Chicago Bears fans didn’t react much when Kyle Monangai was drafted. That wasn’t surprising. Players selected in the 7th round never get the buzz for obvious reasons. Most selected that late rarely amount to anything in the NFL. Besides, fans saw the Rutgers product as nothing more than a minor consolation prize. They’d been hoping the Bears would draft a running back much earlier in what experts called one of the best classes in recent memory. Not doing so was considered a massive failure.

However, there were rumblings that Monangai was more than meets the eye. Despite a rather average athletic profile, he’d produced back-to-back 1200-yard seasons in the Big Ten. He overcame size and speed disadvantages with toughness, intelligence, and vision. These traits flashed in the spring, making some wonder if he might have a much bigger role in Ben Johnson’s offense than anyone believed possible. The Bears’ head coach all but confirmed this reality during his press conference after Family Fest at Soldier Field.

Kyle Monangai is hardly something new in the NFL.

Howie Long once described a teammate as somebody with physical talent rating around a 5 out of 10. However, what that teammate got out of his talent was around a 9.5. It isn’t always about how much natural ability a player has. It is how much they can get out of it. Kyle Monangai is a perfect example. Nothing about him stands out as special. Many running backs are bigger, faster, or both in the NFL. Yet he still finds ways to stand out because he has the work ethic and drive—plenty of players never put in the time to truly maximize their potential. Monangai has already perfected this art, and it’s paying off with more and more action in the starting offense. Johnson has one of the best run schemes in the league. Don’t be surprised if the rookie is an instant hit this fall as the Bears roll out their new committee.

Sometimes, the arrival of a new coaching staff is all some players need to start realizing their potential. It was beyond evident that Matt Eberflus was unequal to the task of getting the most from the young players the Chicago Bears were accumulating. Most who didn’t emerge right away were written off as lost causes, not necessarily because they lacked the talent but because their window to develop properly had closed. Players who fail to ascend within the first three seasons almost never figure it out later.

However, there might be an exception happening at training camp this year. You’d be forgiven if you forgot the name Noah Sewell. The former Oregon linebacker was an intriguing 5th round addition in 2021, displaying skills that made him a tough, downhill player who would’ve fit a 3-4 system well. Those plans were ruined when Eberflus brought his 4-3 system to Chicago. Sewell managed to survive on the roster thanks to special teams work, but he never sniffed the field on defense. According to Adam Hoge of CHGO, that is changing under new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.

“I think these last couple of weeks is probably the best we’ve ever seen him look and play. Instinctually, speed-wise, all of those things in a Bears uniform since they drafted him.”

Sewell is a great fit for this new Chicago Bears defense.

His greatest strength in college was attacking the line of scrimmage, both as a run defender and blitzer. Allen is notorious for being one of the most aggressive defensive play callers in the NFL. It is only natural he’d gravitate to a linebacker who fits what he wants to do. Sewell had 7.5 sacks and 21 tackles for a loss in three seasons for the Ducks. He boasts a 6’3 frame at 250 lbs. His build is tailor-made for Allen’s scheme. He will likely fill the role that guys like A.J. Klein, Demario Davis, and Kwon Alexander had in New Orleans. While he may not be on the field as frequently as Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards, plenty of packages will be meant to utilize his abilities. It would be such a cool story if Sewell parlayed this opportunity into a successful season.

Left tackle is the one roster battle around which all others orbit for the Chicago Bears. It is the only premium position on the team that is up for grabs since it involves guarding Caleb Williams‘ blind side. Head coach Ben Johnson knows how important his decision will be, so he isn’t rushing it. He’s giving all the players involved a legitimate chance to prove their mettle. It started as a three-man race between incumbent Braxton Jones, former 3rd round pick Kiran Amegadjie, and rookie 2nd round pick Ozzy Trapilo. Based on recent rumblings, the battle has narrowed to two.

According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Amegadjie has improved from last year but still hasn’t mastered his fundamentals yet. It is now a showdown between Jones and Trapilo. The veteran has certain advantages the coaching staff likes, but Trapilo appears to have one that matters significantly more.

The left tackle battle between veteran Braxton Jones and rookie Ozzy Trapilo will intensify throughout August. “I see that one coming down to the very end,” Poles said. While Jones, a three-year veteran who recently recovered from his ankle injury, has superior feet and athleticism, Trapilo’s ability to anchor in pass protection has been impressive.

One thing people couldn’t get past with Jones was his weak anchor. Power rushers often find success driving him into the backfield, clouding the pocket. Trapilo, with his 6’8 and 315 lb frame, doesn’t have that issue.

Ozzy Trapilo has the inside track, but the race isn’t over.

There is still a chance the upcoming joint practice against Miami and the preseason opener could change minds. A bad performance by Ozzy Trapilo in that stretch might convince Johnson to lean toward Jones. The rookie has gotten the majority of first-team snaps over the past two practices. It is a notable indication that the team is growing more comfortable with him in the starting lineup. The next seven days will likely determine how it all ends. If Trapilo wins the job, it will be a major victory for GM Ryan Poles. Finding a quality left tackle who can start immediately is never easy. Finding one in the 2nd round is even more difficult. Fans should be excited about how quickly this draft class is coming together.

