Chicago Bears training camp preview: Key dates, notable additions, biggest storylines

With 2024 NFL training camps set to open, it’s time to get up to speed on all 32 NFL teams. Kevin Patra has the lowdown on position battles, key players and notable subplots across the NFC North.

Catch up on the Chicago Bears’ offseason developments and 2024 outlook below.

Training Camp Dates/Information

• Players report: July 16 (rookies); July 19 (veterans)
• Location: PNC Center at Halas Hall | Lake Forest, Illinois (fan information)

Notable Roster Changes

Preseason Schedule

• Hall of Fame Game: vs. Houston Texans | 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Aug. 1
• Week 1: at Buffalo Bills | 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 10 (NFL Network)
• Week 2: vs. Cincinnati Bengals | 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 17 (NFL Network)
• Week 3: at Kansas City Chiefs | 8:20 p.m. ET on Thursday, Aug. 22 (NFL Network)

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2024 Schedule Notes

• The Bears will play three consecutive games at home (Weeks 10-12) followed immediately by three straight road games (Weeks 13-15).
• The Bears and 2024 No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams are scheduled to play six games against quarterbacks drafted with the No. 1 overall pick, including Detroit’s Jared Goff (2016) twice, Carolina’s Bryce Young (2023), Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence (2021), Arizona’s Kyler Murray (2019) and the Los Angeles Rams’ Matthew Stafford (2009).
• Chicago is tied for the third-easiest strength of schedule based on their opponents’ 2023 win percentage (.467).

— NFL Research

What You Need To Know

1) Caleb! Caleb! Caleb! The progress of the No. 1 overall pick is the most important storyline at Halas Hall this summer. Caleb Williams reportedly experienced ups and downs during OTAs and minicamp, par for the course for most rookie signal-callers thrust into a starting role. Remember last year when C.J. Stroud threw an interception on his first preseason series? The world melted, and dunderheads brought up the S2 test talk all over again. Then Stroud went on to set an NFL record by starting his career with 177 pass attempts without an INT en route to a runaway Offensive Rookie of the Year award. The point is, it’s OK for Williams to have bad days. Heck, we should expect some. During camp, we want to see and hear that he’s making strides with everything tossed on his shoulders. We need to see his leadership qualities after a bad practice. The rookie has remarkable talent — we’ve known this for years. But the leap to the NFL is a different beast. The thing to watch in Year 1 will be how Williams responds when things don’t come easily.

2) What is the backup QB plan? Since we’re already in the quarterback room, let’s stay for a bit longer. It wasn’t a surprise that the Bears traded away Justin Fields to avoid the potential of Williams walking into a split locker room. It was semi-stunning that Chicago didn’t add a proven veteran to the mix to help mentor the rookie. For now, Tyson Bagent is the backup. The 2023 undrafted free agent performed well enough in spots last season to carve out a career as a backup but doesn’t come with the depth of experience to nurture Williams. Brett Rypien is the only true vet on the roster at the position, and his one start with the Rams last year went so poorly that they cut him two days later. Undrafted rookie Austin Reed rounds out the room. It’s an extremely young group that could use a veteran voice. Will the Bears add one — say, a Ryan Tannehill-type — or head into the season with their most seasoned QB a four-game NFL starter?

3) What will Shane Waldron’s offense look like in Chicago? A facsimile of what we saw in Seattle? And how much will he tweak it to fit Williams’ strengths? Waldron let his playmakers make plays in Seattle, which translates well, given the upgraded weaponry Chicago boasts. Training camp will provide a better idea of how Waldron plans to deploy those weapons. Will the backfield lean heavily on D’Andre Swift, or will we see a committee? Will we still see a host of multi-tight end sets from the OC? How much 11 personnel will Waldron deploy — Seattle ranked 17th in 11 personnel rate last season — given his trio of receivers? And to that last end, what will Rome Odunze‘s role look like off the bat? In college, Odunze played the alpha. How will he slide next to Keenan Allen and D.J. Moore? Given Jaxon Smith-Njigba‘s offseason response to his time in Waldron’s offense, Odunze’s usage will be of keen interest.

4) Where is the edge help? Montez Sweat is a stud, but the Bears did little to aid a lopsided group. On paper, Sweat is a one-man band at this point. Chicago is counting on DeMarcus Walker (3.5 sacks) and Dominique Robinson (0.5 sacks) to be better than last season. Fifth-round pick Austin Booker, a high-upside athletic rusher, could play his way into a bigger role with a good camp. Overall, it’s a group that begs for GM Ryan Poles to make a veteran addition in training camp. On the interior, the Bears are also counting on second-year players Gervon Dexter Sr. and Zacch Pickens to ascend.

5) How will the right guard spot shake out? The Bears rotated Nate Davis, Ryan Bates and Matt Pryor at that position during minicamp, an acknowledgment that it’s a job up for grabs. Matt Eberflus noted in June that he doesn’t know yet how the interior O-line will play out, saying, “We’ll see how it goes.” Ideally, Davis locks down the right guard spot, leaving Bates to take the center role or play swing backup. However, Davis has been unable to stay healthy and already missed time during the spring. With a rookie quarterback under center, finding stability and continuity up front is key. Ideally, the Bears lock in on their starting rotation early in camp, allowing them to jell before the season.