Caleb Williams wanted Ben Johnson. That much was obvious from the moment the offseason began. He and the former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator were already aware of each other. Johnson had seen Williams play at USC and again in two meetings against the Chicago Bears. Williams watched the young coach conduct his offense like a symphony orchestra, always one step ahead of everybody. It felt like an obvious idea to team together, matching Williams’ rare talent with Johnson’s genius.

One thing became clear immediately: Johnson has no plans to coddle his young quarterback. There have been just three training camp practices, and already, the Bears head coach is throwing some nasty curveballs at Williams. The latest came on Friday. It was a day marked by some struggles in red zone drills. Williams threw two interceptions and failed to get a completion. It turns out that it was orchestrated by Johnson, who intentionally ran the drill so that pressure came off the edge unblocked.

Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle explained it was done to measure how the quarterback handled unexpected pressure.

“That’s very intentional. That’s trying to get our defensive pressures in against some of the stuff that we’re going to do offensively. We have contingency plans for what they are going to bring at us, so the quarterback operating getting the offense on the same page as far as checking plays, checking protections, things like that, but that’s all a part of the scripted practice, is trying to get the defense right with their pressure patterns and the way they’re going to play coverage on the back end and then it’s getting our quarterbacks used to whether we’re throwing the ball or up front handling the movement with those run schemes.”

Johnson is putting Caleb Williams through game-like situations.

There is no easing on the gas pedal because it’s practice. If anything, that is entirely the reason. If you can’t handle those situations in a controlled environment, there is zero reason to think it’ll be any different in actual games. Johnson has a standard for how he thinks the quarterback should play. Just because Caleb Williams is young and unfamiliar with the offense doesn’t mean he’s relaxing expectations. This is the big boys’ league. There is no time for an adjustment period. Johnson called it a “race” for a reason. Everybody is on the clock. Williams got his trial by fire last season. Now it’s time to learn whether he can hack it. He can probably expect more of those surprises in the coming days and weeks.

Most of the focus going into training camp was on the Chicago Bears offense. This was hardly surprising. Their new head coach, Ben Johnson, is one of the top offensive minds in the NFL. A former #1 overall pick, Caleb Williams, is at quarterback. Most of their biggest resources this offseason were spent upgrading the unit.

His reputation stands among some of the best in the NFL. Allen’s defenses were always a headache to deal with in New Orleans, as emphasized by multiple top-10 rankings. While he may not be a great head coach, his coordinator track record is stellar. Bears offensive players have already gotten a taste of it in camp, and they hate it. D.J. Moore made that clear when asked about it.

Dennis Allen didn’t get his reputation by accident.

You must be pretty good at your job when you’ve gained notoriety for giving Tom Brady fits. In six meetings with the all-time great quarterback, the Saints’ defense allowed more than 20 points just once. In two of those meetings, Brady managed three and zero points. Dennis Allen is no joke. When his system is clicking, it is a nightmare to decipher. Johnson didn’t seek him out by accident. The two matched wits one time in 2023. Detroit jumped out to a 24-7 lead in the first half. The Lions only scored nine more points after that due to some nasty adjustments by Allen. An ill-timed Saints offensive turnover saved them from a collapse.

He may not carry the same gravitas as Vic Fangio or others. It doesn’t matter. Allen is a mad scientist and already making life hell for the Bears’ offense.

The Chicago Bears wrapped up their third training camp practice on Friday—marking the first session open to fans at Halas Hall. The day featured a heavy focus on situational drills, especially in the red zone, and offered a glimpse into both the team’s potential and its growing pains. Here are the key takeaways:

1. First Team Offense Struggles in the Red Zone

Caleb Williams and the first team offense had a tough outing in red zone drills. The unit reached field goal range in a late-game scenario but failed to finish drives. Drops and defensive pressure stalled two 11 on 11 series, including two catchable passes dropped by D’Andre Swift—one on a bailout throw and another that could have gone for a big gain. Williams accuracy was inconsistent that led to back to back interceptions.

