Roster breakdown of the offense

Coach Ben Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles have spent the last six months rebuilding the Chicago Bears offense to Johnson’s specifications. They overhauled the line and brought in several new weapons for second-year quarterback Caleb Williams.

Now it’s time to see what this looks like on the field. Veteran players will report for training camp Tuesday, and practice begins Wednesday. The journey to the 2025 season begins this week.

Here’s a position-by-position breakdown of Johnson’s offense heading into camp.

Quarterback

Returning: Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent, Austin Reed

Newcomer: Case Keenum

What to know: Keenum, 37, will be a mentor and resource for Williams, Bagent and Reed. That trio made for a very young quarterback group in 2024 with rookies in Williams and Reed (who spent the season on the practice squad) and a second-year pro in Bagent. Adding Keenum will give the three holdovers a sounding board in the locker room they didn’t have last season.

The biggest offseason development for this group, though, is the addition of Johnson. Williams made it clear during the search he wanted an offensive-minded head coach. Johnson liked the potential he saw in Williams. That pairing has plenty of work cut out for it. The franchise is banking on Johnson being able to get the best out of Williams — this year and beyond.

Biggest question: How quickly will Johnson and Williams click?

Johnson is demanding of his quarterbacks. He’s going to push Williams. The two will spend a lot of one-on-one time together. Johnson has said from the beginning that the quarterback and play caller need to think alike.

“You don’t develop that trust unless you spend a lot of time together,” Johnson said. “For whatever reason, if you do that in the room with all the other quarterbacks, sometimes you can get a little defensive. Whereas when it’s one on one, the truth can come out and no one’s feelings are going to get hurt.”

That doesn’t sound like the type of trust coworkers can develop overnight. This relationship might take time — as in months or years. But the quicker they can delve into that honest feedback, the likelier they are to hit the ground running in 2025.

Running back

Returning: D’Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson, Travis Homer, Ian Wheeler

Newcomers: Kyle Monangai, Deion Hankins

What to know: The biggest news at running back wasn’t about a player the Bears added but rather how long it took them to address the position. Despite the notion entering the draft that the Bears might go for a running back as high as the first or second round, they didn’t select one until taking Monangai with a seventh-round pick.

Poles explained that the Bears stuck closely to their predraft board and had little interest in reaching for any specific position of need. Trading up for top running back Ashton Jeanty proved too expensive, then two backs went off the board ahead of them in Round 2.

That means this group is largely unchanged. Swift, whom they signed to a three-year, $24 million contract a year ago, remains the top option. Roschon Johnson was the No. 2 back last year, but he saw just 55 carries and totaled only 150 rushing yards in 14 games. The Bears used Johnson in goal-line packages, which led to six rushing touchdowns.

Biggest question: Can Ben Johnson unlock Swift?

Johnson is quite familiar with what Swift does well. Despite playing behind a disappointing offensive line in 2024, Swift still put together a respectable season statistically, totaling 1,345 yards from scrimmage. He rushed for 959 yards and six touchdowns on 253 carries and contributed 386 yards on 42 receptions.

From an advanced-analytics perspective, on the other hand, he was one of the league’s most inefficient running backs, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. He was significantly better the year before behind the Philadelphia Eagles offensive line. It could stand to reason that an improved line should lead to a more efficient Swift.

Swift’s career-best 5.5 yards per carry came in his lone season with Johnson as his offensive coordinator in 2022 with the Detroit Lions. He totaled only 99 carries that year but rushed for 542 yards and five touchdowns. He’s coming off a career-worst 3.8 yards per carry in 2024.

Wide receiver

Returning: DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Tyler Scott, Samori Toure, John Jackson

Newcomers: Luther Burden III, Devin Duvernay, Olamide Zaccheaus, Maurice Alexander, Miles Boykin, JP Richardson, Jahdae Walker

What to know: The Bears went into last season talking about the race to 1,000 receiving yards for Moore, Odunze and Keenan Allen. In the end, with the passing attack stalling, none of them reached the milestone. The Bears let Allen walk in free agency, then took a swing for the fences when they drafted Burden with the No. 39 pick in April.

On paper, the Bears head into 2025 with Moore, Odunze and Burden as the top three receivers. How the coaches decide to divvy up the roles and distribute the football will be an intriguing subplot during camp. At Missouri, Burden had his most successful season in 2023 when he was playing in the slot. That was Allen’s primary role last year, and it would seem like an easy piece to the puzzle if the Bears simply put the rookie there.

The Bears signed Zaccheaus as another potential option in the slot. Durvernay will be a dangerous return specialist.

Biggest question: Will Odunze have a breakout season?

Since the moment the Bears drafted Odunze with the No. 9 pick a year ago, expectations have been understandably high. He totaled 54 catches for 734 yards — fifth among rookie receivers — and three touchdowns. It was perhaps a bit below expectations — but by no means a bad season. The Bears finished with the 31st-ranked passing attack, so it wasn’t as if there were a ton of yards to go around.

