4️⃣ Days Until the Season Opener!
Good morning, Bears fans!
The National Football League returns to our televisions tonight with the Patriots and Seahawks replaying last season’s Super Bowl.
It’s not the Bears, but it’ll do.
Headlines
2026 Bears captains announced Caleb Williams, Joe Thuney, Grady Jarrett and Cairo Santos were all voted by teammates to repeat their roles. TJ Edwards replaces Kevin Byard. (Bears By 7)
First depth chart released Most noteworthy slot is Braxton Jones officially at LT and Kentavius Street up front with Grady Jarrett. Cam Lewis slots in front of Malik Muhammad at nickel. (Courtney Cronin)
Rome Odunze ‘day to day’ with foot injury But Ben Johnson is ‘hopeful’ the receiver will play in Carolina on Sunday. (NBC Chicago)
Kyler Gordon rehabbing offsite Ian Rapaport says the corner is working with his own trainer to “accelerate recovery” and that he’ll return a few weeks into the season to start practicing with the team. (RapSheet)
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Can The Offense Speed From The Start?
Can Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears offense come speeding off the blocks in Carolina on Sunday afternoon?
It’s a question none of us really know how to answer.
On one hand, Ben Johnson spent the offseason pumping up players like Luther Burden and telling The Athletic’s Dan Pompei he wanted to lead the highest-scoring offense in league history.
On the other, it’s Week 1. It’s traditionally the game where all the best-laid offseason plans go to die in a mess of ill-timed penalties, pre-snap confusion and just general rust among teammates who haven’t played together in months, if ever.
There’s even a big contrast in what we saw during the preseason. While the Bears first-team offense drew both internal and external praise during practice sessions, it got only one drive of actual game action — an up-and-down drive against Cincinnati’s second-stringers that ended with a field goal.
Asked about a fast start on Tuesday, Williams agreed that getting out fast against an improved Panthers defense would be key.
“Since it’s the first one, it’s the most important,” the Bears quarterback said. “Just being able to try and get out there, set the tone, start fast, get a couple completions.”
Williams said he and Johnson are on a more consistent wavelength than their first Week 1 outing in 2025. But it’s worth noting the Bears opened that game with a touchdown drive against the Vikings and then didn’t score an offensive touchdown again until two minutes left in the 27-24 loss.
Playing complete games from beginning to end has been a main talking point from Johnson and Sunday’s game is the first chance the team will have to prove it.
The good news is that Williams should have the full arsenal at his disposal. D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai are back practicing this week after both running backs suffered training camp setbacks. Same for Burden and Rome Odunze (hopefully).
Colston Loveland should also be a much bigger part of the game plan after only being targeted twice for 12 yards in the 2025 opener.
The Panthers defense should provide a challenge. After improving a historically bad defense from 2024, Carolina went one step farther after the 2025 season by bringing in DE Jaelan Phillips as well as LBs Devin Lloyd and Bobby Okereke.
So Williams will not only have to contend with temperatures that could hit 90, but a Panthers front seven also looking to make a good first impression.
Both Johnson and Williams were eager for the challenge during Tuesday’s press conference. Time will tell if they meet it.
Quotable
“It’s the responsibility of the offense to score every time we touch the grass.”
Bears head coach Ben Johnson
Fun Facts From The Confidence Pick’Em Pool
Free to play. Fun to play. Don’t be left out this season. Enter now.
No one has the Bears losing to the Jets and 40 percent put 17 points on the game.
The Seahawks (93.4 pct) and Bills (90.5 pct) are the two most confident losses.
Reaching the NFC title game is the most popular prediction for the Bears.
Only one person has them missing the playoffs.
Only two people think they'll lose to Carolina this week.
10 people think they'll win the Super Bowl
Predicted record averages out to 11.9-5.1.
Three people have guessed 3,999 yards for the Caleb Williams passing yards tiebreaker.
Worth Your Time
• Ben Johnson made a surprise cameo in the Manningcast schedule release video. (Bleacher Nation)
• Jordan van den Berg and Jayden Loving have a good friendship going as they prepare to make their NFL debuts. (Chicago Bears)
• Where will Caleb Williams rank among NFL quarterbacks at the end of the season? (Sports Illustrated)
• Jason Lieser writes the most critical look at the Bears defense as it heads into Week 1. An important read, from my viewpoint. (Sun Times)
• Kay Adams says we’re getting a Bears-Broncos Super Bowl. (Twitter)
• Friend of Bears By 7 Jonathan Otten has launched a new business selling grater-themed gear including purses and earrings. (The Grater Guys)
• New Caleb Williams mustache t-shirt alert! (BreakingT)
Extra Point
Not cool, Tre’von.
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