Bear Digest

Chicago Bears winners and losers from 2025 offseason work

With the full roster done working at Halas Hall until late July, there have been statements made both positive and negative by players with some now in better situations than others.
Gene Chamberlain|
D'Andre Swift takes a handoff from Caleb Williams during minicamp. Both emerged big winners from offseason work for different reasons.
D'Andre Swift takes a handoff from Caleb Williams during minicamp. Both emerged big winners from offseason work for different reasons. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Football in shorts and helmets has ended for all except the least experienced Bears, who must apparently put everything away and mop up Halas Hall this week in a couple final OTA sessions for those less entrenched.

No DJ Moore, no D'Andre Swift, no Caleb Williams, unless he chooses to do so, as Rome Odunze said he plans to do.

With all veteran offseason practices complete, it's time to assess how players emerged from the first exposure to Ben Johnson's offense and Dennis Allen's defense.

It's a half view or less of offseason work because they only let reporters in for all of minicamp but only one day a week for OTAs.

Here are Bears winners and losers from the offseason work—both on the field and off it.

Because it's only shorts and helmets, the losers really haven't lost much and have plenty of time to recover at training camp.

The Winners

1. RB D'Andre Swift

Here's a guy who should be heading right to a casino now with work stopping because no one at Halas Hall is on a bigger roll. First, they never drafted anyone until Round 7 and now he made it until almost mid-June and the chief name being mentioned as a veteran addition to the running back rotation is going to sign with Houston. That's Nick Chubb.

2. Coach Ben Johnson

Consider his messages about accountability and being comfortable at feeling uncomfortable entirely communicated through his own daily coaching intensity. He was consistent if nothing else. Players understand what's allowed and what isn't, unlike with the mixed messages of the last regime.

3. QB Caleb Williams

The Bears QB did not look completely lost in a new offense, especially as practices progressed. He could still get better out of the pocket and with getting the ball away, as Johnson's occasional barking revealed. He did display a previously unseen level of maturity with the way he stepped up and addressed the coming Seth Wickersham book on quarterbacks. He even touched on he subject of his father's influence prior to the draft, and did it in a way not to reflect negatively on anyone including his own dad. It was refreshing to hear Williams, a guy so young, had the right perspective, while analysts and reporters hollered and screamed that the sky was falling.

4. RB Kyle Monangai

Like with Swift, there's no new veteran added to the running back mix as competition and not only that, but Matt Eberflus loved his work enough to mention him as a surprise player who caught his eye. Let's face it, anyone who can simply make the Bears roster as a seventh-round pick should consider themselves fortunate. When Khyris Tonga, Elijah Hicks and Javon Wims are the cream of the crop, it's not a high bar, although Hicks definitely has been a valued reserve.  

5. TE Cole Kmet

There should have been no worry his job was in trouble when they drafted Colston Loveland because tight end is actually two different positions within the offense much of the time. However, losing any reps to the rookie will be more difficult for the veteran to do when the Michigan standout hasn't even practiced with veterans heading into training camp. Don't count on Kmet being traded. It's always been a foolish notion.

6. TE Joel Wilson

The fact Johnson and Bears fans know he's on the roster after the coach called him a surprising player is victory enough for one offseason.

7. RB Roschon Johnson

He might be an even bigger winner than Monangai and Swift because a veteran back added would figure to be taking away his chance of being the power source in the backfield. Monangai and Swift are more all-around players than just a power threat.

8. LB Ruben Hyppolite II

It's always good to see a player performing well with or without pads, especially after the "experts" said he was a wasted pick.

9. WR Olamide Zaccheaus

The veteran slot receiver seemed to have a real connection building with Williams in practices. He needed to take advantage of second-round pick Luther Burden III being out from the end of rookie camp on with a soft tissue injury, and did exactly that to set himself up in a good place within the offense heading to training camp.

10. DE Dominique Robinson

Considering he's only been able to get into half the games in his second and third seasons, just getting mentioned by Johnson as a surprise player showed he will at least be on the roster heading into camp.

The Losers

1. T Braxton Jones

He's still rehabbing and there's no reason to think he won't be back from the broken leg for camp, but any player who can't get on the field all offseason when a new offense is installed is landing in the "L" column.

2. WR Luther Burden III

The rookie at least got on the field and familiarized himself with some pro concepts in the passing game in two days of rookie camp. However, the tipping point pushing him into the loser category is he remains unsigned with both of the other Bears second-rounders and there is a blockade for all second-round picks in the NFL now as they all seek fully guaranteed contracts. For all anyone knows at this point, he might not even be at camp when it starts.

3. DE Austin Booker

He had every opportunity to be the edge rusher who got mentioned by Johnson as a surprise player at edge rusher, and instead it was Robinson. They need someone else still to provide Dayo Odeyingbo or Montez Sweat some rest during games in a rotation but Booker did nothing to stand out in offseason work to make anyone think signing a veteran edge rusher is a waste of money.

4. WR Tyler Scott

His roster spot already looked to be in question after they signed Zaccheaus, Devin Duvernay and drafted Burden, but OTAs and minicamp showed there are a number of others who can contribute as receivers, especially Samori Toure. It's easily shaping up as the position with the toughest camp competition.

5. Owner George McCaskey

Even the Fire is getting a new stadium before the Bears, and it's within the city. Meanwhile, Kevin Warren hasn't been able to even get the state to sign off on any public expenditures for the Arlington Heights stadium project. The shovel was supposed to be in the ground this year and they've got to wait now until the fall session in Springfield to try and get the OK.

Maybe some digging in 2026? 2027? 2099?

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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.