LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Before Tuesday’s minicamp practice, Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson discussed how Caleb Williams can stay ahead of defensive coordinators who will be trying to contain him.
“He just needs to worry about executing the play at hand,” he said. “There’s really no secret sauce in terms of being able to defend a guy like that.”
What makes Williams especially difficult to defend is not the first play, but the second — the extended play. We saw it time and time again last year.
“When those plays aren’t working,” Johnson said, “that’s when his exotic self can come to life.”
We saw that Wednesday during team drills. Linebacker Devin Bush pressured Williams, who had to backpedal before a fadeaway jumper, one of those passes he floats in the air while you wonder where it’ll land.
As the ball hovered, wide receiver Kalif Raymond sprinted across the back line of the end zone. The pass landed in his arms in stride as he approached the back left pylon for a touchdown.
It’s not how they drew it up, but it’s another example of what Williams can do when a play breaks down.
Player in the spotlight: LT Braxton Jones
No player rode the proverbial roller coaster of emotions last year more than the Bears’ 2022 fifth-round pick. He emerged from a four-man battle camp to be the starting left tackle, only to be benched midway through the Week 4 game in Las Vegas. Jones’ ankle injury from 2024 was still limiting him.
He got hurt again in practice and went to injured reserve before returning to practice in the playoffs.
Ozzy Trapilo’s patellar tendon injury against the Green Bay Packers in the wild-card round meant the left tackle job would be another offseason question mark, one where Jones once again finds himself in the driver’s seat.
And he’s a lot more confident this time around.
“I think a big piece of it is simply feeling right from the lower half and from the injuries,” said Jones, who signed a one-year, $10 million contract. “Even last year I was still in a good place, but I just didn’t trust it. I didn’t trust the positions I was putting myself in, and when you don’t trust that, you’re never gonna put a good outcome out there.”
Jones has worked with Pro Bowler Terron Armstead this offseason, a former Saints tackle who played for Bears offensive line coach Dan Roushar. Johnson has praised Jones this spring. He’s been the starter in OTAs and minicamp.
For the first time since 2023, Jones can enjoy a fully healthy offseason.
“It’s just huge for me, and being able to go out there and just rep it over and over again, and have such a great coach like Dan just on me about the small details, it’s unbelievable,” Jones said. “And I’m just blessed to be out there and be able to do OTAs and stuff.”
Last winter, as the Bears surged to the top of the NFC North with Trapilo at left tackle, it seemed Jones’ time with Chicago was done. Instead, he’s getting a second chance as the starter on the blind side. He’ll still have to go out and win the job this summer, but he’s going to be the one to beat.
Jones can look at last year’s benching and the injuries in a new light as he enters 2026.
“I will say everything I have gone through up until this point happened for a reason, just to get me where I’m at now and building that confidence again,” he said. “So, yeah, it’s up and down, it’s life, that’s what life is, and you know, not getting too low, not getting too high in those moments, and that’s what I’ve constantly learned. … Obviously it was up and down, but I’m so grateful for everything that’s happened, genuinely.”
Keep an eye on …
The Bears have a leadership void to fill on defense after losing captains Kevin Byard and Tremaine Edmunds, and the vocal spark plug in Jaquan Brisker. Usually in training camp, you can hear the defense after making a big play. Who will be those guys this summer?
“It opens opportunities for other guys, too.” Johnson said. “I think we have a number of players on this team who are listened to and their voices are well respected. And then we have a bunch of them who are simply leaders by example. So I feel like we’ll fill that void. And those guys will come to life and we’ll get a feel over the course of camp for who those guys are. Of course we’ll vote for captains, our players will. And that sheds a lot of light on who they respect as well.”
The newcomers rather lead by example, but safety Coby Bryant has already left an impression.
“He knows what good football and bad football looks like,” Johnson said. “He just came from a Super Bowl-winning team. There’s a premium on that experience. I think that easily resonates with all the guys in the locker room. I think there’s an instant amount of respect that he’s garnered because of that.”
Bryant entered Halas Hall with the cachet of being a Super Bowl champion, and now that his teammates have watched how he practices, that helps his reputation as he looks to assume a leadership role.
“When you watch him on the practice field, he really comes to life,” Johnson said. “(Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen) showed a clip to the defense this morning just of him coming out of the post safety position and rallying to the football. It was all over his tape in Seattle and that’s what we’re getting right now. I think it’s contagious.”
Bryant wasn’t the most recognizable name on Seattle’s defense last season. He comes to Chicago as one of the highest-paid Bears, and seems more than capable of taking on whatever the team needs from him as far as being a leader.
“Not to, you know, blow smoke up on myself, but just a lot of guys respect me and how I go about myself and how I practice,” Bryant said. “(Allen), Ben, a lot of guys have commended me on that as well, too, and I just go out and be the example.”
Pressing question
What kind of rebound season can Dayo Odeyingbo have?
The first year of Odeyingbo’s three-year, $42 million contract resulted in one sack, four QB hits and a season-ending Achilles injury. While Johnson said last season that Odeyingbo had played his best game one week before the injury, the production did not match the contract. It’s a major reason why many pegged edge rusher as a top need — not only did Odeyingbo struggle to affect the quarterback, he had to recover from his second career torn Achilles.
The good news? Odeyingbo surprised the staff by being available this early in the offseason.
“This is really a bonus for us,” Johnson said. “We weren’t quite sure when we started the offseason program that we would get him for any length of time. But the fact that he’s on the field, he wants to be out there, it’s just another step forward in terms of him gaining confidence again. And how he’s moving.
“He’s done a great job being attentive in meetings. And I know he was really itching to get back out there with his teammates. So it’s a step in the right direction for sure.”
That’s a positive step for Odeyingbo, who took some reps in team drills this week and should be all set for the start of training camp.
Dayo Odeyingbo signed a three-year, $42 million contract with the Chicago Bears in March 2025. (Michael Owens / Getty Images)
Quote of note
When defensive end Montez Sweat was asked by colleague Dan Wiederer to reflect on the catalyst for the 2025 success, he responded simply, “Ben.”
What specifically?
“He worked the s— out of us,” Sweat said. “We just was all on one accord. Everybody was on the same page and everything was really about winning. If it wasn’t about winning, then it was non-existent.”
As for training camp, Sweat said he’s “expecting the worst,” but at least he knows what’s coming in a Ben Johnson training camp — and the dividends it can pay down the line.
Quick hits
• There is still no sign of nickel corner Kyler Gordon. Linebacker D’Marco Jackson, who left Tuesday’s practice with an injury, was also absent. Left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. was back on the field after missing the first day of minicamp.
• The linebacker position has been without rookie Keyshaun Elliott, second-year pro Ruben Hyppolite and Noah Sewell. The good news is T.J. Edwards is healthy enough to participate in team drills.
• Jaylon Jones has been getting reps as a first-team nickel and has been active as a blitzer. He also almost picked off a Williams pass.
• The biggest cheer from the team came when veteran receiver Scotty Miller hauled in a deep touchdown pass from Case Keenum.
