6 Biggest Questions Facing the Chicago Bears Entering the Preseason

The Chicago Bears kick off the preseason on Saturday afternoon when they host the Cleveland Browns.

While we've gotten a few key answers to roster conundrums over the first two weeks of training camp, there are still a few storylines in their infancy. They'll aim to find clarity in those areas before the games start to matter.

The Bears pretty much have things figured out on offense, but there are also a few questions that need to be answered on that side of the ball. However, there are many more that need to be answered on defense.

Which questions stand out as the most important entering the preseason?

Who is the starting left tackle?

Braxton Jones at training camp — Jul 31, 2026; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears offensive tackle Braxton Jones (70) walks on the field during Training Camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While the center position appears to be all but wrapped up at this point, the same cannot be said for the starting left tackle job. The team came out with their first depth chart on Tuesday, and it featured a three-man race (separated by "or" instead of a "-") at LT. They probably have a clubhouse leader in mind (and it's probably Braxton Jones), but it seems like it's coming down to who performs best in the preseason.

Second-year man Ozzy Trapilo is by far the biggest wild-card when it comes to this equation. He's surprisingly much further ahead than previously expected in his recovery from the ruptured patellar tendon he suffered in January. Ryan Poles hinted that he might be able to return to action before the season kicks off, which would be a substantial development for the offensive line.

It still remains to be seen whether Trapilo would crack the lineup before the opener (as crazy as that sounds), but it's important to remember that he only has seven starts under his belt. He did fortify the position after taking over the starting job last season (and he'd probably be relatively uncontested at LT had he not gotten hurt), but growing pains are still to be expected.

Is the Jordan van den Berg hype real?

Jordan van den Berg celebrating a play on the field — Oct 25, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg (99) reacts after a tackle against the Syracuse Orange in the second quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jordan van den Berg has received as much hype as any player across the league over the first two weeks of training camp. Fans were upset that the team didn't do enough to fortify their most glaring weakness in the offseason, but the sixth-round selection could allow them to come in through the back door and do just that.

He's received a significant amount of praise from his teammates, coaches, both local and national media, and virtually anyone lucky enough to see the future Hall of Famer in action thus far. While the teammates praising him can be simply chalked up to answering questions posed to them, all other signs are extremely promising.

The Georgia Tech product will have to show some flashes going against backups (and hopefully starters) to cement his status as a potential contributor on defense. He'll be one of the most interesting players to keep an eye on over their three preseason matchups.

Who else will stick around along the defensive interior?

Kentavius Street celebrating a sack — Jan 4, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Kentavius Street (93) celebrates after a sack against the New Orleans Saints in the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jordan van den Berg might be the buzziest player attempting to make a name for himself at the defensive tackle position, but he's far from the only one. Grady Jarrett, Gervon Dexter Sr., and Neville Gallimore are all guaranteed a spot on the active roster, but the depth chart behind them is completely up for grabs.

Free agent acquisition Kentavius Street has also turned heads at training camp. Meanwhile, fellow free agent pickup James Lynch really hasn't received much attention thus far. While that would indicate that his roster status could be in trouble, he still has a chance to make up some ground if he plays like a menace throughout the preseason.

Undrafted rookie Jayden Loving has also been hyped up by a few teammates throughout training camp. Again, that might not mean much, but his physical profile is definitely impressive. He's one of the team's more interesting UDFAs to watch.

What will their running back depth look like?

Salvon Ahmed and Roschon Johnson at training camp — Aug 5, 2026; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears running back Salvon Ahmed (36) and running back Roschon Johnson (23) run on the field during training camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai will demand the lion's share of the backfield touches for as long as they both remain in the lineup. However, the third running back would instantly become a (somewhat valuable) contributor if either player were to get hurt. The battle for the third running back job is one of the most interesting ones to keep an eye on in the preseason, and it's one that usually produces quality numbers (and fan favorites) in the preseason.

Once they establish their preferred choice for the third option in the backfield, the question will then become whether they decide to keep four backs. That has historically been the route they've chosen to go, but special teams ace Travis Homer, who carried the ball only seven times over his three years in Chicago, is no longer on the roster.

Salvon Ahmed and Roschon Johnson are fighting it out for the RB3 job. Meanwhile, whoever loses would be contending with UDFA Coleman Bennett and Brittain Brown. How well each player performs on special teams would probably be the deciding factor in who sticks around (especially at RB4).

Who will "win" the number three receiver job?

Zavion Thomas at training camp — Jul 29, 2026; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Zavion Thomas (81) warms up during Training Camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Bears will probably deploy a healthy rotation at the number three receiver spot. Kalif Raymond, Jahdae Walker, and Zavion Thomas will all receive their fair share of opportunities on offense.

However, it would be naive to expect those opportunities to be perfectly split down the middle. Someone is going to be on the field more among the trio, and that split could very well be decided if one player shows out in training camp. Raymond's veteran status probably gives him the inside track at the spot right now (so we might not really see him much in the preseason), but his "starting" job is far from impenetrable.

Bears head coach Ben Johnson previously said that the team would evaluate how each player performs in specific routes and concepts to decide how the targets get divvied out on gameday. While that was in response to a question he received about the "WR1" conversation between Luther Burden III and Rome Odunze, it's safe to assume they'll follow similar logic with the WR3 spot.

How can the secondary make the most of an already lousy situation?

Coby Bryant on the practice field — Jul 31, 2026; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears defensive back Coby Bryant (2) runs with the ball during Training Camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This one is depressing. When it comes to the Bears' defensive back room, it actually seems perennially depressing at this point. Kyler Gordon got his annual injury out of the way early this year, and we still have no idea how long it will linger. As it stands right now, it seems like anything they get out of him in 2026 will be a bonus. Despite his status as one of the league's premier slot cover men when healthy, they're not counting on him at all.

In Gordon's place, there is a position battle consisting of Cam Lewis, Jaylon Jones, Josh Blackwell, and Malik Muhammad II. It's one of the most interesting situations to keep tabs on over the preseason. Lewis seemingly has the edge right now, but Muhammad could make up some ground if he shows promise in the slot (where he had very little experience at Texas) over the three exhibition games.

At safety, the team also already lost their prized free-agent signing, Coby Bryant, for the next 4-6 months. They signed Xavier Woods, who has 121 career starts under his belt, in his place, but there is still a major question mark on the back end. Dillon Thieneman is also included in the inquiry. While his talent has never been questioned, growing pains should be expected for the 25th overall pick, especially without his preferred counterpart in the lineup.

Add us as a preferred source on Google