Chicago Bears

Allen was due a $5 million roster bonus Sunday and is entering the final year of the four-year extension he signed in 2020, so he was a candidate to be moved. The veteran wide receiver refused a pay cut in Los Angeles, so he'll now be paired with DJ Moore on a Bears offense that's also added D'Andre Swift and Gerald Everett in recent days and figures to be helmed by presumptive top overall pick Caleb Williams.

The veteran's full practice session marked his first since Week 1 prep, and it was enough to earn him a questionable tag on Chicago's final injury report Friday. The injury has been saddling Allen since midway through training camp, and he was cautious with it by refraining from football activities during the previous two weeks before practicing in some capacity each of the last three days.

The Colts' defense is already missing top corner JuJu Brents due to a knee injury, and they have been depleted even further after DeForest Buckner was placed on injured reserve Tuesday due to a high ankle sprain. Swift has had a slow start to the campaign with just 48 rushing yards on 24 carries through the first two games of the regular season. Sunday's game, however, presents a great opportunity for Swift and the Bears offense to establish a consistent rushing attack against a soft Colts run defense.

The Bears will be without Allen for a second straight week as the veteran wideout continues to recover from a heel injury sustained in Week 1 against the Titans. Odunze was able to muster only two catches for 33 yards in Week 2 against the Texans, but his five targets were tied for second-most behind Moore. Odunze is still getting acclimated to the NFL in his rookie season, but he should see more looks from quarterback Caleb Williams against a Colts secondary that is without top corner JuJu Brents, who is on injured reserve due to a knee injury.

Moore already saw eight targets as the No. 1 receiver in the Bears' season-opening win over the Titans, albeit for only 36 yards. However, with Allen failing to practice all week due to his lingering heel injury and Odunze only getting in a limited Friday session due to an MCL sprain, there appears to be a solid chance at least one of them sits out versus Houston.

The rookie first overall pick failed to pass for 100 yards or complete 50.0 percent of his throws in the Week 1 win over the Titans, a game he played with both Allen and Odunze healthy alongside DJ Moore. Williams now faces the prospect of being down at least one of those weapons, although the matchup against a Texans defense that showed some vulnerabilities to the pass versus the Colts in Week 1 could help cushion some of that blow.

The rookie was hit in the back of the leg by the Titans' Harold Landry in the fourth quarter of the Bears' Week 1 win, and after experiencing soreness and getting an MRI, he was diagnosed with the MCL sprain. Odunze was able to get back to practice in limited fashion Friday after missing the first two sessions of the week, and doctors confirmed he did not have any structural damage.

The veteran wideout has been battling the heel issue for several weeks, but he managed to log 38 snaps in the Week 1 win over the Titans. Allen saw a typically robust 11 targets, but he was able to bring in only four of them for 29 yards. Head coach Matt Eberflus said Friday that Allen's status will almost certainly come down to how he looks in pregame warmups, and he added that the receiver's vast experience would allow him to play well without the benefit of practice.

The injury has been bothering Allen for weeks, but he played in Week 1 and was targeted 11 times while catching four passes for 29 yards.

Odunze had an MRI on his sprained knee, which did not show any major damage. Odunze, the No. 9 overall pick, sprained an MCL blocking with about five minutes remaining in the Bears' season-opening win over the Titans. He got rolled up as Velus Jones Jr. was tackled following a short reception.

Sweat returned to practice Friday and didn't seem to be in doubt of missing the game. The 2023 Pro Bowler had six sacks in nine games after being acquired by Chicago from Washington midway through last season.

Allen is expected to compete for targets with DJ Moore and rookie Rome Odunze.

The converted receiver carried 13 times for 111 yards and a touchdown while adding two receptions for 11 yards, with the highlight of his night a 39-yard touchdown run. Jones had also recorded six carries for 34 yards in Chicago's second preseason contest, but he might be hard-pressed to garner anything more than a No. 4 spot on the positional depth chart if neither Roschon Johnson nor Khalil Herbert are moved off the roster prior to final cuts.

Williams attempted 20 passes over two preseason appearances, which he converted into 170 yards. He also added 20 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown, which was enough for the Bears to declare him ready for a Week 1 matchup against the Titans. Tennessee had among the worst secondaries in the league last season, though it remade the position group this offseason by adding L'Jarius Sneed, Chidobe Awuzie and Quandre Diggs -- all of whom should be starting in Williams' debut.

