Predicting Chicago Bears Training Camp Standouts and Fan Favorites

The Chicago Bears held their first day of training camp practices on Wednesday. They added an ample amount of competition to their roster this offseason, and their 90-man roster stacks up with some of the league's most established contenders.

That added competition, combined with the raised expectations after their best season in 15 years, should raise the stakes for everyone on the roster.

However, one thing that has remained constant over the years has been early training camp standouts. There are always a few players who thrive early in training camp only to disappear when the games start to matter. In fact, some players don't even survive roster cut-down day.

At the same time, there are also a few early standouts who prove that the flashes are a sign of things to come. Colton Loveland and Jahdae Walker immediately come to mind as players who stood out at this time last season.

Which players could prove to be the training camp darlings this season?

Zavion Thomas

Speed kills, and that's especially true at this time of the year. Receiver Zavion Thomas ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. That type of game-breaking speed will be evident every time he gets the ball in his hands.

It's easy to envision a scenario where Caleb Williams launches a healthy dose of deep balls to the speedster as he runs by the Bears' CB room. No one on that unit has enough speed to beat Thomas in a foot race. Ben Johnson might not want to completely show his hand with how he deploys Thomas on offense in training camp, but he could also get some snaps out of the backfield. If he shows up all over the field, then fans will take notice.

Dillon Thieneman

Low-hanging fruit? Sure. The Bears drafted Dillon Thieneman with the 25th overall pick for a reason. The 21-year-old should look good in shorts and shells from late-July to mid-August. Still, if he picks up Dennis Allen's scheme quickly, then I could definitely see a scenario where he looks GREAT.

Thieneman ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash at the combine. (Are you noticing a theme?) That speed should allow him to stand out from the crowd and make life very difficult on opposing quarterbacks over the next month. Iron sharpens iron, and getting as many reps as possible against Caleb Williams will be beneficial for Thieneman's development early this season.

Hayden Large

It's impossible not to root for Hayden Large if you know his story. It would be an understatement to say tight end took the road less traveled on his way to the NFL, as a freak injury almost derailed his career before it even got off the ground.

Even if you don't know his story, you'll probably see him lining up in the backfield. Probably right between the running back and quarterback in I-Formation plays. If you're not picking up what I'm putting down.. Large may be listed as a TE, but he's much more of a fullback in the traditional sense. He's a road-grader in the running game.

Maybe it's nostalgia, or maybe it's the fact that they do the dirty work and get little credit for it, but there's something about fullbacks that endears them to people. Large will gather a healthy dose of fans next month. Ben Johnson already seems to be one of them.

Jahdae Walker

If you were paying attention closely, Jahdae Walker made a name for himself at this time last year before he REALLY made a name for himself later in the season. He had everyone looking up who number 20 on offense (specifically on offense, because Zah Frazier wore the number on defense) was.

Walker managed to stick around after a strong preseason performance, and he eventually came in clutch on a few occasions late in the season. I think he'll lock up his roster status relatively early in training camp this season. He'll be eager to show that his rookie campaign was no fluke, and could even carve out a role in some three-receiver sets.

Luke Newman

Backup guard Luke Newman might not be flashy, but backup offensive linemen rarely are. Well, besides undrafted rookie Caden Barnett, who affectionately earned the nickname "Vanilla Gorilla" for his mauling playing style at the collegiate level. Newman and Barnett might be competing for the same job, so I guess the "fan favorite" aspect of this one might not be in the second-year man's favor.

Still, the "standout" one probably will be. Newman was a rock-solid starter at Michigan State, and he played well in limited action (against a tough Steelers' defensive front) after Jonah Jackson went down last season. He's a good player who should have an inside track at one of the backup jobs on the interior. I think last year's sixth-round pick will lock that job up relatively easily.

Tony Fields II

Linebacker Tony Fields II might not be on many people's radar, but he is coming off a season where he thrived on the United Football League's Columbus Aviators. The 27-year-old was named to the All-UFL team and was one of the top defenders in the entire league. While he hasn't enjoyed nearly as much success in his NFL career to this point, he does have 10 career starts under his belt with Cleveland.

The Bears added a healthy dose of competition to the linebacker room this offseason, but Fields' special teams experience could help him grab one of the final spots at backup LB. With how many injuries the unit experienced last season, it's one of the more underrated position battles to keep an eye on over the next month.

Terell Smith

Terell Smith is the forgotten man in Chicago's secondary. He was sidelined all of last season after suffering a torn patellar tendon in the preseason. However, it's easy to forget that Smith held his own over his six career starts through his first two seasons.

He was pushing Tyrique Stevenson for playing time during that span, and could challenge for the CB2 job once again. Smith is entering the final year of his rookie contract and will be eager to show that he can survive as a starting-caliber option once again. I think the competition will bring out the best in him, and he could turn heads with a strong performance in training camp.

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