Another stretch of Chicago Bears training camp practices has come and gone. The Bears enjoyed an off day on Thursday before they gear up for their first preseason game of the year when they welcome the Cleveland Browns to Soldier Field.
These last few practices had a bit of everything, from big explosive plays by the offense, hard hits and turnovers from the defense, and sadly, injuries. Unfortunately, fans only were able to see one of the days as inclement weather forced the Bears to close multiple practices to the public. At least they got to see a walkthrough at a local high school on Monday.
Before we turn our attention to the Browns, here are our takeaways from the second full week of training camp practices.
1. Injuries are mounting
There is nothing worse around
the NFL than injuries during training camp and every team has to deal with it. Over the last week or so, it's Chicago's turn to manage the sprains and tweaks that pop up during every practice. Lately, they've been taking a toll. Safety Coby Bryant's injury went from bad to worse as he's slated to miss most of the regular season, while wide receiver Luther Burden is out for the preseason. Meanwhile, veterans Cam Lewis, Braxton Jones, and Montez Sweat have all been banged up in the last week, and there still is no sign of Kyler Gordon outside of a few autograph sessions.
No one is feeling sorry for the Bears, as this is just a reality. And frankly, quite a few teams have it worse off than they do. But there's no denying that some of these injuries will have a lasting impact into the season and it's dampened the mood from when camp began.
2. The left tackle competition is still wide open
Last weekend, I essentially declared the left tackle competition essentially over with Braxton Jones being the odds-on favorite to win. Then Jones got hurt, Jedrick Wills impressed in his place, and Ozzy Trapilo could somehow be back practicing before camp is over. So perhaps I was a bit premature with that statement.
Jones has not practiced since exiting last Thursday and Wills has shown the traits that made him a coveted first-round pick back in 2020. If Trapilo is able to return much quicker than anticipated following his torn patellar tendon, then he's in the mix as well. And we still can't count out Kiran Amegadjie as he continues to get reps with the first-team offense.
Head coach Ben Johnson was hoping this competition could be wrapped up by the time the Bears played their first preseason game. It could still be a bit before we know who is starting when Week 1 rolls around.
3. D'Andre Swift is in midseason form
One of the brightest stars from the past week has been running back D'Andre Swift, who looks like he's ready for the season to begin right now. During the last few practices, Swift has produced multiple highlight plays, both running and catching the ball while breaking through tackles during live periods.
Swift's strong camp bodes well for the start to the regular season, especially knowing he's had slow starts the last two seasons. Through the first three games of the season in 2024, Swift averaged 1.83 yards per carry. Last year, that number climbed to 3.5 yards per carry, but it was still a low number. If Swift can get off to a fast start, it will do wonders for this offense. Thankfully, he already looks to be in midseason form.
4. Jordan van den Berg is turning heads
It's time to start taking Jordan van den Berg seriously. The rookie defensive tackle has been continuing to earn opportunities to go against the first-team offense and he's standing out at every turn. Van den Berg, a sixth-round pick out of Georgia Tech, has caught the attention of the coaches with his high motor and strong football instincts.
With how he's looked in both individual drills and team settings, Van den Berg is someone who is likely going to see meaningful snaps come Week 1 and could even push Grady Jarrett or Gervon Dexter for starter snaps as well. It's clear this coaching staff is high on him and his teammates have taken notice as well.
5. The pressure is on for Dillon Thieneman
Rookie safety Dillon Thieneman was entering an ideal situation when he was selected by the Bears. He had a versatile running mate in Coby Bryant, a valuable veteran backup in Cam Lewis, and a proven cornerback room led by Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon. With Bryant sidelined indefinitely and Lewis in and out of the lineup, suddenly the pressure is on Thieneman to develop quickly and show why he was a first-round pick.
Fortunately, the season doesn't start tomorrow and hopefully Lewis isn't out for too long so he can come back and help mentor the rookie. But knowing Bryant is out for more than just a few games changes Thieneman's role. He'll be put to the test to be a difference maker early on and he has to be ready for the challenge.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 5 takeaways from the second full week of Bears training camp
