Latest news with #Bears'
USA Today
5 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Chicago Bears' 91-man roster as training camp begins
The Chicago Bears have officially reported to Halas Hall for the start of training camp with the first practice scheduled for Wednesday and the first open practice for Friday. There will be starting jobs and roster spots up for grabs under new head coach Ben Johnson, which should make for some intriguing position battles on the depth chart throughout training camp and the preseason. Currently, the Bears have 91 players on their roster (including roster-exempt Tory Taylor), and that will be trimmed down to 53 ahead of the start of the regular season. But we've got a long way to go before that happens. Here's an updated look at the Bears' initial 91-man roster at the start of training camp, organized by jersey number for offense, defense and special teams. Offense Defense Special teams Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Bears place Jaylon Johnson, 3 others on NFI list to open training camp
The Chicago Bears have placed cornerback Jaylon Johnson, quarterback Case Keenum, wide receiver Jahdae Walker and running back Ian Wheeler on the Active/Non-Football Injury list to start training camp. The NFI list is used for players who are injured away from team activities. They must be removed from the list before they're allowed to practice. The Bears will hold their first training camp practice on Wednesday. Rookies, quarterbacks and injured players reported on Saturday with veterans set to report on Tuesday. It's uncertain whether Johnson, Keenum, Walker or Wheeler will be cleared in time for the first workout of the summer. Johnson has established himself as arguably the best player on the Bears' roster and one of the NFL's top cornerbacks. He's coming off his second consecutive Pro Bowl season, where he totaled career highs in tackles) and tackles for loss (7) while also forcing three turnovers in what was a forgettable and frustrating 2024 season. Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bears' Caleb Williams stamped by Matas Buzelis
The post Bears' Caleb Williams stamped by Matas Buzelis appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Chicago Bears had a disappointing season last year. After drafting Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick in 2024, expectations were high for the former Heisman winner. After a strong second half of his rookie season, Williams and his new head coach, Ben Johnson, are ready to attack next season. Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis showed support to the young quarterback. Both Williams and Buzelis arrived in Chicago during the same year, only a few months separating the NBA and NFL drafts. Each player had their moments during their rookie season. However, they were unable to propel their team to new heights in their first season as professionals. However, hopes are high for Buzelis and Williams ahead of their sophomore seasons. Buzelis spoke with one Bulls reporter on Williams, saying that he is excited to see the quarterback take the field next season. Over the last year, they have formed a friendship. They bonded over their shared position in the eyes of Chicago sports fans. They even linked up at a concert this offseason, according an Instagram post from Buzelis. Buzelis told the reporter that he is not a big football fan. However, the excitement surrounding Williams, Johnson, and the Bears could change his mind next season. 'I don't really watch football, honestly,' Buzelis said. 'I'm not a big football guy, but since he plays for the Bears and he's the QB, and I expect big things from him. I think I'll have to come to one of the games because I'm always in support of my boys. That's the main thing for me, loyalty and support.' Buzelis and Williams both face pressure heading into their second seasons as pros. While the former is showing out for the Bulls in the NBA's summer league, the latter is preparing for the Bears' training camp later this month. Related: Ben Johnson teases big change 'tailored around' Caleb Williams Related: Where ESPN ranks Bears guard Joe Thuney after Chiefs trade
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bears' Caleb Williams takes savage shot at Packers fans — ‘They suck'
The post Bears' Caleb Williams takes savage shot at Packers fans — 'They suck' appeared first on ClutchPoints. Caleb Williams will not stop reminding fans that he is already 1-0 against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Although only one year into his professional career, the Chicago Bears quarterback had already developed a distaste for his divisional rival's fan base. Williams was one of several athletes to appear at the 2025 Fanatics Fest in New York. The 23-year-old quarterback recalled hating how Packers fans acted after the Bears' Week 18 win in Green Bay during his Q&A segment. 'Green Bay, they suck,' Williams said, via Ryan Garcia of Empire Sports Media. 