Chicago Bears Veterans Who Could Lose Their Starting Jobs This Summer

We are days away from the start of Chicago Bears training camp and there will be plenty of interesting competitions to watch, especially when it comes to starting jobs.

Chicago will welcome its rookies to camp on July 25, and then the rest of the team will report on July 28. From there, the Bears will have their first practice the following day, but they won't open things up to fans until July 31.

Ahead of the first practice of training camp next week, here's a look at some Bears veterans who enter training camp as a projected starter but could leave as a backup.

D'Andre Swift

While Swift is going to be heavily involved in the offense no matter what, he could be in danger of losing his title as the Bears' official lead back.

That's because of the emergence of 2025 seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai, who posted an impressive rookie campaign with 783 rushing yards, 164 receiving yards and five touchdowns.

Monangai is a more ideal early-down back because of his powerful running style, and he could seize more snaps on third downs this season if he can show improvement with his pass-catching and blocking in camp.

With the Bears having to start thinking about life after Swift now that the veteran is in the final year of his deal, it's possible they opt to lean on Monangai a bit more than they did in 2025.

Garrett Bradbury

Bradbury looked to be the locked-in starter after the Bears acquired him via trade after Drew Dalman's retirement.

While Bradbury is still in line to start, his situation is at least a bit murkier after Chicago drafted Logan Jones out of Iowa in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

We suspect Bradbury's veteran experience wins out, but don't rule out Jones, who is the future at center, stealing the starting job away from the veteran with a strong showing at camp.

Dayo Odeyingbo

Odeyingbo was the Bears' starter opposite Montez Sweat in 2025, and he figures to enter training camp in the same role, especially because of what the Bears have invested in him.

But Odeyingbo is anything but a sure thing.

Not only has he posted lackluster sack production in each of the last two years, including just one sack in eight games for Chicago in 2025, Odeyingbo is also coming back from a torn Achilles. Now, Odeyingbo is healthy and should be good to go for camp, but we know players don't always return to form off such an injury right away, which doesn't inspire much confidence in a rebound.

With Austin Booker ascending after showed some promise with 4.5 sacks last season, the former fifth-round pick could supplant Odeyingbo on the depth chart sooner rather than later.

Tyrique Stevenson

Stevenson isn't technically locked into a starting job because the Bears will have him compete with Malik Muhammad, but he is no doubt the favorite for a few reasons.

Stevenson was the team's CB2 in 2025 before he got benched for Nahshon Wright, and he has an advantage in experience over the rookie.

But with how inconsistent Stevenson has been, nobody should be ruling out Muhammad winning the over his veteran counterpart.

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