The Good and Not So Good From Day 12 of Chicago Bears Training Camp

The Chicago Bears completed Day 12 of training camp on Tuesday, and as was the case on Day 10 of training camp, practice had to be moved indoors due to inclement weather. Head coach Ben Johnson announced prior to practice that he was going to run a challenging scrimmage. The players received a game plan the night before, just as they would before a real game, but the coaches would call plays in the moment without a script.

According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, the offense started off hot with multiple chunk plays, but the defense responded and had the upper hand at the end. That said, here's the good and not so good from Tuesday, starting with the elephant in the room.

Not So Good: Surgery for Coby Bryant

After Coby Bryant was carted off with a leg injury early last week, we initially heard that he would not need surgery and would only be out for eight to 10 weeks. Unfortunately, he did in fact get surgery on his knee and will now be out for four to six months. In a best-case scenario, Braynt would return for the last few games and be ready for the playoffs. But any longer than that and he will have missed the entire season.

There's no way to sugarcoat this one, folks. This is a devastating injury for the Bears, and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is going to be challenged to overcome this loss.

Good: Ozzy Trapilo's timetable to return

Cole Kmet and Ozzy Trapilo — Chicago Bears TE Cole Kmet celebrates a touchdown with OT Ozzy Trapilo. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Coby Bryant's knee surgery was the second of two significant injury updates on Tuesday, and luckily for the Bears, the first one was overwhelmingly positive. General manager Ryan Poles told Bears reporters Adam Hoge and Adam Jahns that Ozzy Trapilo could return from his injury far sooner than expected. When asked if returning before the end of training camp was on the table, Poles said, "Potentially."

It's hard to overstate what a tremendous development this is for the Bears. Most fans and analysts expected the Bears to go almost the entire season without Trapilo. Instead, he could be back as soon as September. If all goes well, Chicago should once again feature one of the league's best offensive lines.

Not so good: Caleb Williams' accuracy

Ben Johnson and Caleb William — Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson talks to QB Caleb Williams at practice. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

By all accounts, Caleb Williams has taken great strides in his development so far in training camp. He's far ahead of where he was at this point last year, and a Year 3 leap looks more and more likely. However, Tuesday's practice was a minor step back. Adam Hoge of CHGO Bears reported that Williams struggled with his accuracy, missing both Colston Loveland and Kalif Raymond on deep shots after they broke wide open.

Good: The run game is still dominant

Chicago Bears RB D'Andre Swift runs with the ball during Minicamp. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Even if Caleb Williams does indeed take a big step forward in 2026, there will inevitably be times when he struggles. That's when the Bears will need to rely on their running game, and that appears to be just as dominant as it was in 2025. Both D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai stood out in Tuesday's practice, picking up big gains in short yardage situations and running hard against the Bears' defensive front.

Not So Good: Left tackle battle remains uncertain

Chicago Bears offensive tackles Kiran Amegadjie and Theo Benedet during practice. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As Braxton Jones continues to recover from his minor injury last week, it's appearing less likely that he'll play in the Bears' preseason game against the Cleveland Browns this Saturday. Who will get the start in his stead, however, remains uncertain. Both Jedrick Wills Jr. and Kiran Amegadjie got snaps at left tackle on Tuesday, and according to Adam Hoge, neither one separated himself from the other.

Good: TJ Edwards is still a leader

Like much of the Bears' defense last year, T.J. Edwards was frequently banged up. He dealt with a broken hand that required surgery at the same time as a nagging hamstring issue, then saw his season ended in the Wild Card round against Green Bay when he broke his fibula. In all, he missed eight games, including the Bears' heartbreaking Divisional round loss to the Rams.

If his performance in Tuesday's practice is any indicator, however, Edwards is back with a vengeance. He was fired up all throughout practice, showing flashes of his 2023 season with the Bears when he racked up 155 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and three interceptions. The Bears are going to be leaning on his veteran leadership to keep the defense together through some major personnel changes this year.

Sign Up For the Bears Daily Digest - OnSI’s Free Chicago Bears Newsletter

Add us as a preferred source on Google