in the passing game. Following the departure of veteran DJ Moore this offseason, Odunze and Burden will be thrust into bigger roles. While Odunze, the former top 10 pick, is expected to slide into that WR1 role, Burden has the talent and potential to surpass Odunze up for that top spot. The competition should only help this Bears offense in the long run, especially if both Odunze and Burden emerge as top receivers.
How will the new rookies factor into things?
Last year's rookie class proved to be an impactful one, and that was due in most part to the offensive rookies in Ben Johnson's first NFL draft as head coach. Tight end Colston Loveland, wide receiver Luther Burden III and running back Kyle Monangai all carved out roles for themselves in this offense, and when looking at this year's crop of rookies, there are some potential impact contributors. That starts with tight end Sam Roush and receiver Zavion Thomas, who were both offseason standouts and have a role envisioned for them by Johnson. While Logan Jones might not contribute immediately as a rookie, he factors into their long-term plans. Meanwhile, undrafted free agents, offensive lineman Caden Barnett and tight end Hayden Large, are dark horse candidates to be standouts.
Will D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai remain a top running back duo?
Last season, Chicago had a top-three rushing attack led by veteran D'Andre Swift and rookie Kyle Monangai, who totaled a combined 1,870 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns behind one of the league's best offensive lines. The Bears didn't make any moves to add at running back this offseason, which speaks to Ben Johnson's confidence in the duo of Swift and Monangai to run it back in 2026. Swift is entering the final year of his three-year deal he signed with Chicago back in 2024, so he's got plenty at stake this season, while Monangai has another opportunity to prove himself as a seventh-round gem.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 5 burning questions for Bears offense heading into training camp
