Let’s get one thing straight — preseason football usually sucks. It’s vanilla playbooks, backup QBs, and a bunch of guys who will be selling insurance by October. But tonight at Soldier Field? This one actually matters. Not because of the final score (spoiler: no one gives a damn), but because three storylines will give us a brutally honest look at whether the Chicago Bears are building something real — or just another false hope campaign wrapped in navy and orange.

1. Caleb Williams Finally Gets the Keys

Alright, Bears fans. Here it is. The moment you’ve been screaming about since April. Caleb Williams, the savior, the golden boy, the quarterback who’s supposed to make us forget decades of incompetence, is finally stepping onto the field in Ben Johnson’s offense. No more clips of him in a bucket hat on the sidelines. Tonight, it’s live bullets.

But let’s pump the brakes on what actually matters here. It’s not about Williams throwing for 300 yards in a meaningless exhibition. What I’m watching for: does he look like he owns the offense? Johnson’s system isn’t easy — it’s complex, it’s layered, it requires the quarterback to make grown-man decisions before the snap. That’s been the emphasis in camp. Can Williams handle it?

Here’s the test: watch his command at the line of scrimmage. Does he bark out protections? Does he get the play call out cleanly without delay of game or false starts? The Bears have been tripping over themselves with pre-snap penalties all camp — including during the joint practice with Buffalo. If Williams can run this show without looking like a deer in headlights, that’s a bigger win than any highlight throw.

And here’s the wrinkle: we don’t even know if he’ll face the Bills’ starters or some guy who’s going to be bagging groceries in two weeks. But that’s actually good. That’s real NFL life — you never know who’s lining up across from you. If Williams shows composure regardless of opponent, you can feel a little better about Week 1 against Minnesota.

Bottom line: don’t obsess over stats. Obsess over whether he looks like the alpha. If he’s checking into the right plays, managing the tempo, and avoiding drive-killing penalties, that’s the sign you want. If not? Well, then strap in for another long season of “he’s still developing” excuses.

2. The Left Tackle Dumpster Fire

If Caleb Williams is the franchise, then protecting his ass should be priority number one. Instead, the Bears’ left tackle competition looks like a reality TV show where everyone’s losing.

It started as a three-man race: Braxton Jones, rookie Kiran Amegadjie, and Ozzy Trapilo. Then, out of nowhere, Theo Benedet — yes, a former practice squad guy — gets first-team reps. That’s not a feel-good story. That’s a red flag the size of the Willis Tower.

Ben Johnson isn’t hiding his frustration. He straight-up admitted they’re still searching for “clarity” and that there’s been way too much inconsistency. Translation: nobody’s locked this job down, and penalties/communication breakdowns are making it worse.

Remember, this team let its rookie QB get sacked 68 times last season. Sixty. Eight. That’s not protection, that’s attempted murder. If they don’t fix this, Caleb won’t make it to Thanksgiving.

Tonight’s game might be the turning point. Johnson said they’ll “go as long as we need to go to find the right guy,” but the clock’s ticking. The opener against Minnesota isn’t far away. Whoever trots out at LT tonight better not just survive — they need to dominate. Watch for false starts, watch for holding calls, watch for whether Williams gets blindsided. Because if nobody steps up, Ryan Poles better get on the phone and trade for someone before this line kills another quarterback.

3. Pass Rush Depth and a Secondary on Life Support

Let’s talk defense. Austin Booker lit it up last week with three sacks. Awesome. But here’s the truth: preseason heroes come and go. Can the starters bring consistent heat against a legitimate offensive line? That’s what matters.

Last season, the Bears’ pass rush was one-dimensional. Montez Sweat did his job, but teams just schemed him out of the game. The rest of the line? MIA. That’s how you end up with one of the league’s most inconsistent defenses.

Now the spotlight’s on guys like Dayo Odeyingbo, Grady Jarrett, and Gervon Dexter. Someone has to prove they can win their one-on-ones. Buffalo’s line got roasted during joint practices, so if the Bears’ defense can’t take advantage of that tonight, then buckle up for another year of “Sweat and pray.”

And don’t forget the secondary. Jaylon Johnson’s dealing with a leg injury, Kyler Gordon’s nursing a hamstring, and suddenly cornerback depth looks thin as hell. Tyrique Stevenson, Terell Smith, and Nahshon Wright are all fighting for snaps that matter. Whoever shines tonight could end up being a starter come Week 1. Whoever gets burned repeatedly? Well, good luck finding work when the waiver wire hits.

Final Verdict

Ignore the scoreboard. Seriously, don’t care. What matters is:

• Caleb Williams looking like he runs the offense, not just renting it.
• Someone — anyone — proving they can protect his blindside.
• A pass rush that doesn’t disappear when Sweat gets double-teamed.
• A secondary that doesn’t collapse the second injuries pile up.

This game is less about wins and losses and more about whether the Bears can finally get out of their own damn way. Preseason or not, tonight’s a barometer for whether this team is legit or still just selling hope.

