News Bears Team Notes

[Chicago Bears]

Which player in franchise history do you remember but no one else does?

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We all have them. That player for the Chicago Bears who, for some reason, hit you in the feels. They didn’t set any records. No Pro Bowls or Top 100 placements. They may not even have played that long. But they were your favorite, and you still remember them fondly. Maybe they were your target in the draft, and you counted down the draft slots until the Bears were on the clock. You were thrilled when the Bears drafted them! Maybe it’s a player that caught your eye in the preseason, and you just knew they were a diamond in the rough. If only the Bears had just given them more of a chance. Maybe it's a starter who did the little things, and while their accomplishments are now shadowed in the obscurity of yesteryear as time marches ever onward...you still remember their shining moments with the clarity of just yesterday. Or maybe they had that one shining moment with the Bears, a key play that secured one of your most satisfying victories—before they once again faded into obscurity.

For me, my forgotten player from yesteryear—a player I can’t recall a single discussion about in my long time of talking about the Bears on the internet—is one I remember because he is associated with one of my core teenage memories. I’m not sure a single Bears fan has given him a thought in 30 years. Outside of my own musings, his Bears career may as well never have existed. And frankly, I wouldn’t remember him either if it weren’t for...but well, we will get to that.

You see, my player is Brad Muster. Bradley William Muster, born April 11, 1965. He was an unassuming fullback/tailback out of the Stanford Cardinal. He was drafted in a day when fullbacks were valued, and so the Bears took him late in the first round of the 1988 NFL draft. But even in 1988, it was a strange pick, and widely considered to be a reach. Muster would play for the Bears for five seasons. In his best year for the Chicago Bears (1992), he would rush for only 662 yards, albeit at a 4.7 yards per carry clip. In no other season would he rush for more than 415 yards for the Bears. His job on the Chicago Bears was to serve mostly as a blocking back for Neal Anderson (and we all remember Neal Anderson). After five relatively healthy seasons with the Bears, he would spend two more injury-plagued seasons with the New Orleans Saints before he retired. Today, Brad Muster is an assistant coach for the men’s golf team at Santa Rosa Junior College in Santa Rosa, California.

Why do I remember this so very forgettable Chicago Bear? Well, Brad Muster, along with Neal Anderson, happened to be one of the running backs you could use to rush the ball as the Chicago Bears in Tecmo Super Bowl, the classic NFL video game for the original NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) released in 1991, that was the sequel to Tecmo Bowl. And I loved it. I played multiple seasons all the way to the championship with the Bears. I played against my brothers. I played against my friends. And I played against the NES. As you might expect, the Bears' rushing attack was its best feature on offense in the game. And so, while Brad Muster, in the real world, did little to distinguish himself, he was a Pro Bowl-caliber player in Super Tecmo Bowl. Let me tell you - Muster and Anderson won me MULTIPLE Super Bowls in the summer of 1992. He was a bruiser, never going down at first contact. My brothers learned to curse his name. And so, to this day, I remember Brad Muster, Chicago Bear running back. And I continue to remember him fondly.

So, what Chicago Bears player do you remember that no one else does? Tell us about it in the comments!

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...lse-does-chicago-bears-tecmo-bowl-brad-muster

 

[Chicago Bears]

Bears activate Case Keenum off the Active/Non-Football Injury list

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Yesterday, the Chicago Bears placed four players on the Active/Non-Football Injury list (NFI): backup quarterback Case Keenum, corner Jaylon Johnson, running back Ian Wheeler, and wide receiver Jahdae Walker. I figured these would be short-lived placements, and earlier today, they already activated Keenum off the list.

The NFI list is for players who can’t practice due to an illness or injury that occurred outside of the team’s normal football activities. It’s not for players who are dealing with personal issues or are dissatisfied with their current deal. I feel I need to mention that because fan speculation about Jaylon Johnson being added to the list for being upset about his contract was all over social media. He may want to renegotiate his deal, but that would be a seperate issue from the NFI.

Rookies and quarterbacks reported to Halas Hall yesterday, with veterans expected to report on Tuesday. The first training camp practice will be on Wednesday, and I would not be surprised to see the other three players removed from the list this week.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...otball-injury-list-jaylon-johnson-ian-wheeler

 

[Chicago Bears]

Training Camp Battles: LT: Braxton Jones vs Kiran Amegadjie vs Ozzy Trapilo

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

The left tackle position for the Chicago Bears is going to be the battle everyone is watching.

Chicago Bears training camp opens this week!

With that news, we bring you are final training camp battle to watch for 2025, and it’s the one that everyone is going to be watching the closest: left tackle.

The situation here is interesting as a training camp battle largely because of Braxton Jones’ health.

When will Jones get on the field? Jones fractured his ankle late in the season, and the expectation (at the time) was that Jones would miss OTAs but be ready for training camp. The Bears, however, have not given any kind of timetable for Jones, and now we are hearing he’s going to be limited as training camp opens.

How long will Jones be limited? How much can the two other left tackles potentially establish themselves before Jones starts practicing in full?

Let’s look at the three participants in this battle, beyond Jones’ health.

