Chicago Bears open 2024 training camp with Caleb Williams taking command. Key starters Colston Loveland & Braxton Jones cleared to practice on July 22, 2025.
StatPro NFL Beat Reporter
A new era officially dawned at Halas Hall on Tuesday as the Chicago Bears opened training camp, and the two biggest storylines were overwhelmingly positive. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams arrived with a clear mandate from new head coach Ben Johnson to take control of the offense immediately, while first-round pick Colston Loveland and starting left tackle Braxton Jones were both officially cleared to practice, providing a massive boost to the very offense Williams is set to lead.
We want Caleb to take command from Day 1 and set the tone for this offense.
All eyes are on number one. As players reported to camp, head coach Ben Johnson didn't mince words about his expectations for rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. Johnson, the architect of Detroit's top-scoring offenses, made it clear that the learning curve needs to be steep and immediate. 'We want Caleb to take command from Day 1 and set the tone for this offense,' Johnson told the media. This sets a lofty but exciting goal for the former Heisman winner, who is tasked with mastering a new system and establishing himself as the undisputed leader of a franchise desperate for a quarterback to build around.
In a huge sigh of relief for the offense, GM Ryan Poles confirmed that tight end Colston Loveland and left tackle Braxton Jones are 'ready to go' for camp. Loveland, the No. 10 overall pick, missed all of the team's offseason program while rehabbing from shoulder surgery. His dedication didn't go unnoticed, with Coach Johnson remarking, 'I don’t think there’s a guy I saw in the building more this summer than him.' Jones's return from a broken leg solidifies a critical spot protecting Williams' blindside. While both will be eased back into full action, their presence from the start is a major victory for the Bears.
While the quarterback position is set, several key spots are up for grabs. At left tackle, Braxton Jones will have to fend off a challenge from rookie Ozzy Trapilo. The cornerback spot opposite Jaylon Johnson is also a hot contest between incumbent Tyrique Stevenson, Terell Smith, and rookie Zah Frazier. Complicating matters is a league-wide contract dispute over guaranteed money that has left all three of the Bears' second-round picks—WR Luther Burden III, OT Ozzy Trapilo, and DT Shemar Turner—unsigned. Their potential absence could impact these position battles and their early development.
Despite coming off a 5-12 season and holding the longest odds to win the NFC North (+450), the atmosphere at Halas Hall is buzzing with optimism. The arrival of Ben Johnson has injected hope, and the team's social media accounts amplified the excitement with photos of players arriving and new renderings of a proposed lakefront stadium. The focus is clear: build a dynamic, modern offense around Caleb Williams and change the franchise's trajectory. The pieces are in place, but now the work begins to forge a new identity.
With players arriving and the pads about to come on, the talk is over. The immediate focus will be on the ramp-up period for Loveland and Jones, how quickly the unsigned rookies get into the fold, and whether Caleb Williams can truly seize the command his coach has demanded. The journey from 5-12 to contention starts now, with the season opener against the Vikings looming as the first major test.
