Updated
Updated · Chicago Sun-Times · Jul 28
Bears Open Year 2 Under Ben Johnson After 11-6 Season as Caleb Williams Enters Second Camp
Updated
Updated · Chicago Sun-Times · Jul 28

Bears Open Year 2 Under Ben Johnson After 11-6 Season as Caleb Williams Enters Second Camp

3 articles · Updated · Chicago Sun-Times · Jul 28

Summary

  • Ben Johnson used the eve of training camp to stress that Chicago is starting a “new chapter,” even after an 11-6 debut season that brought an NFC North title and a playoff win over Green Bay.
  • Year 2, Johnson said, should bring more sophistication across the building, with Caleb Williams now operating the offense more naturally instead of thinking through every pre-snap detail.
  • Ryan Poles framed the roster as still “hunting” rather than defending anything, a nod to expectations after a season in which the Bears relied on six fourth-quarter comebacks and another in the playoffs.
  • Left tackle remains an open competition, while Poles singled out rookie receiver Luther Burden as a player who brings visible fire heading into camp.
  • Johnson also cautioned that, despite last season’s surge, he is still growing as a head coach in only his second year while facing division rivals with far more experience.

Insights

After losing DJ Moore and facing the NFL's most brutal schedule, can Caleb Williams prevent a massive Chicago Bears regression this season?
Can breakout receiver Luther Burden truly replace DJ Moore's production and save the Bears from a grueling 2026 schedule collapse?