First, we have Jones, the incumbent. Jones will win this job if the other two don’t take it from him. If the rookie, Ozzy Trapilo, looks shaky with pads on, and the second-year man, Kiran Amegadjie, doesn’t show much improvement, the Bears know they have a perfectly reliable left tackle in Braxton Jones who will step on the field in September and get the job done.

Jones won’t be flashy, he won’t be overpowering, but he will be good enough. With the Bears' improved offensive line, Jones would go from being arguably the best player on the Bears' line in 2024 to their worst in 2025. If Jones is your worst lineman, you have a pretty darn good line.

Amegadjie needs to show massive improvement from the last time we saw him on the field to be considered for a starting spot. Amegadjie, most likely, is competing for the swing tackle position, not the starting tackle position, but if Jones stays on the shelf for a few more weeks and Amegadjie starts to impress, things can change.

We’ve heard it all about Amedgadjie already. He was going to be a project. He was a toolsy player with good feet. He needed to adjust to tougher competition. He was hurt last summer and didn’t have a true training camp.

We are now entering year two, and everything from the last paragraph is now an excuse. It was all legitimate last season; this season, it’s not. Amegadjie has been on the team a year; he’s had a year to adjust to the speed of the league. It’s time to show massive improvement.

The reports out of OTAs with Amedgadjie weren’t great. It certainly makes you wonder if Amedgadjie isn’t going to become the guy the Bears hoped he could be. But, to be fair, let’s also not put too much stock into how Amedgadjie looked in shorts in May.

If Amedgadjie doesn’t step up, the door will open for rookie Ozzy Trapilo. Trapilo is an interesting prospect. I had Trapilo as my favorite tackle in this draft, which I didn’t have a first-round grade on. My tackle rankings were Will Campbell, Armand Membou, Josh Simmons, Josh Conerly, and Kelvin Banks. I had those as my first round tackles, and sixth on my list was Trapilo.

I say that to say that I was higher on Trapilo during the draft process than most experts were, and I was thrilled the Bears nabbed him late in round two.

Why did I like Trapilo? I liked him because he doesn’t screw up. He doesn’t make many ‘wow’ blocks, but he doesn’t get beat very often. If Trapilo gets opportunities with the 1s (and he will) and shows that he can hold his own against Dayo Odeyingbo and Montez Sweat, he’s going to quickly cement himself as the team’s starting left tackle before Braxton Jones even gets back on the field.

I think there are two competitions within this position group. It’s Trapilo against Jones for LT1, and it’s Trapilo vs Amegadjie for LT2.

One other question we have to at least pose: if both Trapilo and Amegadjie look good, would the Bears consider trading Braxton Jones to a team that needs help at tackle?

It’s important to note that if Amedgadjie struggles this summer, you cannot risk trading Jones and leaving a rookie and a struggling second-year player as your tackles. But if both look good and the Bears have a gluttonous amount of tackles, they might be able to get a decent pick for Jones for a good team that needs some help at tackle.

I think the reality of the situation here is that Amedgadjie will not show enough for the Bears to be confident and he will settle in as the LT3 on this team, but I do believe Braxton Jones will lose his job to Ozzy Trapilo and settle in as the team’s swing tackle, while the rookie, Trapilo, earns the starting job this year.

This should be the training camp battle we hear about regularly. We will be hearing daily updates as to which tackle is with the 1s each day, how they are playing, and how this competition is shaking out. Training camp is just a few days away, and Bears football is finally here. Buckle up.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...xton-jones-vs-kiran-amegadjie-vs-ozzy-trapilo

 

[Chicago Bears]

Chicago Bears 2025 Position Battles: Wide receiver room may already be set

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

We preview the Chicago Bears’ wideouts here.

All last offseason, there was considerable hope for the Chicago Bears’ rebuilt 2024 offense. There was a new quarterback, new receivers, new running back, new tight end, and a new play caller, but they never got on the same page. It was inconsistent throughout the year.

Chicago’s top three wide receivers famously had a ‘race to a thousand’ that no one reached. DJ Moore came the closest with 966 yards, followed by Keenan Allen (744) and rookie Rome Odunze (734). Thinking back on the spacing issues that plagued the offense, it’s a wonder someone got as close as they did.

That changes with Ben Johnson calling plays and Antwaan Randle El coaching the position.

A recent report from Jeff Risdon of the Lions Wire discussed how Johnson “micromanaged the timing and spacing details” of his Detroit Lions offense, which was presented as a negative as Risdon explored the style of Detroit’s new offensive coordinator. However, I can’t see being meticulous as a bad thing. The Lions had a top-five offense each year that Johnson was their offensive coordinator, and quarterback Jared Goff averaged over 4,500 passing yards.

I’d welcome some of that micromanagement in Chicago.

Roster Locks​

There’s been no ‘race to a thousand’ bandied about this offseason, but I can see Moore and Odunze each flirting with quadruple digits. Moore has done it four previous times in his career, and Odunze has number one receiver potential after dominating the PAC-12.

Rookie second-round pick Luther Burden III figures to eventually become Chicago’s number three receiver, but after missing most of the offseason with a soft tissue injury, it may take him a while to claim that role.