Herbert could be the odd man out in a Bears backfield that added D'Andre Swift via free agency this offseason and used a fourth-round draft pick on Roschon Johnson in 2023. With Herbert's contract expiring at the end of the 2024 season, the Bears could opt to try to recoup draft capital for the 2021 sixth-round draft pick if they are satisfied with a backfield of Swift and Johnson. Herbert has split first-team carries in each of Chicago's first two preseason games, but that usage could mean he's being showcased for a trade.

Williams showed a knack for big plays, completing four of seven passes for 95 yards while leading Chicago to field goals on both of his drives in the game. The 2024 first overall pick showed an ability to create in and out of structure, throwing accurately from the pocket and even making a play with his legs when the play broke down. Williams was less successful when the field shortened in the red zone, so the promising rookie will look to iron out his play in that situation across Chicago's two remaining preseason games before the Bears begin regular-season play against the Titans on September 8.

Jones has shown some promise with the ball in his hands as a kickoff and punt returner, but the 2022 third-round draft pick has struggled to make an impact as a wide receiver, and he actually has 154 rushing yards compared to 127 receiving yards through two NFL seasons. Working at running back could help Jones get the ball more frequently on offense, especially since snaps at wide receiver could be hard to come by after the Bears added Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze to their receiving corps in the offseason.

Rypien signed with the Bears at the start of free agency after spending last season with the Rams, but until Thursday night, he was thought to be a clear No. 3 behind Bagent, who impressed during multiple spot starts as a rookie in 2023. The perception may have shifted at least slightly with Rypien's near-perfect performance, one that saw him in clear command of his new team's offense on his way to tossing a trio of touchdown passes. Bagent was only in on Chicago's first possession Thursday, but he'll presumably have appreciably more opportunities to showcase his skills in the job battle over the final three exhibitions.

Hightower highlighted six contenders for the punt return job: Odunze, DeAndre Carter, Dante Pettis, Velus Jones, Greg Stroman and Tyrique Stevenson. He added that DJ Moore could also do it in a pinch, but Moore's prominent role on offense will likely keep the star receiver away from punt-return duties. Odunze is hoping to carve out a large role on offense as well, but if the 2024 first-round pick's target share is limited early due to the presence of Moore and Keenan Allen, returning punts could be another way for the Bears to get the ball into Odunze's hands.

Swift has had at least 39 catches in each of his first four NFL seasons, peaking at 62 receptions with the Lions in 2021. Working plenty of safe screens into the offense early on would be a sensible approach for the Bears as rookie first overall pick Caleb Williams acclimates to the NFL, and Swift is putting himself in position to earn the lion's share of those looks over Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson.

Williams got himself in between tight end Gerald Everett and defensive ends DeMarcus Walker and Montez Sweat to break up the fight. Williams followed that up by leading the Bears' offense down the field during a hurry-up drill, highlighted by a strike to wide receiver Keenan Allen down the middle for a big gain and a touchdown to 2023 fourth-round wideout Tyler Scott. Offensive lineman Ryan Bates praised Williams' leadership during practice, noting that he loved "when [Williams] stepped in there and got in the middle of it. That's who he is. He's a chippy guy."

A second-round pick in 2021, Jenkins has had trouble staying healthy during his career and has yet to play more than 13 games in a season for Chicago, but when he's been on the field he's become a stalwart at left guard. He's now heading into the final year of his rookie contract, and a strong campaign protecting new franchise quarterback Caleb Williams should line Jenkins up for a big payday, either from the Bears or from another club in free agency next spring.

Amegadjie was injured prior to the 2024 NFL Draft and didn't participate in OTAs or minicamp with the Bears. Once the rookie third-round draft pick is cleared to practice, he will compete for a role on Chicago's offensive line, but Amegadjie's injury has left him facing an uphill battle to unseat projected starting tackles Darnell Wright or Braxton Jones, the latter of whom is currently sidelined due to an undisclosed injury of his own.

Eberflus also praised the way Odunze has worked motions and routes from Chicago's playbook into his conditioning routine, helping the rookie wide receiver learn the offense quickly. Odunze's maturity could help him earn the coaching staff's trust out of the gate and propel the 2024 first-round draft pick into a prominent role in the Bears' receiving corps alongside veterans DJ Moore and Keenan Allen.

