Ahead of the Bears’ preseason opener against the Browns tomorrow afternoon at Soldier Field, here’s some news and notes from camp:

QB Caleb Williams has looked very good in camp. The presnap operation issues that were so prevalent last year have been much less of a problem, though there was a slight uptick after the pads went on. Having a full year of HC Ben Johnson’s offense under his belt has just helped Caleb run the offense much smoother. Williams has had plenty of big plays and highlight throws. There have been some interceptions as well, but that’s what camp is for, to work out the kinks. Caleb will not play tomorrow and may not play at all in the preseason according to Johnson. QB Tyson Bagent will start.

RB D’Andre Swift and RB Kyle Monangai have both had their moments in camp. The Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs projected last week that their carry split during the season could be 55-45 in favor of Swift. RB Roschon Johnson and RB Salvon Ahmed have stood out at times, but it’s going to be the Swift and Monangai show during the season barring injury.

WR Rome Odunze gave some fans (including yours truly) a scare in the offseason when he said that he was adjusting to a "new normal" regarding the left foot he injured last season. Late last month, Rome clarified those comments, saying that he didn’t articulate his thoughts well at the time and that "My foot feels amazing." He has backed that up by showing no ill effects during camp, moving well and making plenty of catches as one of Caleb’s top targets.

WR Luther Burden III was having a great camp, making catches all over the field with an expanded route tree until he unfortunately suffered a strained groin in practice last weekend. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that it looks like Burden will miss the entire preseason but is expected to be back in time for the September 13th season opener against the Panthers. This injury is such a shame, because even if Burden is good to go for the opener, he may not be full speed and/or might be on a snap count for a couple games. I was projecting a huge year for him before the injury, and I still think he can have a stellar season if he recovers quickly and well from it. Perhaps the silver lining here is that you might be able to snag him a tiny bit later in your fantasy drafts.

WR Kalif Raymond has made a lot of plays and provided a veteran presence for a young receiver room. Rookie WR Zavion Thomas had shown nice playmaking ability as well before he suffered a leg injury the day after Burden got hurt. Raymond is clearly going to be a key part of the offense, though probably not enough to be a fantasy factor most weeks. Hopefully Thomas can get over his injury and get some preseason action. WR Jahdae Walker needs to show out in the preseason like he did last year.

TE Colston Loveland has had a stellar camp and has even been studying the routes of the wide receivers, according to the Tribune. He had double-digit targets in each of his final four games last season (including the playoffs), and I think he is going to be an absolute stud this year. I think he’s right up there with McBride and Bowers as TE1s. TE Cole Kmet is still here and has had a solid camp. Rookie TE Sam Roush has gotten some work with the starters, primarily as a blocker.

LT Braxton Jones was the clear leader in the left tackle derby until he suffered a knee injury last week. LT Kiran Amegadije will start in his place tomorrow and split time with LT Jedrick Wills Jr. RT Darnell Wright may not have won the Powerball, but he did pretty well for himself after signing a four-year, $116 million extension that makes him the highest-paid right tackle in the league.

The main headline here is that S Coby Bryant had surgery on his injured left knee last week and will miss four to six months. This is a devastating blow to a defense that was relying on Bryant to be a tone-setter and a playmaker in the secondary next to rookie S Dillon Thieneman, especially after the departures of Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker. CB Cam Lewis has struggled at times after being plugged into Bryant’s spot, and the Bears signed veteran S Xavier Woods to compete at the position.

DE Austin Booker has flashed at times. There’s been some hype about rookie DT Jordan van den Berg, who tested off the charts at the Combine and has earned some first-team reps with his impressive play in camp. CB Jaylon Johnson is healthy and making plays. LB Devin Bush’s speed has stood out.

PK Cairo Santos has had a solid camp, hitting from 56 yards out in one practice.

More to come in my second August report later this month!

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