Chicago Bears: 5 Bold predictions for the rest of training camp

Now that the Chicago Bears training camp has been open for a week we will make bold predictions on what to expect going forward.

Chicago Bears training camp is in full swing. Yesterday, the players practiced in full pads for the first time. They get to hit other players in just eight days as they play their first preseason game. They play the Houston Texans in the Hall of Fame Game on August 1st.

There will be a lot that happens between today and Week 1. With all of the changes General Manager Ryan Poles made this offseason, there is a lot of hope that this is the start of a new era of winning for the Chicago Bears. The fans are desperate to see their team win again. It is tiring to have only the 1985 team to continue to admire.

There will also be some big surprises between now and then. Some players we never thought could make the roster and others who are popular might not. Poles feels great pride in the fact that making the Chicago Bears now is a difficult task. There is talent up and down the roster now and the team is ready to compete for real.

Here are some bold predictions for the rest of the Chicago Bears training camp.

Byard makes people forget about Jackson

This offseason, the Chicago Bears decided to part ways with safety Eddie Jackson. Jackson was a two-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro. He was one of the NFL’s top ballhawks. In his first three seasons, he had 10 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles, and 5 fumble recoveries. He had 5 turnovers returned for touchdowns and even added two sacks.

Alas, Father Time got to Jackson. Injuries cut short his last two seasons and the Chicago Bears felt the need to change.

To replace Jackson, Poles added Kevin Byard. Byard can end up being a big upgrade over Jackson. He is a two-time All-Pro. While Jackson has an interception in 15 percent of his career games, Byard has one in 21.5 percent of his games.

Byard is on a mission to show that people are wrong about him. Last season, he was traded from the Tennessee Titans to the Philadephia Eagles. Since the Eagles had a terrible ending to their season (especially the defense), Byard took the brunt of the blame.

However, when looking closer at his season between the two teams, Byard had a strong season. He had a career-high in tackles with 122. The problem was that the Eagles misplayed him. They had him playing in the slot instead of roaming around.

With the Chicago Bears, Byard will cover one side of the field, and Jaquan Brisker, the strong safety, will cover the other. That way, the coaches can disguise what they want to do. Byard will be free to roam.

Last season, the Chicago Bears had three players eclipse 100 tackles. Imagine having Byard doing the same. Additionally, Byard has not missed a game in his career. He can make people forget all about Jackson in a hurry and help the defense reach elite status.

Booker can make the decision to bring in an edge rusher difficult

There is something about Austin Booker. Yes, he is a rookie. He has only 580 total snaps in his career. He is supposed to be a project. However, it seems that he is already on his way to becoming a star. He looks nothing like the inexperienced project that most feel he is.

Booker looks like a seasoned veteran when he is on the field. We saw that in Kansas when he led the Jayhawks defense in tackles for loss and sacks despite playing as a reserve. When the ball snaps, he has a myriad of moves to get him into the backfield. He also has the quickness and athleticism to succeed.

Booker could make the decision to bring in a veteran pass rusher more difficult to make. It is a big decision for Poles. He hears all the fans and analysts around the league say that the Chicago Bears desperately need another pass rusher who can complement Montez Sweat.

The decision is bigger since two of the top free-agent edge rushers are starting to make their team visits. Emmanuel Ogbah and Yannick Ngakoue are scheduled to visit the Miami Dolphins. Ngakoue was with the Bears last season so he is familiar with the system. Additionally, he was playing much better when Sweat came aboard than he had up to that time.

Ogbah was with the Dolphins so he may have an advantage in Miami. That could work out for the Chicago Bears. However, Poles already said he is happy with what he has so far. If Booker continues his ascension, Poles may shock people and stay put with what he has.

Dexter will show that he will have a breakout season

The talk of training camp so far is defensive tackle Gervon Dexter. He earned the starting job, as the Chicago Bears let Justin Jones depart to the Arizona Cardinals via free agency. Dexter wants to make the best of his opportunity and worked hard this offseason to make sure he succeeds.

What Dexter has done is transform his body. He slimmed down and built up his strength. He was ridiculously athletic for his frame last season. That will just shoot up now that he slimmed down.

Sweat mentioned that Dexter passed the defensive end conditioning testing. That is how much better shape he is in today. He is preparing to have a breakout season and become a star.

Williams will be better than gold

There is a lot of hope pinned on Caleb Williams leading the new-look offense. Many people feel he can quickly become the first Chicago Bears quarterback to surpass the 4,000-yard passing mark. They expect the touchdowns to come in bunches with Williams throwing with his eyes closed.

While the Bears have a lot of talent on the offense, it will take some time for Williams to get on the same page as his teammates. Remember, he is still a rookie. He has a lot of responsibilities. If is a difficult job to get the system down pat. Add to it the ability to read defenses and make the proper plays and it is a lot to handle.

The Chicago Bears threw a lot at Williams to prepare him for this job. They also built the offense for him to succeed. He will have some bumps early on, but then he will open up. This is what he has prepared for since he was a little tyke. He invites the pressure. Well, he got it. 

What Williams does once the curtains are raised in the regular season is a question. However, he will get a lot of work at practice and during preseason games. He will impress and raise the hopes for the 2024 season.  

The Three Amigos will be better than advertised

The Chicago Bears have what could be the best trio of wide receivers in the NFL. D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, and Rome Odunze could all be WR1s on most teams. Odunze, who could be the best of the three, starts his career as WR3. Allen, who was a Pro Bowl receiver in 2023 (and a six-time Pro Bowler), will be WR2. He recently talked about how Odunze is already better than he was as a rookie.

There is a lot of talent in the wide receiver room. Add in Tyler Scott, who has big-play ability, and this is downright ridiculous. If WIlliams can get it going with this talented group of receivers, then the scoreboard will be smoking with all the points scored.

The Three Amigos will be better than advertised as training camp progresses. It helps that they will go up against a tough Chicago Bears secondary that could be the best in the league. They will wow the crowds at training camp and raise hopes even higher for the regular season.

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