Ben Johnson making Chicago Bears rookies earn it on team's first depth chart

The Chicago Bears aren't giving their rookies any preferential treatment on the first unofficial depth chart.

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The excitement that's swelled around the Chicago Bears' 2025 rookie class was calmed quite a bit after the team released its first unofficial depth chart of the NFL preseason.

Coach Ben Johnson is all about meritocracy. And it shows with how he slotted his first-year players in the team's position pecking orders.

That is, of course, unless you're a first-round pick.

Only Colston Loveland was listed as a co-starter at tight end with Cole Kmet. Hey, life is good if you're a top-10 selection.

As for the other high-profile members of the Bears' 2025 draft class? They're buried on the depth chart.

Here is the Bears first unofficial depth chart of training camp. Nothing concrete here, per what Ben Johnson said earlier, but to note:

-Braxton Jones listed as starting LT. Ozzy Trapilo as 2nd string.
-Luther Burden III as 3rd string WR behind DJ Moore, Olamide Zaccheaus
-No… pic.twitter.com/YXqXQCy4T9

— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) August 5, 2025

Wide receiver Luther Burden is a third-teamer. Offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo is the No. 2 left tackle. Second-round defensive lineman Shemar Turner? He's a third-stringer. And camp-favorite Kyle Monangai? He's currently the Chicago Bears' fifth-string running back.

Bears fans should love this approach to the team's first unofficial depth chart. Veterans are getting the first crack at proving they deserve to keep their jobs. But that won't last forever, and if the hungry rooks proved during the preseason that they can produce and be trusted, the depth chart will quickly reshuffle.

David Banks-Imagn Images

The one player who's positioning himself to make the biggest jump is Monangai, who was splitting first-team reps during the team's Family Fest practice last weekend. There's absolutely no way he'd log those snaps if he were really a fifth-string RB in the coaches' eyes.

The same goes for Burden, who's been nearly uncoverable during training camp practices. However, he missed almost all of the offseason workout program and the start of camp with a soft-tissue injury. It's put him behind the learning curve in the wide receiver room; he'll close that gap, and he'll jump into the WR3 role soon enough.

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