Let’s see if this thing’s real, or if we’re about to get fooled again.

By all accounts, the Chicago Bears have put together a tough and rigorous training camp. Head coach Ben Johnson wanted to push his players into a new mentality born of violence, intensity, and purpose. It has worked well. Each joint practice saw them match up well with two teams with winning records last year. That should tell you they might be doing some things right. A big part of this success comes from several players standing out in camp. So who is the MVP? This is the person who has delivered day in and day out.

Many will immediately jump to Olamide Zaccheaus. The wide receiver was a prominent addition in free agency, fresh off a quality season in Washington. He’s quickly become a favorite target of Caleb Williams. Another is Montez Sweat. After a frustrating 2024, the former Pro Bowl defensive end has dominated much of camp, looking jacked and eager for action. However, for anybody who has watched every practice to this point, the true MVP isn’t a tough decision.

That is Jaquan Brisker.

It’s hard to imagine Bears defensive coaches will find a player on the tape of Friday’s practice who had a more energized and productive day than Brisker, who was all over the field in coverage and run support. During an early 7-on-7 period, Brisker had consecutive pass breakups. He assisted with Edmunds’ interception and continued to play with a combination of aggressiveness and purpose that was hard to miss.

“He made a lot of big plays,” Edmunds said. “But Brisk has been doing that all camp, to be honest with you. He’s been having a big-time camp. I take my hat off to him. His attention to detail and being able to find the ball and make his presence felt (has been big).”

The Chicago Bears face multiple truths if Brisker has a breakout.

For one, it means excellent things for the defense. History says the unit has always been at its best when it gets elite safety play. It was true of Richie Petitbon in the 1960s, Gary Fencik in the 1980s, Mike Brown in the 2000s, and Eddie Jackson in the 2010s. Brisker has shown constant flashes of brilliance since arriving in 2022. The problem has always been health. His physical brand of football has led to multiple injury setbacks, most recently the concussion that ended his season last year.

Based on what we see, he’s on a mission to prove he is among the NFL’s best. If he achieves that goal, it is great for the Chicago Bears’ defense. It also has implications for their payroll. Brisker is a free agent next year. A breakout season as he’s about to become available means the team would likely have to pay top dollar to keep him. Don’t forget they already paid Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon big money. Are they prepared to hand Brisker $22 million per year? We may soon find out.

The Chicago Bears have two more preseason games ahead. After that, the coaching staff will convene to whittle the roster down from 90 players to 53. Considering it’s a new regime in charge, there is a strong probability that some prominent names who would’ve been safe under Matt Eberflus won’t survive this time. Here is a list of five names who sit on the bubble, each for different reasons. You might be shocked at who won’t make the cut. It could be that kind of year.

The Chicago Bears have some headaches to sort through.

QB Case Keenum

Much of this depends on how many quarterbacks the Bears carry. The standard procedure is two on the main roster with another on the practice squad. Keenum isn’t likely to do the latter, but a leg injury has slowed his progress. Tyson Bagent has had another good camp and is earning the coaching staff’s trust. If the Bears decide to carry three quarterbacks, which has been done before, then Keenum should be safe. If not, he might be the odd man out based on where things are trending.

OT Kiran Amegadjie

It is amazing to think he went from a possible threat to start at left tackle to maybe not even making the roster. Amegadjie suffered another injury setback this month. That didn’t help his case. At the same time, second-year tackle Theo Benedet has delivered some of his best work over the past two weeks, resulting in snaps with the starting offense. We already know Darnell Wright is safe. One has to presume Ozzy Trapilo and Braxton Jones are as well. That leaves the decision between Benedet and Amegadjie. It’s hard to imagine the Chicago Bears cutting the guy who is consistently practicing and performing well.

WR Tyler Scott

The former 4th round pick can’t say he didn’t get opportunities. He’s had ample chances over the past two years but failed to capitalize on them. Too many dropped passes and not enough value on special teams. The top four spots on the depth chart are locked up. Devin Duvernay probably takes the fifth because of his return ability. That leaves Scott battling undrafted rookies JP Richardson and Jahleel Addae, along with veteran Maurice Alexander, for that last spot. Each of those three has stood out more to this point.

DT Zacch Pickens

Nobody can say Pickens has been bad. He had a sack in the preseason opener and has had a pretty good camp. The problem is the numbers. Gervon Dexter, Andrew Billings, and Grady Jarrett aren’t getting cut. That leaves Pickens in a battle with Shemar Turner for what should be the final defensive tackle spot. While Turner hasn’t practiced most of camp, he’s still a 2nd round pick. The team has high hopes for him. He won’t be cut. That means Pickens needs the Bears to carry five defensive tackles or he might be screwed.

CB Zah Frazier

Cutting a 5th round pick you just made a few months ago probably sounds crazy. However, the circumstances are impossible to ignore. The Bears have a logjam at cornerback. Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, Tyrique Stevenson, and Terell Smith feel like roster locks. That leaves two spots left. Special teams ace Josh Blackhawks will probably get one. That means Frazier is up against Nahshon Wright and Nick McCloud for the last spot. Frazier hasn’t practiced for weeks. There is no telling when he’ll be back. It’s unfortunate, but the decision seems pretty clear.

