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Ben Johnson Promises Brutal Bears Training Camp as Roster Fights Heat Up

Ben Johnson says Bears training camp will turn more physical fast, with roster spots and key battles set to be decided once the pads come on this summer.
Gene Chamberlain|
Ben Johnson already has a tough training camp in mind.
Ben Johnson already has a tough training camp in mind. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears


LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Anyone who sat waiting with bated breath to hear who was ahead in various position battles at Bears minicamp or OTAs is going to be awfully disappointed.

Nothing that happened through the spring means a thing now, according to coach Ben Johnson. It definitely doesn't hurt to be in the pole position in a roster spot or starting battle at this point, but the evaluation begins in earnest when the Bears return near the end of July.

The left tackle spot with Braxton Jones, Jedrick Wills, Theo Benedet, and Kiran Amegadjie is one of those. Not many other starting spots seem like they'd hinge on a training camp battle at this point.

"This spring was about learning and about communication," Johnson said on the final day of minicamp. "(Training) camp's really where we're earning a spot on the 53, you know, we'll carve out our roles.

"Those are a couple of positions that we'll certainly have our eye on and there will be several others that there's spots up for grabs."

The camp camp battles will take on a particular look and they should make it obvious which spots are up for grabs.

"We'll have a plan in place in terms, I think, of do we need a rotation or do we need to just let it fly," Johnson said. "If we're seeing some guys rise up and start making plays with the twos and threes, we'll probably take a look and see what it looks like with the ones as well through the course of training camp."

Johnson admitted not a lot will change even in the first week of training camp as opposed to Thursday's end to minicamp.

"I mean, the first week of training camp is almost the same as what it is right now," Johnson said.

They don't have contact, there are no pads. It's essentially the same, although the practices can go longer and become more intense. It will change abruptly because Johnson loves contact practices interspersed. Last year's full-contact practice became legendary.

Whichever battles occur — if there are any at all — they'll be over quickly. Johnson even mentioned a date he wants things settled.

"We'll have a good idea probably halfway through training camp and probably going into that Cleveland game," Johnson said.

That's the preseason opener and it's set for Aug. 15.

More physical wars ahead

"Well have had a number of padded practices and usually the cream rises to the top once it turns into that," Johnson said. "Guys will naturally rise, some guys will fall. It won't take too long."

He recalled how the left tackle battle last year went on forever and then was decided in season after Braxton Jones had problems recovering from his broken ankle.

"You don't like that," Johnson said. "You like having a little clarity earlier on so that you can go into Week 1 feeling pretty settled on every spot."

There will eventually be contact after those first practices. They had one practice last year renowned now for helping formulate that team's success. It was full contact all practice long. Players anticipate tough times ahead.

"I’m expecting the worst," defensive end Montez Sweat said. "I’ll be prepared. Hopefully it’ll be a little easier since I’ve been through it already, but live days, hard hitting, long drives, preseason games, I’m ready.”

Johnson called it all necessary parts of every camp.

"You've got to pay a price, you've got to make deposits if you want to have success in this league," Johnson added. "I've been in it, what 15 years now, and I don't think there's any way you can cut corners and expect to win on Sunday. So training camp is a big part of that. Our guys understand that.

"They know what they're walking into. I think our type of guys they embrace it. They want it and so I'm really looking forward to it."

They'd better embrace it because it's coming at a date yet to be announced whether they like it or not.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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