Chicago

Bears

Studesville spent 2022-25 serving as the Dolphins’ assistant head coach and running backs coach under former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel. According to the Chicago Sun-Times’ Jason Lieser, over the past year, Johnson has mentioned multiple times that he is fascinated by McDaniel’s creativity in the run game. Lieser did not elaborate on which tactics Johnson is interested in learning more about, but a cursory PFF data review shows the Dolphins used lead run concepts at the league’s third-highest rate (32.5 percent) last year, while Johnson’s Bears used them at just a 14.6 percent rate. Adding some of the creative — and successful — concepts that Studesville learned from McDaniel can only be viewed as a good thing for Bears RBs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai.

Despite some discomfort during his first season in coach Ben Johnson’s offense last year, Williams increased his yards per passing attempt from 6.3 in 2024 to 6.9 in 2025. He is expected to take another step this season. Part of Williams’ increased comfort comes from knowing exactly what’s expected of him in the Bears’ offense, and “what to expect when the team returns for training camp in six weeks.” Williams admits to feeling like he was “drowning” while trying to learn the playcalls and verbiage last summer. That’s all in the past now. Johnson’s run-heavy tactics may lead to a few subpar box scores for Williams, but he remains firmly in the QB1 tier and possesses high-end upside.

“It’s watching the tape and knowing, like, it was good for a rookie,” Loveland said Tuesday, “but it’s not going to be good enough for a second-year or third-year guy. Knowing that, it’s, ‘All right, flush that. Clean up on the tape and (dial in on) certain things I need to get better at — which is dang near everything.” Colston was dominant late in the season, functioning as Caleb Williams’ top target in January, into the postseason, where he exploded for eight receptions, 137 yards and a two-point conversion catch in a playoff win against Green Bay. Loveland is in no danger of a low route rate in 2026, as head coach Ben Johnson looks to utilize the tight end as a mismatch against opposing secondaries. Loveland could easily lead all tight ends in fantasy scoring this year.

Gordon has missed the majority of the offseason program with what has been deemed a soft-tissue injury. Not great! Gordon spent a lot of last year banged up with a hamstring issue that sent him to injured reserve. This is an inauspicious start for his fifth season in the NFL.

Odeyingbo tore his Achilles in early November, but it appears the recovery has gone well if he’s already getting full-team reps ahead of training camp. T.J. Edwards (shoulder) joined him in participating. With the Bears not adding much to their pass rush this offseason, they’ll be counting on a healthy Odeyingbo come September.

Earlier today, the team announced that they have voted to advance stadium development plans in Hammond, Indiana, though a site has not yet been chosen. Per Pelissero, the team also still has to get “the financing together [and] the legal documents together,” meaning the move has not yet been finalized. Pelissero notes that the Vikings nearly made a similarly significant location switch in the past and went so far as to make a similar public announcement about its intentions to move. Within a few months, the Minnesota legislature was making the necessary moves to keep the team in its same location. Rich Eisen asked Pelissero if today’s team statement could have been made to an “audience of one,” Governor J.B. Pritzker. Pelissero responded indirectly, noting only that “Illinois really has not presented anything yet,” so a counterproposal could be on the way.

While an exact site is still to be determined, the Bears have officially planned to move from their home state of Illinois. In a statement announced by the team on Friday, chairman George McCaskey and president and CEO Kevin Warren said “we believe a world-class stadium project in Hammond will transform the region.” We’ll likely know the exact location in the near future, but the team is one step closer to a state of the art indoor stadium.

The Bears took Thieneman 25th overall in this year’s draft in hopes of bolstering a secondary that allowed the fifth-most passing touchdowns and fifth-highest NY/A last season. The former Oregon Duck tallied eight interceptions in 39 games during his college career and was one of the most athletic players at his position (9.71 RAS) in the draft. He should slot in as an immediate starter for the Bears this season.

Odunze had 661 yards and six touchdowns last season over 12 regular season games before sustaining a foot injury that would linger into the postseason, when Odunze had four grabs over two playoff games. “This is my new normal,” Odunze said of the nagging foot injury. “And it’s not from a standpoint that I’m always in pain but the way my foot broke there’s callouses in there that, like, creates a different type of foot structure with those bones — different types of things that kind of shift things around.” Odunze added that the foot issue was not “going to prohibit me from making plays but I feel like with the break it’s just like when you tear your AC (shoulder joint) it’s never really back to normal.” The Bears, after trading DJ Moore to the Bills in the offseason, are hoping Odunze’s injury doesn’t flare up in 2026. He’ll likely be the team’s No. 2 wideout behind Luther Burden.

Johnson’s endorsement is going to push Burden’s ADP up, and it’s not necessarily unreasonable to chase it. In early April, Johnson said he needs to get the ball in Burden’s hands “as often as we possibly can.” Continued praise from the head coach is always a good thing. Hopes are high for the second-year receiver, who posted an 8/138/1 receiving line in Week 17 fantasy championships. Burden is set to compete with TE Colston Loveland and WR Rome Odunze for targets, though, and it is unclear exactly where Burden sits in the target pecking order right now. Johnson adds that Burden has had an “electric” offseason, is consistently finishing his practice reps and has “been extremely coachable,” while refining his speed cuts, sharp breaks and releases. Hopefully, the positive reports continue to roll in for the talented, young playmaker.