The Bears signed 27-year-old Olamide Zaccheaus in free agency before Burden was drafted, so it’ll be him and Burden fighting it out for the third receiver role. He’s coming off a career-best 45 catches, plus he has some special teams value.

Free agent Devin Duvernay will be the primary return specialist, and he may get a handful of snaps on offense.

A Good Bet to Make it​

That’s five wideouts I have as locks, so if they do carry a sixth, that guy will need to really flash in the next month and show some third-phase value.

On the Bubble​

I’m not sure if anyone else makes the 53, because the other receivers on the roster all seem safe to put on the 16-man practice squad and move up as needed.

Former Lion Maurice Alexander could have an inside track on a practice squad spot.

Former 2019 third-round pick Miles Boykin is another guy who has a good chance of sticking around the practice squad due to his special teams experience.

Samori Toure and John Jackson were on the practice squad last year, but may end up elsewhere in 2025.

Tyler Scott has appeared in 28 games over the last two years, but his career trajectory seems to be going the wrong way.

Rookie undrafted free agent JP Richardson (5’11”, 192) out of TCU probably projects to a slot receiver in the NFL. As a senior, he had 57 receptions for 733 yards, and he returned 23 punts for 252.

Earlier today, the Bears brought in wide receiver DJ Chark for a workout, so they may already be looking to churn the bottom of the depth chart.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...er-training-camp-preview-rome-odunze-dj-moore

 

[Chicago Bears]

Chicago Bears Training Camp 2025 Day 1 Notes: ‘This is a race now.’

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Ryan Poles, Ben Johnson and Grady Jarrett met with the media today at Halas Hall to open Training Camp. We share some takeaways here.

Football. Is. Back.

With the Chicago Bears’ season officially underway now that the first day of training camp is upon us, we got to hear from some leadership at Halas Hall.

GM Ryan Poles is speaking with the media https://t.co/mh1qRPvzAI

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) July 22, 2025​

First was Ryan Poles, who expressed excitement for everyone returning to Halas Hall. He then mentioned Jaylon Johnson on the NFI list due to a leg injury sustained during the offseason and lauded Braxton Jones and Colston Loveland for their offseason work. Both are back and will be ramped up in the early part of camp.

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Poles mentioned the team has signed DE Tanoh Kpassagnon and DB Trey Flowers - more to come on those two.

Next was Ben Johnson, who brought immediate energy upon arrival - almost as if there is another human on this planet as excited for football as all of us here at WCG.

Coach reported that players “have taken the summer seriously” and have come to camp in shape and are excited about the competition throughout the roster and “bringing the playbook to life.”

He highlighted the novel opportunity this is for himself and the whole team and how critical these next few weeks are towards building trust and getting ready for the season. The next 6 weeks are about them coming together - trust is hard to earn and easy to lose. When asked what he is looking for from his team, he mentioned “dependability, consistency and production on a day in and day out basis, not only players but the coaches as well. Looking forward to getting better day by day, brick by brick.”

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

That said, he realizes “it's not linear - there’s gonna be bumps, ups and downs, and easy to have a bad day or two and get all panicky. That’s not gonna be us.” Coach was asked specifically about Caleb and any benchmarks, and he responded with a 70% completion percentage goal. Something to monitor, no doubt!

As we all expected, coach admitted his staff was by design when it comes to the amount of experience throughout and said he plans on leaning on his coaches with experience all around him.

Coach talked about the identity being both something that will come organically based on the players, staff, and how they all come together and perform, and highlighted that on offense, it's about being explosive and detailed, and on defense, press the edge and stop the run. He repeatedly mentioned the importance of joint practices in evaluating players, establishing identity, and learning from each other as a team.

Asked about the Left Tackle spot and the competition multiple times, Coach highlighted it is wide open and how everything each player does will matter. They plan to know by week 1 who the starting five will be - if it takes 3 weeks, great. If it takes 6 weeks, great. But Darnell Wright will be sticking on the right side. I repeat, Darnell Wright is NOT currently an option at Left Tackle.

In an interesting shout-out, Coach signaled out Colston Loveland and said there was not a player in the building more than the rookie from Michigan this offseason, and how he (Loveland) wants to be a factor here this fall.

However, my favorite line was when coach said “This is a race now. Everything is a race the next 6 weeks for week 1.” Vibes are high that we finally have a coach who understands and embraces that fact to the extent he can prepare his team accordingly.

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Grady Jarrett represented the Defense on Tuesday. The 10-year vet is excited to be in camp 11 and plans to get better every year. In “grind now mode and all the feel-good reflections are over with. Time to go to work.”

Gotta love that lunch pail mentality. The key to ramping up for camp is “not to ramp up but to go balls to the wall every day.” Jarrett showed exactly the type of “grinder mentality” that this team needs and his leadership will be just what the young defensive front needs.

Caleb Williams was supposed to meet the media, but has yet to do so. As soon as he does, you know where to find those updates!

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What were some of your takeaways from the opening press conference for the Chicago Bears Training Camp?​

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...-nuggets-ben-johnson-ryan-poles-grady-jarrett