Which pass catchers does Bears coach Ben Johnson trust at this point? He names them
Training-camp competition goes much further than vying for roster spots and climbing the depth chart. For the top players, especially on offense and especially with a new coach, it’s about establishing a pecking order.
Bears’ cut day — Aug. 26 — will be a nonevent for weapons such as wide receiver DJ Moore. Instead, he’s working to earn his role in the offense as coach Ben Johnson maps out the focal points of his game plan.
When asked Sunday which pass catchers have earned his trust that they’ll be in the right spots at the right time, Johnson listed Moore, tight end Cole Kmet and wide receiver Rome Odunze as “the three that stand out to me first and foremost.”
He added that veteran wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus has impressed, as well, which is a good indicator that no matter how much flash second-round pick Luther Burden III has shown, Johnson puts a premium on reliability.
“The rookies, they’re still learning,” Johnson said. “They’re still growing, and they just haven’t been out there enough to earn that trust yet.”
Burden and tight end Colston Loveland, the No. 10 pick, missed significant practice time because of injuries but are healthy now.
Moore led the Bears with 140 targets last season, followed by Keenan Allen (121), Odunze (101) and Kmet (55). The team did not re-sign Allen, who recently met with the Chargers about a possible return.
Richardson makes moves
There is an intriguing roster battle at wide receiver, however.
Moore, Odunze and Burden are automatic, and return man Devin Duvernay and Zaccheaus are nearly certain, likely leaving one spot for the other seven receivers.
The leading candidates are Tyler Scott and JP Richardson. The Bears drafted Scott in the fourth round in 2023, but he has 18 career catches and barely played last season. Richardson is an undrafted rookie from TCU who has been a training-camp hero, albeit predominantly against backups.
When asked how much Richardson has stood out in camp, Johnson said, “Quite a bit.”
New home?
The Bears returned to Soldier Field for the first time since last season and practiced in front of 23,204 fans at Family Fest.
While it was a beautiful summer day on the lakefront, it was the latest reminder that the facility itself is far behind much of the NFL. Bears president Kevin Warren has maintained a timeline of breaking ground this year and opening a new stadium — likely in Arlington Heights — for the 2028 season.
“When you go visit other places, you can see what Kevin and everyone upstairs are kind of aspiring toward,” Kmet said, highlighting SoFi, Allegiant and U.S. Bank stadiums. “You can see what they want to achieve with that type of stuff and the architecture that you see around the league with these different stadiums. . . . It will be cool to see where that project goes.”
Dress rehearsal
Johnson used Family Fest as a dry run for game days by having the Bears stay in a downtown hotel Saturday.
“Particularly the young guys, they get amped up a little bit,” Johnson said. “So hopefully a little familiarity with the process will calm the nerves a little bit and then they can go out and play.”
They’ll do the full drill again ahead of their preseason opener against the Dolphins. The Bears also host the Bills on Aug. 17.
Notes
In the competition for starting left tackle, Braxton Jones took first-team reps, Ozzy Trapilo was on the second string and Kiran Amegadjie (leg) remained out.
† Wide receiver Miles Boykin (ankle), running back Deion Hankins (concussion), tight end Jordan Murray (groin) and offensive linemen Bill Murray (ankle) and Ricky Stromberg (concussion) were out, while long snapper Scott Daly (back) and right guard Jonah Jackson (leg) returned.
† Former Bears offensive lineman Germain Ifedi signed with the Dolphins, who visit for a joint practice Friday and preseason game Sunday.