If you’re looking for guys who are great at reviewing tape in the NFL media landscape, few do it better than Brian Baldinger. He knows what to look for, having played in the league for just over a decade as an offensive lineman. His comments are concise, honest, and unbiased. Whenever he reviewed the tape of a player, it is usually a sign that he noticed something good. So you can imagine the surprise when Baldinger posted a two-minute video of him reviewing Chicago Bears tackle Theo Benedet.

The Canadian native emerged from nowhere this past week to enter the Bears’ left tackle competition. He wasn’t even a thought when training camp began last month. That should tell where things are at. The other options haven’t impressed enough to pick a starter, while Benedet has ascended more and more. Baldinger decided to get to the bottom of this mystery. He came away more than a little shocked. Ignore the fact that he’s from Canada, where few good NFL players originate. This kid can play.

Theo Benedet is on the cusp of something rare.

It feels like Sunday’s preseason game against the Buffalo Bills is a high noon situation at left tackle. They have a really good team coming to town with a strong defense. Whoever manages to stand out in pass protection may end up taking a decisive lead in the competition. Baldinger believes Theo Benedet has the tools necessary to close the deal. Bears coaches have reiterated this isn’t for show. He is very much in the conversation. If he can repeat what he did against Miami last week, he may pull one of the more shocking upsets in recent Bears memory. Overcoming not one, not two, but three draft picks to steal a starting job is not normal on the offensive line. That should tell about the young man’s ability, as well as his work ethic.

Make no mistake. Ben Johnson wasn’t naive. The only thing he was certain of with quarterback Caleb Williams when he took over as head coach was the talent. Nobody goes #1 overall in the draft without considerable ability. Beyond that, it was a complete unknown. All Johnson knew when he arrived was that the previous coaching staff had done a poor job of preparing or protecting Williams. That said, the quarterback wasn’t free of blame either. Plenty of the mistakes from last season were his responsibility. The trick for Johnson was figuring out what needed fixing the most.

It didn’t take him long. The head coach detailed the primary issue Williams is dealing with before the Bears’ joint practice against Buffalo on Friday. Unsurprisingly, it is something many young quarterbacks don’t grasp when they get to the NFL.

Footwork wasn’t really something emphasized in the NFL until Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh arrived on the scene. He revealed that quarterbacks with precise feet were often more accurate and showcased better timing and rhythm. His approach led San Francisco to five Super Bowl victories thanks to the success of Joe Montana and Steve Young. Since then, every prominent offensive mind in the league has emphasized footwork in one way or another.

Ben Johnson knows the challenge ahead for Williams.

One thing to remember is that the quarterback spent his entire college career playing mostly from shotgun. While footwork is still important in that formation, it isn’t as precise. Ben Johnson runs an offense that requires playing under center a lot. The feet are crucial for that alignment because of the timing of drops, play-action fakes, and establishing a rhythm. Williams rarely did anything like that at USC and only dabbled in it last year. Johnson quickly learned this summer that the quarterback would need significant fine-tuning on the details before he could run the system with any efficiency. That is no doubt why he has dealt with several speed bumps in camp to this point. However, it sounds like he has made considerable progress over the past week, which would explain why Johnson doesn’t seem worried.

The Chicago Bears have invested heavily at the left tackle position since Ryan Poles took over as GM. It started with Braxton Jones in the 5th round in 2022. He earned the job outright as a rookie and has held it for the past three years. Kiran Amegadjie joined the conversation as a 3rd round pick alongside undrafted free agent Theo Benedet last year. Then this April, Ozzy Trapilo arrived as a 2nd round pick. Despite all of that, it appears the Bears haven’t been able to decide on a starter halfway through training camp.

Head coach Ben Johnson has said he will continue the evaluation as long as necessary. The goal is for somebody to jump out and grab the job. That hasn’t happened so far. Benedet has made by far the biggest push over the past week, earning extensive work with the starting offense. The bigger concern is Jones. He’s going in the opposite direction. According to Adam Hoge of CHGO, the regression is very real and more than a little concerning. He looks nothing like the player he was last year.

It’s time to wonder if Braxton Jones returned too soon.

Remember, the Bears initially reported that he might not be ready by the start of training camp a few months ago. So when Braxton Jones reported ready to go, which was a surprise, it seemed his recovery went better than expected. Based on what we’ve seen, it might be more accurate to say he decided to practice at less than 100%. The reasoning is obvious. He knew his job was in danger and couldn’t afford to miss time. It happens a lot in the NFL. Jones didn’t want to take the risk that Amegadjie or Trapilo could establish themselves before he was ready. It was a calculated risk that may have ended up hurting more than helping his case. The only saving grace is that others haven’t completely outpaced him yet. He’d better find a way to reverse course soon, or it’ll be too late.