Bear Digest

Why Ben Johnson likes Bears joint practices with Bills and Dolphins

The joint practice schedule for the Bears at training camp seems much less dangerous than what some teams have had in the past but still have the capability of being volatile.
Gene Chamberlain|
Training camp this year for the Bears will have one joint practice session each at Halas Hall with the Dolphins and Bills.
Training camp this year for the Bears will have one joint practice session each at Halas Hall with the Dolphins and Bills. | David Banks-Imagn Images

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The intense nature of Ben Johnson's Bears OTA practices are only the beginning.

Training camp always amps up the pressure and Johnson's plan for it already has taken shape with even more of this in mind, although he's not going overboard.

Last week the team revealed there would be joint practices held with the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins at Halas Hall prior to their preseason game. The exact dates haven't described by the Bears.

However, it will be only one practice per team as Johnson confirmed. He also described why he likes doing this.

“The plan is just to be one day with each of those teams," Johnson said. "The way I view those in the past have been, it's a good opportunity to break up camp a little bit of a controlled setting–yet high intensity. I think the competitive nature of just about everybody, once you get in between those white lines against an opponent like that, it goes up another notch. That'll be good."

Johnson's experience in Detroit with a joint practice against the Giants was beyond intense last year. It took it too far and numerous fights broke out, resulting in a fine for both teams.

He's not counting on something like that, and having just one practice could help.

The Lions had two days of practices with the Colts in 2022, two days each with the Giants and Jaguars in 2023, and two days with the Giants last year when the massive fighting broke out. They had some skirmishes in the earlier practices, too, although probably no more than occur at many joint practices held throughout the NFL.

Two straight days often invites trouble. If one team has an advantage on Day 1, retribution can be sought the next practice.

One day for each team and then the preseason games could make it all a little more civilized.

"It'll be at that point in training camp where we've had, call it 12, 13, 14 practices in, and just a little bit different will be good for us," Johnson said.

In other words, they've gotten tired of hitting each other and hitting someone else will be a refreshing change.

"For everybody, coaches and players alike, it’ll be fun to go against a different scheme," Johnson said. "That thought process, the problems that arise that way, but also for our players being able to compete against a different opponent.

"The controlled setting of it is really important. I'm excited for both of those opportunities."

Control being the key word.

The Dolphins practice will likely be Aug. 8, prior to the Aug. 10 start to preseason with a noon game at Soldier Field. The Bills practice likely would be Aug. 15, prior to the Sunday, Aug. 17 home game at 7 p.m.

The preseason tickets are available now but the practice tickets will be given out this summer through the team's website.

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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.