2. Caleb Williams Flashes Big Play Ability

Despite the struggles, Williams showed glimpses of why he was the No. 1 pick. He hit Rome Odunze over the middle to open 11 on 11s and later scrambled for a 40-yard gain after a pocket collapse. He connected with Olamide Zaccheaus on multiple throws, and delivered a deep shot to Devin Duvernay in tight coverage. However, a jump ball to Odunze and a near pick intended for Cole Kmet showed there’s still room for improvement.

3. Dennis Allen’s Defense Makes a Statement

New defensive coordinator Dennis Allen had his unit flying. Montez Sweat wrecked multiple plays, including an untouched rush due to a blown protection. Dayo Odeyingbo beat rookie tackle Ozzy Trapilo cleanly, and corner Josh Blackwell broke up a quick throw. Allen’s dime packages were fun. After practice, DJ Moore said, “I’m glad we don’t have to go against it on Sundays.”

4. Ozzy Trapilo Gets First Team Reps

With Braxton Jones getting a scheduled rest day, rookie Ozzy Trapilo stepped in at left tackle. It was a mixed bag—he gave up pressure to Austin Booker and Odeyingbo but bounced back with a key block on a Swift run. Veteran guard Joe Thuney praised his preparation: “He’s done a great job learning the playbook.”

5. Injuries and Absences

Luther Burden missed another day with a hamstring issue, while Shemar Turner (ankle) also sat out. Corner Zah Frazier remained excused, and Jaylon Johnson is expected to miss about a month. Braxton Jones had a scheduled rest day. Still, DJ Moore said Burden is staying sharp: “Whenever he gets called on in meetings, he knows his plays.”

6. JP Richardson Building Momentum

Undrafted rookie receiver JP Richardson turned heads again, hauling in back to back catches with the third-team offense. He’s made plays all three days and is quickly becoming a player to watch in the wide receiver battle.

7. Tyson Bagent Shines in the Red Zone

Backup QB Tyson Bagent excelled in red zone 7 on 7s, tossing three touchdowns—one each to Roschon Johnson, Samori Toure, and Ian Wheeler. His final pass was a dart to Wheeler in tight coverage, drawing cheers from fans.

8. Focus on Situational Football

The Bears focused heavily on red zone and two-minute drills. While the defense thrived, the offense struggled to execute—highlighting a key area for improvement as camp progresses.

9. Fans Return to Halas Hall

With fans in attendance for the first time this camp, the energy was high. Fans saw Caleb Williams athleticism up close and the defense’s dominance, though the offensive inconsistency may have tempered some early excitement.

Final Thoughts

Day 3 of camp showed a Bears team still finding its footing. Caleb Williams flashed high-end traits, and Dennis Allen’s defense looks fierce even without Jaylon Johnson. JP Richardson and Tyson Bagent made their case for bigger roles. But offensive struggles remain the biggest obstacle to overcome.

The Chicago Bears wrapped up their third day of training camp practice on Friday. While pads have yet to come on, some early trends are beginning to emerge — and not all of them are encouraging for the offense.

As is often the case early in camp, the defense is ahead of the offense. That’s normal. But given the Bears history, it’s understandable why fans might feel uneasy hearing those familiar words again: the offense is off to a slow start.

This time, things are supposed to be different. Ben Johnson is now in charge. Caleb Williams is in year two. The scheme is new. Yet, through three practices, the results feel all too familiar.

A Work In Progress

Friday’s session was another tough outing for Williams and the first team offense. In 7 on 7s, Williams failed to complete a single pass — throwing two interceptions and suffering a drop. He did bounce back in full team drills, connecting for touchdowns with Rome Odunze and Olamide Zaccheaus. The two-minute drill ended in a field goal after a pair of drops by D’Andre Swift stalled the drive.

So yes, the offense is still a work in progress. That’s expected. But it’s also fair to say some — myself included — anticipated Williams would look more polished. That’s where some of the concern creeps in. Is he ready to lead a Ben Johnson-run offense?

