Bears Preseason Plans Remain Unclear as Joint Practice With Dolphins Looms

Although it will be another month before Ben Johnson makes his regular season head coaching debut, the Chicago Bears will take the field for the first time during the preseason on August 10. The Miami Dolphins will make the trip up from South Beach to Chi-Town later this week, not only for each team’s first preseason game of the year, but also for a joint practice two days prior.

The Bears know that their first taste of action against a true opponent will result in some chippy play, and Ben Johnson knows that his defense will benefit from playing against a speedy Dolphins offense that includes burners such as Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane.

“It will be good for us to see that speed and just a little bit different style of offense,” Johnson told reporters ahead of practice on August 5, per Kole Noble of AtoZ Sports.

What nobody, including Ben Johnson, knows just yet is how much Chicago’s starters will see the field on Sunday, when the Bears host the Dolphins at Soldier Field.

Bears Preseason Plans Still TBD

Brad Biggs of the Chicago-Tribune notes that Johnson has stated that it’s “to be determined” how much his starters will see the field on Sunday afternoon. Per Biggs, “Johnson says he needs to meet with his staff and chat with Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel.”

One would assume that because this entire Bears offense is still adjusting to life with a new coach and a new offensive system, getting Caleb Williams and the rest of the expected week 1 starters a decent amount of playing time during the preseason would be a point of emphasis throughout the month of August, but that doesn’t mean they’ll see the field on Sunday.

Last year, the Bears played in four preseason games due to their involvement in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. In those four games, Williams suited up only twice, completing 10 of his 20 pass attempts for 170 yards. He also added a touchdown on the ground in his second week of preseason action.

Which Bears Have the Most to Gain in First Preseason Game of the Year?

Although it would be great to see Caleb Williams taking steps to master this new offense, it’s not as if even the most disastrous showings in the preseason would threaten his standing as Chicago’s starting quarterback. Elsewhere, there are position battles that will end up being decided based on how the next few weeks play out.

It’s looking like Ozzy Trapilo may be starting to separate himself from both incumbent starter Braxton Jones and 2024 3rd round selection Kiran Amegadjie in the left tackle competition. The 6-foot-8 rookie has been getting more and more reps with the first team, and could solidify his place with the starters with a strong preseason.

Although there is no competitor that could possibly unseat D’Andre Swift as the Bears starting running back just yet, there is very much a competition to see who will be backing up Swift when the season begins. Roschon Johnson and Kyle Monangai may be in a dead-heat right now, but Monangai is gaining steam and gaining the trust of the Bears coaching staff.

On the opposite side of the ball, there is a competition brewing between Tyrique Stevenson, Nahshon Wright for the second outside corner spot alongside All-Pro Jaylon Johnson. Wright has been a pleasant surprise during camp, getting plenty of first-team reps as Johnson has been sidelined with an injury. Meanwhile, Stevenson is still looking to return to the form he was in prior to last season’s Hail Mary gaffe against the Washington Commanders.