'I'm 1-0 in Lambeau. After the game, we tried to do the 'Lambeau Leap' in the crowd where our fans were. They started throwing things at you, pushing you off. The Lambeau Leap is a real leap; it's not a baby jump. And they're just pushing you in the face.' The Bears' 24-22 win over the Packers ended a 10-game losing streak that started after their Week 6 bye. Green Bay took the first meeting between the two at Soldier Field, 20-19, making Williams 1-1 against them in his career. Despite coming off a 5-12 season, the Bears have reasonably high expectations in 2025. Chicago made several key adjustments in the offseason, most notably hiring Ben Johnson as its next head coach. Johnson, a renowned offensive coordinator with the Detroit Lions, is expected to catapult Williams' career. Bears-Packers matchups in 2025 The Bears and Packers' two meetings in 2025 will both occur in the second half of the season. The teams will not meet until Week 14, when they reconvene at Lambeau Field. The second meeting will go down just two weeks later in Week 16 at Soldier Field. Given both teams' preseason expectations, the two-game series could carry heavy playoff implications. With the Bears improving dramatically in the 2025 offseason, the NFC North could come down to the wire yet again in 2025. While the Packers have historically dominated the recent series against the Bears, Williams believes the tide will turn with his arrival. Johnson, who went 6-0 against Green Bay with the Lions, presumably feels the same. Chicago fans desperately seek redemption, as the team has not won a game in the series at home since 2018. Related: Bears rumors: DJ Moore, Cole Kmet on thin ice with Ben Johnson Related: Caleb Williams earns bold historic prediction from
Forbes
6 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Caleb Williams Set For Success In Second Season With Bears
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 20: Caleb Williams speaks on stage for the Franchise Faces panel during ... More Fanatics Fest NYC 2025 at Javits Center on June 20, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by) Sooner or later, the Bears are going to find a more accommodating home than Soldier Field, where Chicago players have been forced to suffer through 'Bears weather' since 1971. Maybe George Halas and Dick Butkus liked the bare-bones stadium but certainly not the quarterbacks. Given their salaries and standing, the likes of Jim McMahon, Jay Cutler, Jim Harbaugh, Erik Kramer and Mitchell Trubisky couldn't complain too much about freezing temperatures and winds blowing off Lake Michigan. But backup quarterback Tyson Bagent no doubt spoke for his predecessors when he discussed the playing conditions. "Oh my gosh, man, we should've been indoors about 25 years ago," Bagent told David Kaplan on a Chicago podcast. 'Goodness gracious. No 4,000-yard passer … my (butt). You all go stand outside. You all go stand out there … the chilly is fine but that wind has got a mind of its own.' Carl Williams, Caleb Williams' father, told author Seth Wickersham that Chicago is 'where quarterbacks go to die.' Soldier Field is part of that story, for sure, but through the years the Bears' coaches and general managers have not set up their quarterbacks for success. Kramer holds the Bears record for passing yardage, and he set the mark in 1995, before the likes of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning turned the NFL into a high-octane game. The Bears have finished in the top 10 in offense only once in the 21st century. While Williams suffered through a 5-12 rookie season, his passing yardage (3542) was the fifth most in franchise history. That's a sign of progress, and new head coach Ben Johnson see it as the start of a sea change. 'I love the opportunity to come on in and change that narrative,' Johnson told reporters in May. 'That's where great stories are written. We're looking to write a new chapter here — 2025 Chicago Bears — and looking forward to the future.' Outside of enclosing Soldier Field, the Bears have done just about everything possible to help Williams become their first quarterback who consistently succeeds while throwing the ball. George McCaskey and the team's ownership opened their wallet to hire Johnson, who became a highly attractive coaching candidate while orchestrating Detroit's dynamic offense. General Manager Ryan Poles used trades and free agency to overhaul the middle of the offensive line, then selected intriguing targets Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III in the draft. Johnson is working with a rebuilt coaching staff that includes former Raiders and Saints head coach Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator, whiz kid Declan Doyle as offensive coordinator and former Ohio State All-Big Ten player J.T. Barrett as quarterbacks coach. Finally Poles acknowledged a missing piece from Williams' rookie season by signing 37-year-old quarterback Case Keenum as a mentor and sounding board. There's no way Williams can succeed if he is again chased around the field while searching for open receivers. The Bears hope new linemen Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson and Drew Dalman will help cut their sack total drastically — after 68 last season, that isn't a big ask — but Johnson knows Williams will once take some hits and miss connections with receivers. That's why he began working with Williams early on his demeanor, helping him to gain more understanding of his leadership role. According to Sports Illustrated, Johnson showed Williams video from last season where he let his frustration — sometimes exasperation — show while on the field. 'Body language is a huge thing,' Johnson said during OTAs. 'We don't want to be a 'palms-up team,' where we're questioning everything. … To me, that's a little bit of a sign of weakness. We don't want to exhibit that from anybody on the team.' You know who else showed a lot of emotion during his rookie season? Josh Allen, the four-time All-Pro who has taken Buffalo to the playoffs in each of the last six seasons. Allen threw more interceptions than touchdowns as a rookie but produced four 4,000-yard passing seasons by the time he was 27. Williams is sure to experience more growing pains in his second season. But Poles and Johnson have put him in a position where his confidence should grow throughout the year, hopefully heading into high-stakes games in December. He'll have to tame the Chicago winter, sure, but don't be surprised if he surpasses Kramer's passing record. The arrow points up.
