The Skeptic's Guide to Training Camp: NFC North

The NFC North is wide open and full of both competitive-but-flawed teams and compelling training camp storylines. Let's dive right in!

Chicago Bears

A franchise standing on the corner of Fluke Boulevard and Rising Star Avenue. (That’s an intersection somewhere in Northern Indiana.)

Leadership Structure

Ben Johnson may actually be the offensive mastermind he’s billed as. Dennis Allen is a no-nonsense defensive coordinator. GM Ryan Poles is lucky to work with Johnson and Allen.

Quarterback

Caleb Williams is outstanding at making impossible throws and has gotten much better at making easy throws. If he figures out the in-between throws, watch out. 

Offense

Colston Loveland and Luther Burden are up-and-comers. Rome Odunze also can be, if he can stay healthy. The offensive line must overcome the unexpected retirement of center Drew Dalman. D’Andre Swift’s greatest talent is his ability to stumble into ideal situations.

Defense

No defense benefited more from facing a weaker slate of quarterbacks last year than the Bears. Except the Patriots defense. And the Jaguars defense. OK, the Bears defense was one of several that benefited from facing a weak slate of quarterbacks last year. And it has no pass rush.

Special Teams

Poles drafted LSU’s Zavion Thomas in the third round to return punts and kickoffs. Poles keeps searching for his own Devin Hester but finding lots of Velus Joneses.

Camp Stuff

Odunze played through a stress fracture in his left foot for much of last season; the injury sidelined him in December, though he returned for the playoffs. Odunze elected to not have surgery and will be ready to go for training camp, but he doesn’t exactly sound like he’s 100%. "This is my new normal," Odunze said during OTAs, per ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. "And it's not from a standpoint that I'm always in pain, but the way my foot broke there's calluses in there that, like, creates a different type of foot structure.”

If the Giants heard one of their star receivers talking like that, they’d rush out and sign Amari Toomer and Mario Manningham. Maybe the Bears have reached out to Willie Gault.

The Bears pass rush currently consists of Montez Sweat and the vain hope that the opposing quarterback is always J.J. McCarthy. Austin Booker (4.5 sacks last year) and Dayo Odeyingbo (1.0 before a midseason Achilles injury) will be battling for the edge role opposite Sweat. Bears observers will be monitoring the Mercenary Ring Chasing Edge Rusher market carefully, with visions of Joey Bosa-types dancing in their heads.

LONG SNAPPER BATTLE: Luke Elkin vs. Beau Gardner. Bill Zimmerman of Windy City Gridiron will tell you all about it. I’m picturing Bears beat writers carefully watching the snaps during special teams drills instead of doing what beat writers are supposed to do during team drills: grab water bottles and futz around on social media. It’s a living. 

Early Thoughts

The Bears appear to be going about things the right way. There are jobs up for grabs that weren’t mentioned in “camp thoughts:” Allen has a lot of sorting to do in the secondary, for example. Johnson will soon start downplaying Williams’ 2026 success in his Gloomy Gus way, ensuring that neither their quarterback nor his family lets an offseason of hype go to anyone’s head. The Bears appear to be operating like a team that still thinks it's a year away. Tempering expectations is a wise approach. This roster is not fully baked yet.  

At least we are no longer wondering whether Williams knows how to watch film anymore. That’s real progress! 

Detroit Lions

Working title of their future ESPN 30 for 30: 

The Dan Campbell Lions: This Is Gonna Be Fun, Wasn’t It?