The Bears get the extra exhibition game due to their participation in the Hall of Fame Game against the Texans on Aug. 1, so Eberflus will have the option of spreading Williams' preseason play out a bit more than he otherwise would have. If the rookie first overall pick is indeed afforded that workload, Eberflus notes it would be right in line with what the Panthers' Bryce Young, the Texans' C.J. Stroud and the Colts' Anthony Richardson all saw last preseason as top rookie signal-callers.

Patra expresses surprise that the Bears haven't opted to add a steady veteran presence to serve as an insurance policy and mentor to first overall pick Caleb Williams, who's set to start immediately. Bagent was serviceable in fill-in action last season, making five appearances as a rookie and completing 65.7 percent of his passes while scoring five total touchdowns and tossing six interceptions. With such limited experience and fifth-year pro Brett Rypien having proven to be highly inconsistent during his 10 career games, Patra opines the Bears may ultimately conclude neither quarterback is trustworthy enough as Williams' immediate backup and instead opt to bring in a free agent such as Ryan Tannehill.

Both Odunze and fellow first-round pick Caleb Williams put pen to paper on their rookie contracts Tuesday. Odunze's contract spans four years and is worth $22.7 million overall, including a $13.3 million signing bonus. The deal is fully guaranteed and contains a standard fifth-year option for 2028.

Bears rookies reported to Halas Hall for training camp Tuesday, and Williams commemorated the occasion by locking in a four-year deal worth $39.4 million, including a $25.5 million signing bonus. The contract is fully guaranteed and includes the standard fifth-year option for 2028. The talented signal-caller should participate in his first official training camp practice Saturday.

The rookie's veteran teammates have been impressed with how quickly Odunze has picked up the playbook. "He's been with the 1s right off the bat," Keenan Allen said during OTAs in June. "He's running around pretty good. His routes -- he knows what he's doing -- his responsibilities... We haven't even got to training camp and he already kind of knows where to go, where to line up, where to be at. So that's huge." Chicago has plenty of targets available for 2024 first overall pick Caleb Williams, including Allen, DJ Moore and tight end Cole Kmet, but Odunze seems ready to carve out a significant share of the volume.

The seemingly indefatigable Lewis has played in all 17 regular-season games for the last three seasons and has missed just one regular-season contest dating back to the 2017 season. Lewis' days as a pass-catching option are in the distant past -- he hasn't topped 25 receptions in a season since 2012 and has just 10 combined catches the last two campaigns -- but he's still a highly effective blocker and is looking forward to helping protect rookie first overall pick Caleb Williams.

Moore signed a three-year, $61.9 million extension with the Panthers prior to being traded to Chicago last offseason. The average value of his deal made him roughly the eighth-highest paid player at the position at the time of signing, but with the wide receiver market heating up, he is currently the 17th-highest-paid player at the position based on annual value. Moore's current deal runs through 2025, but the Bears reportedly want to reward him for his strong opening season with the team.

The 2022 third-round pick out of Tennessee has been a big disappointment so far in the NFL, catching only 11 passes over his first two seasons, but Jones could still secure a roster spot with his special-teams ability. Chicago's passing game was completely revamped this offseason, as the team drafted quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the 2024 Draft and added Keenan Allen and ninth overall pick Rome Odunze to the wide receiver room, and if Jones can make an impact in the return game, it could begin to translate to his offensive production as well.

While a minor hamstring injury sidelined Odunze for several weeks in May, he was able to continue developing at a steady pace while absorbing knowledge from veteran receivers DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. When he has been on the field, Odunze has practiced at all three receiver spots and run a diverse route tree, and he's even been tried out on punt returns. The rookie has also picked up the offense quickly, which has caught the eye of head coach Matt Eberflus.

Allen is playing out the final year of his current contract after being traded to Chicago this offseason. There haven't been any reported negotiations between the sides, but Allen has made clear his desire to play beyond 2024 and his interest in sticking with the Bears. The team's interest in retaining Allen in the long term is less clear, as it drafted Rome Odunze in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft and will also likely be looking to extend DJ Moore next offseason, as he'll be entering the final year of his current contract.

Sweat has remained in contact with the team despite not participating in voluntary workouts, so there's little reason to believe his absence will linger into the mandatory portion of the offseason program. He was traded from Washington to Chicago during the 2023 season and subsequently signed a four-year, $98 million contract with the Bears in November.

