Chicago Bears 2024 training camp preview: Top storylines heading into camp

Chicago Bears training camp is here. Veteran players will report for camp on Friday and practices begin Saturday.

This will be an exciting time for Bears fans eagerly anticipating the debut of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. In year 3 under head coach Matt Eberflus, the Bears appear to have a deeper roster and higher expectations. But it will be up to Eberflus and his staff to unite this group.

There will be plenty of storylines to follow throughout the next six weeks as the Bears prepare for their season opener on Sept. 8. Here are the top storylines for training camp.

1. Caleb Williams’ first training camp

Nobody will draw more attention than Williams, the No. 1 overall draft pick in the spring. The former Heisman Trophy winner is embarking on a season that fans hope marks the beginning of a new era.

By all accounts, the coaching staff was happy with the progress Williams made during OTAs and minicamp this spring. But the real work begins in July. OTAs are a useful on-ramp, but the real work starts when the pads go on at training camp.

Gelling with the receivers will be Williams’ No. 1 priority. He has to familiarize himself with DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet and others. That’s going to take time and it’s going to take reps.

Bears fans are eager to see Williams make impressive throws during training camp and the preseason. It’s important to remember that these things take time for a rookie QB, and Williams is going up against a talented defense.

2. Can Rome Odunze emerge behind veterans?

In a normal year – one where the Bears have only one first-round pick – Odunze would be the star addition. He still is, of course, a star addition. But the Bears have been busy adding talented players, especially on offense.

On this team, with Moore and Allen, Odunze is going to be the No. 3 option. Most rookies are the low man on the totem pole. Odunze definitely wasn’t that during college at Washington. He was one of the top receivers in all of college football. He led all of FBS football with 1,640 receiving yards.

While Odunze might enter training camp as the No. 3 receiver, the Bears didn’t draft him at No. 9 overall to be a No. 3 option. Ideally, he would emerge as a legitimate star over the length of his four-year rookie contract. The question in the front office’s mind right now is probably more focused on how quickly that will happen.

Odunze and Allen are new to the Bears. The assumption seems to be that Allen will be the No. 2 behind Moore, but there’s no reason Odunze couldn’t have something to say about that.

3. Just how good is the defense?

Based on the energy it brought during OTAs, the Bears’ defense appears to be champing at the bit to get going. The defense was legitimately one of the best in football over the final six games of the season. Despite an awful start to the season, the Bears defense still finished 12th in total yards, first in rushing yards and first in interception rate.

Pretty much everyone returns in 2024. Imagine what the December 2023 defense could look like if it played at that level over the course of a 17-game season. That’s what these Bears believe they can be.

The defense should give Williams some trouble during camp. Defensive backs Jaquan Brisker and Tyrique Stevenson love to be loudmouths out on the practice field, especially after the defense comes up with a takeaway. The defense will be making plenty of noise throughout July and August.

Many fans attending camp practices are likely excited to see Williams, but it’s quite possible the defense will be the star of the show.

4. Can Matt Eberflus get this going in the right direction?

Bears fans have spent the last few months wondering which players HBO’s “Hard Knocks” will feature when the show airs in August. But Eberflus could be in line for his big moment too.

The first two seasons of his tenure were marked by losing football (sorry to remind fans of 2022) and Eberflus’ quirky personality that gave fans moments like his famous trick up the sleeve halftime interview.

But the Flus is having a glow-up in 2024 thanks to the addition of some facial hair, some new quarter zips and, frankly, the undeniable success of his defense late last season.

More importantly, though, when things got tough after an 0-4 start last year, the players remained behind Eberflus. That should say a lot. “Hard Knocks” could give fans – some of whom were loudly anti-Flus last October – a better indication of why. Fans know who Eberflus is at the media room podium, but who is he behind closed doors?

Despite a heavyweight coaching market that included Bill Belichick, Jim Harbaugh and others, the Bears stood behind Eberflus in January. They’ve built a team that, on paper, should be improved from a year ago. This is a big year for the Bears organization and it’s probably a crucial year for Eberflus’ NFL head coaching future.

And it all starts when camp opens Friday.