To his credit, Williams asked to be coached hard, and he’s getting exactly that. Johnson warned from the start this wouldn’t be easy—and that some days wouldn’t be fun. He was right.

There will be better days ahead. This is just the beginning. But for a fan base used to slow starting offenses, it’s hard not to feel a little anxious when the early returns look all too familiar.

Still, it’s only been three practices. It’s way too early to panic.

Normally, teams get their players from one of four categories: free agency, trades, the draft, or undrafted free agency. However, a new avenue pops up from time to time: another football league. For years, it was almost always the CFL (Canadian Football League). Recently, though, there has been an unexpected boon of spring leagues, starting with the reconstituted USFL and XFL. Those two entities merged last year to form the UFL, or United Football League. While hardly a hotbed of superstar talent, the spring leagues have been able to churn out notable contributors on occasion for the NFL. The Chicago Bears are among many teams that dabble in it.

They did so again this offseason, bringing in former Philadelphia Stars wide receiver Maurice Alexander. He was a big part of their championship game appearance in 2022. Now, according to CHGO, he’s making noise in early training camp practices.

I found myself asking myself today: “Self, who is No. 13?” No. 13 is Maurice Alexander, whom the Bears signed in January…

…Alexander’s NFL journey started with Detroit in 2022, where he bounced back and forth from the practice squad. Yep, Ben Johnson knows him well.

And the Bears quarterbacks are starting to know him well, too.

Alexander caught passes from Williams and Bagent and had one go off his hands from Case Keenum. Alexander has played in four games in the NFL and has one catch. Johnson must see something in him. If you are coming out to practice this weekend, there’s a good chance you are going to notice No. 13 catching the ball.

Alexander has considerable value.

He started his college career at Florida International as a quarterback before switching to wide receiver. Rather than try undrafted free agency, he opted to go to the USFL, where he was a solid pass-catcher who thrived as a kick and punt returner. His 31 yards per kick return was a big reason for the Stars’ success. After that, he spent three years with the Detroit Lions, where he became familiar with Ben Johnson.

The Chicago Bears have an interesting competition unfolding.

They already know what their top four wide receiver slots will look like once the roster cuts begin. D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, and Olamide Zacchaeus are all locks. Those final (presumably) two spots are up for grabs. Alexander has a huge advantage thanks to his return ability and knowledge of Johnson’s offense. He is battling undrafted rookie JP Richardson, who has repeatedly flashed through the first three practices. No doubt others will try to stake their claims in the competition. This is exactly what Johnson wanted. The more competitive juices he can get going in training camp, the better everybody plays. Alexander is no stranger to this. Fighting for recognition sums up his entire career. That experience should serve him well over the next month of action.

The Chicago Bears offense is the unit that will determine the team’s fate in 2025. Nobody argues that. For decades, it has been the offense that constantly held the team back. The Bears have fielded good defenses every decade, but constant failures at producing points make winning difficult. Last year was no exception. Things were a complete mess. No schematic cohesion. Way too many sacks and penalties. It was ugly, which is saying something with this team’s track record.

That was why the Bears spared no resource to lure Ben Johnson from Detroit to become their new head coach. He’d delivered three outstanding seasons with the Lions, producing a top five offense and constant winning. If anybody could pull Chicago out of the mud, it would be him. Things haven’t started smoothly in training camp. Quarterback Caleb Williams has sometimes struggled with accuracy, and the starters aren’t handling pre-snap operations well. However, Adam Hoge and Adam Jahns of CHGO have already noticed one unexpected positive.

The running game is already clicking.

Jahns: Right now, the 70 percent goal feels like a tough one to reach for Williams. But it’s still a worthy challenge for him to have every day. If we’re looking for positives, the Bears’ run game clicked on Day 2.

It can be difficult to gauge what’s really working without the pads on. But seeing the offensive coaches celebrate behind the play and the space that the backs had made it pretty clear that good things were happening. Rookie Kyle Monangai ended practice with a long run for a touchdown, too.

