Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears will hold the first practice of their 2026 mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, and several players will be worth watching. That is, assuming those key players are on the field during the session.
Additionally, where the Bears put some of their players–both out of necessity and pure preference will be something to keep an eye on, too.
They are running out of time together as a group during the offseason program.
3 Things to Watch For as Bears Begin Mandatory Minicamp
Player Participation Key for Bears
Johnson and the Bears closed out their final set of organized team activities amid plenty of questions regarding Kyler Gordon and Montez Sweat. But they also still need to get Dayo Odeyingbo and T.J. Edwards up to speed.
Edwards and Odeyingbo were present for the final session that was open to the media. Neither participated in team drills.
Their participation is key, with training camp the next time the team will reconvene.
Odeyingbo could face competition from Austin Booker, but Edwards, Gordon, and Sweat are clear-cut starters for a defense that was much-maligned in 2025. Sweat is the only one of the group not working his way back from a known injury.
Johnson has openly lamented Gordon’s lack of participation over the last year plus, but he is hardly the only one under the microscope. The Bears have several depth options to monitor for participation, too.
Position Battles to Monitor
For those Bears players who are expected to be present based on their participation in OTAs, center Garrett Bradbury appears to be the one most in jeopardy of losing his starting job before the regular season.
The Bears acquired Bradbury in a trade with the New England Patriots following the surprising retirement of Pro Bowler Drew Dalman.
However, the Bears then drafted Logan Jones in the second round this year.
Jones is an older and more experienced rookie prospect than average, and his progress will determine how long the veteran Bradbury’s tenure in Chicago lasts. Bradbury has already emerged on speculative trade radars following Jones’ arrival.
The Bears should not be expected to make any significant decisions until their lines face live action. That is, barring an injury emerging.
The other big one to watch for is first-round pick Dillon Thieneman. He could not usurp incumbent Elijah Hicks for starting reps alongside free agent pickup Coby Bryant.
Operational Fluidity
Johnson has praised the Bears’ players for being sharper this time compared to the same window last offseason. That included quarterback Caleb Williams.
Still, there were some undue hiccups during OTAs.
Penalties were among the biggest reasons the Bears started slowly last season, particularly on offense. Chicago ranked sixth in the NFL and third in the NFC, per The Football Database. The Philadelphia Eagles (10th) were the only other NFC playoff team in the top 10.
Not putting themselves behind the chains could do wonders for the Bears’ efficiency. They will face a tougher slate of opponents than last season, and with a year’s worth of film already out on them.
Ultimately, keeping the team on schedule will fall on Johnson and Williams.
Leave a Reply