After struggling in the media's first look at him on the field, Williams bounced back a week later, though his success came against a Chicago defense playing without a few of its regulars. Nonetheless, it's a step in the right direction for the 2024 first overall pick as he tries to build a rapport with fellow rookie Rome Odunze as well as standout receiver DJ Moore. Williams connected with Moore for a touchdown over the middle in Friday's practice, but he has yet to showcase his connection with veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen, who has sat out both of the practices open to the media.

Blair recognizes that Johnson is notably down the pecking order of the Bears' noteworthy array of skill-position players, a group that now includes Johnson's new backfield mate D'Andre Swift. Johnson already offered glimpses of his potential last season as a rookie while compiling 561 total yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns, and Blair notes Swift's production seemed to wane down the stretch last season with the Eagles, when he logged a career-high 268 touches.

It will be the Bears' first appearance on the program since its inception in 2001, and the impetus for the long-awaited debut is undoubtedly the rookie first overall pick. Williams will be the first quarterback taken at the top of the draft to be featured on Hard Knocks as a rookie since the Browns' Baker Mayfield was spotlighted in 2018 after being selected out of Oklahoma.

While Moore joked Thursday that part of his motivation was due to his workout bonus, he also noted that he wants to use practices to "turn everything into a competition with everybody" and to "build a bond" with rookies Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze. Despite inconsistent quarterback play last season, Moore recorded career highs in his first year in Chicago, finishing with 96 catches for 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns. With Williams at the helm and an upgraded wide receiver room that includes Odunze and veteran Keenan Allen, Moore could have another career year ahead of him.

Williams, the first overall pick out of USC, had a good practice earlier in the week where he helped the offense get the better of the defense, but the opposite was true Thursday. The rookie had some inconsistency during the red-zone period that included some late throws and instances of holding the ball too long. Both veteran receiver DJ Moore and safety Keith Byard encouraged Williams afterwards, emphasizing that he was simply experiencing growing pains against a very solid and experienced defense.

Odunze was the third wide receiver taken in the 2024 NFL Draft behind Marvin Harrison and Malik Nabers. While Harrison and Nabers are expected to be the top wideouts for the Cardinals and Giants, respectively, Odunze is entering an ideal situation where defenses will have to spend significant resources to keep tabs on Moore and Allen. With Odunze able to play across the line, the Washington product should be able to make an immediate impact with explosive play opportunities while catching passes from 2024 first overall pick and franchise quarterback Caleb Williams.

The No. 1 overall pick out of USC was already assumed to be atop the depth chart, but head coach Matt Eberflus made that official Friday and added that there was "no conversation" about whether or not Williams would be under center right from the onset of his career. Williams has unsurprisingly been preparing to helm the offense from Day 1, working with his private quarterback coach Will Hewlett on the fundamentals of the team's system prior to this weekend's minicamp.

The Bears didn't draft an offensive lineman until the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and the player they selected at that point, Kiran Amegadjie, is viewed as a project. Jones is thus projected to maintain the starting left tackle role that he had for most of the 2022 and 2023 seasons. If he can get a third season as a starting left tackle under his belt, Jones would be well set up to earn a large contract, either if he remains in Chicago or joins another team.

Reed racked up over 15,000 yards and 149 touchdowns between his time at Southern Illinois, West Florida and Western Kentucky. He has a similar prospect profile to Bagent, who not only landed a roster spot with the Bears in 2023 but started four games, winning two. Bagent has an NFL track record and incumbency advantage, but Reed could push him for the backup spot behind 2024 first overall pick Caleb Williams.

Williams has a high ceiling as the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but as the executive pointed out, Allen has spent his NFL career catching passes from a pair of accurate Chargers quarterbacks. Since Williams hasn't demonstrated a consistent ability to hit the short and intermediate timing routes at which Allen excels, Allen's transition from Los Angeles to Chicago could be far from seamless.

Allen was due a $5 million roster bonus Sunday and is entering the final year of the four-year extension he signed in 2020, so he was a candidate to be moved. The veteran wide receiver refused a pay cut in Los Angeles, so he'll now be paired with DJ Moore on a Bears offense that's also added D'Andre Swift and Gerald Everett in recent days and figures to be helmed by presumptive top overall pick Caleb Williams.