Hoge: I’ll pass on any grand proclamations about the running game until the pads go on, but I will say I like what I’ve seen schematically. Some big running lanes have opened up.

This is a big departure from previous Chicago Bears camps.

Those who have followed the team for long enough know that running the ball well this early in training camp doesn’t happen. Usually, fans wouldn’t know if the Chicago Bears had a good running game or not until the regular season began. What makes this so encouraging is the success isn’t because they have a star running back doing the work. This is a schematic win. It is clear Johnson’s system is already working. Detroit had one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL during his three years there, ranking 11th, 5th, and 6th. His ability to design plays and demand precise execution led to constant open lanes.

This is a big development for the Bears. Historically, they’ve always been a better team when they could run the ball. They ranked 25th last season. If they can improve on that, it will be of immediate benefit to Williams, who won’t have to throw the ball as often in disadvantageous down and distances. He’ll also get to utilize play action more often. No doubt this is precisely what Johnson wants.

Building great teams is never easy. It requires good player evaluation, excellent coaching, and more than a bit of luck. Ben Johnson is no stranger to this. He also knows something else: The best teams are often the ones most willing to change, not just from season to season but from game to game. On Thursday, Johnson explained to the media that you can’t treat every game on the schedule the same. Each one comes with totally different challenges, which require different solutions. This is a lesson many teams don’t learn.

However, one organization understood it better than probably any organization in NFL history: the New England Patriots. During the Bill Belichick era, they were masters of adjusting their plans and schemes to exploit every opponent’s biggest weakness, making them incredibly difficult to prepare for. Yes, Tom Brady was a central part of their success, but even he was elevated by the shapeshifting style New England perfected. Johnson hopes to create something similar in Chicago.

Ben Johnson already demonstrated this capability in Detroit.

His offense was highly skilled at adjusting its approach based on each opponent it faced. He could formulate a ground-oriented attack against softer defensive fronts or put it in the air to expose weaker secondaries. This was a key reason the Lions had a top five offense every year he was there, despite lacking a true star quarterback. Now he has a chance to infuse this philosophy across the entire organization, offense and defense. That is a big reason he hired Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator. He’s known for creativity and flexibility. The Bears have also quietly assembled a roster full of good athletes who can do multiple things well, including quarterback Caleb Williams. If Johnson’s vision comes to fruition, the Bears will be a team nobody wants to face.

Experts have told the Chicago Bears over and over that their running back room isn’t good enough. Head coach Ben Johnson doesn’t seem to agree. What the team may lack in “star power,” he believes they make up for in competitiveness. Nobody can top this group in terms of self-motivation. Few exemplify this better than Kyle Monangai. Here’s a young man who was dogged for his lack of size and speed since high school and didn’t get any offers from the bigger schools in college. He goes to a downtrodden program and becomes their ace, carrying the offense to two productive seasons in the nation’s toughest conference.

Then, he was passed over until the 7th round of the NFL draft. People didn’t think much of him as a potential starter. Maybe he could become a decent backup. It seems they didn’t bother telling him. Since the Bears began practicing in the spring, the rookie said he stood out almost every day. That didn’t change in the second practice of training camp, where he drew reactions on a big run that was capped by a disgusting juke near the end zone. Even D'Andre Swift, his backfield mate and competitor, couldn’t help but praise him.

Kyle Monangai is a challenge-taker.

He seems to relish the idea of fighting uphill battles. The steeper the climb, the harder he works. There is almost a perverse pleasure in proving people wrong. Many great athletes tend to be wired that way. Michael Jordan was famous for it. Kyle Monangai may not have his elite-tier athletic ability, but having that kind of heart tends to carry you a long way in the NFL. The Bears can’t ignore him. Every time he steps on the field, something happens. Guys like that tend to see action sooner rather than later. It becomes a question of whether Roschon Johnson can hold him off. The veteran backup has also looked good in the early going. This could be the most entertaining competition of training camp. Kyle Monangai fired the first shot.