Every Open Starting Job at the Start of Bears Training Camp

The long offseason is officially over for the Chicago Bears as all players have reported for training camp on Tuesday, with practices set to begin on Wednesday. Bears fans who want to attend practices in person can refer to Bears on SI's full list of the training camp schedule, dates, and locations. As for the players and coaches, they long ago turned the page from their unexpectedly successful 2025 season and are now locked for 2026.

While much of this team will be familiar faces to the fans, some key players from a year ago are no longer on the roster, leaving multiple starting jobs up for grabs. With the beginning of training camp now upon us, let's review every open starting role for the Bears, and who's in the running to get it.

1. Left Tackle

Chicago Bears OT Braxton Jones after a game against the Dallas Cowboys. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Just when the Bears seemed to have found a franchise left tackle, Ozzy Trapilo ruptured his patellar tendon in Chicago's Wild Card game and will miss most of the 2026 season. That leaves the Bears in need of a starting left tackle for at least half of this season, and it will likely come down to either Braxton Jones, who the Bears re-signed to a one-year contract in March, or Jedrick Wills Jr., a free agency acquisition who himself missed all of the 2025 season as he rehabbed an injury of his own.

Jones has familiarity with the offense in his favor, and before a brutal leg injury in December of 2024, he was actually performing as an above-average tackle. But Wills was a former first-round pick, going to Cleveland at No. 10 overall, and he looked good as a rookie before injuries derailed his career arc. Bears fans should feel comfortable that either Jones or Wills could provide adequate protection until Trapilo returns, but I think it's going to be Jones.

2. Center

Chicago Bears center Logan Jones talks during Rookie Minicamp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While this starting position was technically filled when the Bears traded for Garrett Bradbury to replace Drew Dalman, don't sleep on rookie Logan Jones. He was the first center off the board in the 2026 NFL draft for a reason, and we learned in May that the Ravens had targeted Jones as their Tyler Linderbaum replacement.

This is going to be one of the most intense position battles at training camp, and even though Bradbury has years of NFL experience, including a run to the Super Bowl last year with the New England Patriots, I expect Jones to win the starting job ahead of Week 1.

3. Cornerback

Chicago Bears CB Tyrique Stevenson walks back to the line of scrimmage. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The fight to be Chicago's starting CB2 opposite of two-time Pro Bowler Jaylon Johnson figures to be one of the most closely watched position battles in training camp. Unlike the previous two positions, this one is wide open with multiple contenders for the role. The current leader is probably Tyrique Stevenson, but only due to seniority.

Aside from Stevenson, other contenders include Terrell Smith, free agency acquisition Cam Lewis, and rookie Malik Muhammad. Complicating this position battle is the fact that star slot cornerback Kyler Gordon is starting training camp on the PUP list. One of the aforementioned cornerbacks may be needed to move down into the slot, giving the others a second chance at a starting role on the boundary.

This is a tough one to predict, and this will likely change as the season goes on, but I could see Tyrique Stevenson getting the start as CB2 for Week 1, with Lewis being rotated down into the slot. That said, I would expect Muhammad to win either the starting slot or boundary role at some point in the season, maybe after the Bears' Week 10 bye.

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