Allen saw 121 targets last season, second to Moore’s 140. With Allen out of the picture, Odunze will have opportunities to see the ball more. He could be poised for a big season in Year 2.

Tight end

Returning: Cole Kmet, Stephen Carlson, Joel Wilson

Newcomers: Colston Loveland, Durham Smythe, Jordan Murray

What to know: The Bears selected Loveland with the No. 10 draft pick. That move was intended not as a slight toward Kmet, who is under contract for the next three years. Instead, the Bears envision an offense with one of the best tight end duos in the NFL.

While Kmet led Bears tight ends last year with 47 catches for 474 yards and four touchdowns, it marked a drop in production from his career-high 719 yards in 2023. He seems likely to remain the top target at the position, at least until Loveland gets up to speed.

Wilson was on the practice squad last year. He earned a shout-out from Ben Johnson during veteran minicamp. Smythe is known as a reliable blocker. He played with Kmet at Notre Dame and entered the NFL in 2018 with the Miami Dolphins when Johnson was their receivers coach.

Biggest question: How quickly can Loveland emerge as a threat?

Loveland will begin camp trying to bounce back from offseason right shoulder surgery. Tight end is a notoriously tricky position for rookies to learn, although coming from Michigan’s program could make the transition quicker. The Wolverines run a pro-style rushing attack, which could lessen the learning curve for Loveland.

Loveland was an elite threat in the passing game for Michigan, particularly during the 2023 run to the national championship. His college tight ends coach, Steve Casula, raved about Loveland’s hands. With Allen gone, the Bears need someone to emerge as a big target in the middle of the field. That could be Loveland. If he can develop a rapport with Williams quickly, he could prove to be a go-to target on third down and in crunch time.

Offensive tackle

Returning: Braxton Jones, Darnell Wright, Kiran Amegadjie, Theo Benedet

Newcomers: Ozzy Trapilo, Joshua Miles

What to know: Poles promised to bring in competition for Jones at left tackle shortly after last season ended. That didn’t materialize during free agency, but the Bears selected Trapilo in the second round in April. Trapilo, Amegadjie and Jones are heading toward a battle for the starting job.

Jones is returning from ankle surgery, which adds uncertainty to his status. Amegadjie struggled in limited opportunities a year ago. Trapilo is a 6-foot-8 mountain of a man who spent the last two seasons at right tackle for Boston College.

Wright appears pretty set as the starting right tackle. The 2023 first-round pick has missed only one game over his two seasons. Benedet spent last season on the practice squad after briefly starring in HBO’s “Hard Knocks.”

Biggest question: Who can pass protect at the highest level?

Asked what makes a tackle stand out, Ben Johnson said it’s all about protecting the quarterback when he drops back to pass.

“I always go back, to me, the No. 1 job of an offensive tackle, doesn’t matter right or left, is to pass protect,” he said. “You need to be able to block their best pass rusher one on one.”

If a tackle is an elite run blocker, that’s a bonus, but pass protection has to be priority No. 1. So the question becomes: Who will be the best pass blocker capable of manning Williams’ blind side?

Jones has the most experience and could remain the front-runner if he’s healthy. Trapilo might be the likelier fit long term. The Bears drafted him at No. 56 for a reason. Could Amegadjie surprise after a fully healthy offseason?

Of all the position battles this summer, left tackle is easily the most fascinating — and perhaps the most consequential.

Interior offensive line

Returning: Ryan Bates, Doug Kramer Jr., Bill Murray, Chris Glaser, Ricky Stromberg

Newcomers: Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, Jonah Jackson, Luke Newman, Jordan McFadden

What to know: The Bears invested heavily in fortifying the interior of the offensive line. They traded for Pro Bowl guards Thuney and Jackson. Days later, they signed Dalman — considered the best center on the free-agent market. An area that was perhaps the team’s biggest weakness in 2024 could be a strength in 2025, at least on paper.

Thuney is a four-time Super Bowl champion who brings a veteran presence to a group that was built around young talent. Jackson thrived when he played for Ben Johnson in Detroit before signing with the Los Angeles Rams and battling through an injury last year. Dalman emerged as one of the game’s best centers over the last few seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.

Biggest question: How good can this starting group be?

If everybody is healthy, the Bears should be quite competitive along the interior. They’ve positioned themselves well for the next several seasons, too, after signing Thuney to a contract extension. Jelling will take time, but doing it with three veterans is different from doing it with rookies. They will provide plenty of experience for Williams to lean on.

Health might be the one thing that could keep this group from reaching its ceiling. Jackson and Dalman missed significant time last season because of injuries. Thuney has been incredibly durable, but at 32 he’s also the oldest of the bunch.

Do the Bears have enough depth to withstand one or two potential injuries here? Newman, a rookie sixth-round pick, could become a versatile backup. Bates has played multiple spots on the interior but has struggled through injuries.

If the starting three can stay healthy, just how good can they be?

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