Before anyone knows it, the 2026 Chicago Bears season will be underway, but before fans can get there, there are OTAs, which are the first step in making the 53-man roster.
The Bears brought back a lot of the same talent from last year's team, but there are a few new faces ready to make some noise. Chicago saw good success with their rookies last year after they made strong first impressions, and will be asking the same of the new guys now.
Fans in the Windy City might want to keep an eye on four players on the team who are looking to take advantage of OTAs as a chance to prove their worth.
Neville Gallimore, DT
Gallimore doesn't nearly get enough attention as a signing for the Bears, mostly because he is seen as a rotational player who will back up Gervon Dexter and Grady Jarrett. After last year's struggles for Jarrett, Gallimore might have a shot to make a strong first impression and show the Bears that he might need to be the starter over the older veteran.
Zavion Thomas, WR
The Bears clearly selected Thomas in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft for his 4.28 speed, which is great, but some worry that he is all speed and not much of a receiver. Early on in the Bears' rookie minicamp, Thomas was lining up as a receiver and occasionally in the backfield as a running back. Showing off the hands at wide receiver would be a good way to get him from being primarily special teams in 2026 to actually getting reps on offense.
Malik Muhammad, CB
Kyler Gordon's injury update swung the door wide open for Muhammad to sneak into the starting lineup in the secondary for the Bears. Originally, Muhammad was seen as competition for Tyrique Stevenson, and that could potentially still be the case, but the Bears are looking for any corner to step up early on. Muhammad could make some noise and show that they don't have to stress about Gordon's injury.
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Braxton Jones, LT
Last season, Jones went from Day 1 starting to injured and losing his job. The buzz around him this offseason from the Bears coaching staff and those outside the organization has been heard and has sparked excitement among the fan base. With Ozzy Trapilo most likely missing at least the first half of the 2026 season, Jones is the early favorite to win the left tackle job, and with a good showing at OTAs, he might be able to take the job back and possibly keep it all season.
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