Richard Hightower has been coaching in the NFL for almost 20 years. He got his first break in 2006, joining the Houston Texans’ staff. He probably had no idea then, but he would enjoy good fortune working for some excellent head coaches in the coming years. It started with Gary Kubiak in Houston, who would give that franchise its first winning seasons and eventually win a Super Bowl in Denver. Hightower would then get to work with the legendary Mike Shanahan in Washington, a two-time champion. Last but certainly not least, the special teams coach spent five years in San Francisco under Kyle Shanahan.

At the same time, Hightower has also endured some ugly stretches like Mike Pettine in Cleveland, Chip Kelly in San Francisco, and Matt Eberflus in Chicago. One would think he has a pretty good eye for what separates the great coaches from the ones who aren’t cut out for the job. Hightower didn’t know Ben Johnson personally. He only knew him by reputation. In their six months together since Johnson took over as head coach, Hightower has already reached a bold conclusion.

Johnson is the real deal. He has that special quality the great ones do.

“Because [Johnson] was on the opposing team, you always knew who he was and things like that, but I hadn’t worked with him. But I knew from afar when I watched some of his press conferences or some of that stuff, I was like, the guy’s pretty sharp. But then, when you work with him and you can see the attention to detail and how he meticulously looks at everything, no matter what it is, dives deep into things, and has an eye — real head coaches have an eye for things when they happen and they’re able to anticipate stuff. And I’m just telling you, I’ve been, I’m just telling you, and ain’t going to sit up here and talk about it forever but you guys just watch. We got a good head coach. I’ve been around a lot of them. Damn good. Special.“

Richard Hightower would know this better than fans.

Could he be paying lip service? Maybe. Then again, he has no reason to. It’s not like Johnson’s job is in jeopardy. There isn’t any outside noise about him being on the hot seat. Those comments weren’t even brought up from a question about Johnson. They were unprompted after Richard Hightower had been asked about Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, with whom he’s worked several times in the past. That should tell you how real his feelings are about Johnson. If that doesn’t get people excited about the months ahead, nothing will. Johnson’s influence is already being felt at every level of the organization. Discipline has improved. Intensity has improved. Players seem more confident and sure of the team’s direction. Hightower saw it coming months ago.

Kevin Byard has played for some great defensive coaches in his career. Most of them fall into the same categories as far as aggression. They will blitz on occasion but prefer to rush with the traditional four whenever possible. However, Byard has also seen the rarer breeds of coordinators who love to attack. They’ll fire off blitzes at every opportunity, using all sorts of creativity to get a free man to the quarterback. That gives Byard some credibility when evaluating what type Dennis Allen is for the Chicago Bears.

Is he as aggressive as the experts say, or is it overblown? According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Byard sees Allen in the same pool as one of the greatest coordinators in NFL history.

The defense has won many of the early camp battles. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has brought an aggressive mindset. Byard ranks Allen just under legendary coach Dick LeBeau as far as most aggressive coordinators for whom he’s played. “We want to play tight coverage on the outside, so yes, he’s going to be aggressive and obviously I think we got the horses up front to be able to do it,” Byard said.

LeBeau spent 29 years coaching in the NFL. During that time, he produced a top-10 defense 13 times, including five #1 rankings. His calling card was a bevy of exotic blitz packages. LeBeau was known for bringing the heat between 30-40% in every game. For an idea, only five teams crossed the 30% mark last season. LeBeau was a unique breed.

Kevin Byard recognizes what Allen is about to do.

The safety spent two years playing for LeBeau in 2016 and 2017. In that second season, Kevin Byard racked up a mammoth eight interceptions, earning All-Pro honors. It must’ve been a gut punch when the coordinator retired after that year. Byard remained a great player but never quite achieved the same heights. He had to have wondered how different his career might’ve been had he gotten a few more seasons with LeBeau. It seems rather poetic that he’s getting the chance to play for somebody similar, like Allen. Opportunistic safeties have thrived in this defense for years. No wonder Byard seems so excited. He knows what this type of defense can do when it’s run correctly. Allen will not let opponents get comfortable with sustained drives. He will attack. If players do their jobs, the defense will win more battles than it loses.

Training camp isn’t even at the halfway point yet. Head coach Ben Johnson and his staff have plenty of decisions to sort through with the Chicago Bears before the opener against Minnesota. At the top of the list is determining how the starting offense will look. Some no-brainers are already locked in. Caleb Williams will be the quarterback. D'Andre Swift will be the primary running back. Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, Jonah Jackson, and Darnell Wright are cemented on the offensive line. Where it gets interesting is the receiving corps.

Chicago spent lots of resources upgrading that part of the roster, headlined by 1st round pick Colston Loveland and 2nd round pick Luther Burden. Both have shined in early camp practices. In theory, that should make Johnson’s decision on likely starters more difficult. The head coach was asked about it following Sunday’s Family Fest at Soldier Field. Surprisingly, Johnson had an answer ready. From his perspective, he deems four names the most trustworthy at this point.

Ben Johnson exhibits a classic coaching mentality here.

History shows that head coaches often lean heavily on experience when making depth chart decisions. They prefer starting veterans over rookies because veterans often know what they’re doing and make fewer mistakes. There is no question that Loveland and Burden are the future of the Bears organization, but they have lots of ground to make up after missing most of the practices in May and June because of injury setbacks. The foursome of DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet, and Olamide Zacchaeus is more than qualified to do the job until Ben Johnson believes they’re ready. This is where the team’s depth is such an asset. They can afford to bring the rookie along slowly, not throwing them onto the field too soon. It should help them develop faster.