Chicago Bears Training Camp: 5 players who must step up

The Chicago Bears will kick off training camp on July 27, 2021. Training camp, plus the preseason games will be what sets apart players worth holding onto and those who deserve nothing better than the practice squad. Unfortunately for those players who are not worth holding onto, the team can only keep so many practice squad players. This means some of the players on the roster will be cut and look to find a place on a different organization or maybe play in the XFL.

Training camp will be very important for newly acquired veterans to put their stamp on things. Training camp is also very important for late-round rookies to prove the general manager correct in drafting them. Players fighting for a chance to make the final roster are not the only ones who need to step up though. There might be some players in special circumstances that require them to step up and prove their worth.

The Chicago Bears will have plenty of enthusiasm during training camp

The Chicago Bears have plenty to be excited about this offseason. That said, the team is coming off back-to-back 8-8 seasons. If Matt Nagy wants to keep his name out of people’s mouths when referencing Mr. 8-8, Jeff Fisher, he needs to hope this team can perform better than it has the past two seasons. Both Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace appeared to be on the hot seat last season. Finding a way to back their way into the playoffs was enough for George McCaskey, but it was not for fans.

Now that the fans are back on board due to a fantastic outcome of the 2021 NFL Draft, will Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy still be needing to perform well to get an extension? Both of their contracts we presume end at the end of the 2021 season — Ted Phillips is being weirdly secretive about Ryan Pace’s situation. Only time will tell, but for now, the two need to focus on who has stepped up to keep or earn their job and who has fallen off or couldn’t keep up. These five must step up.