What an exciting time to be a Chicago Bears fan.
'Twas the offseason of Caleb Williams.
This Bears team is ready to compete, and they're ready to do it soon. General manager Ryan Poles has put on a clinic over the last couple of years, with his plan all coming together now and a franchise quarterback to show for it.
As training camp nears, we're pretty sure that the majority of significant roles are already accounted for. But, there are a few spots still up for grabs, and they're important ones.
Bears fans will love watching these three roster battles throughout the summer
Tyson Bagent vs. Austin Reed
Last year, Tyson Bagent was all the rage. The Bears brought in a guy who was viewed as the top undrafted quarterback, and as it turned out, Bagent won the backup job behind Justin Fields. And, he even found himself starting a handful of games in 2023.
While Bagent did about as good as you could have asked an undrafted rookie to do, the Bears once again decided to bring in an undrafted quarterback this year in Austin Reed. The Western Kentucky product finished his two years in college with over 8,000 passing yards, 71 touchdowns and just 22 interceptions.
Coming from a prolific, college aerial attack like Western Kentucky, Reed is no stranger to airing it out. He can sling it. And, this summer, the Bears will definitely have a battle on their hands. The veteran, Brett Rypien, will likely be more of a camp body. But, between Reed and Bagent, fans will get a chance to see two young quarterbacks battle it out for an important role.
Austin Booker vs. DeMarcus Walker
After last season, it was still abundantly clear that the Bears needed more production out of their defensive ends. Despite trading for Montez Sweat, Chicago still finished second-to-last in sacks on the year with just 30. Sweat's arrival made all the difference in the world, for the defense as a whole, but sacks were still few and far between.
The Bears didn't go out and address this position in a significant manner over the offseason, either. The most notable move they made was trading back into the fifth round and selecting Kansas pass rusher Austin Booker. Now, it'll be between the rookie and veteran DeMarcus Walker to see who takes the other starting job opposite Sweat.
For now, Walker has the edge to beat Booker. A veteran starter will always have the upper hand over a fifth-round pick. But, don't sleep on Booker. He was graded out as a third-round prospect by one of the most prominent draft wizards in the business, Lance Zierlein of NFL Media.
There will be a case made for Booker to start over Walker, especially when you look at just how mediocre the veteran was in 2023, coming up with only 3.5 sacks.
Booker comes into the NFL with limited college experience, which is also why he could burst onto the scene and become a steal for the Bears. His length, explosiveness and arsenal of moves make him one to watch this summer, and he very well could take the job.
Braxton Jones vs. Kiran Amegadjie
After Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft, Bears starting left tackle Braxton Jones had to be breathing a sigh of relief. For all the talk about Chicago potentially selecting an offensive tackle at no. 9, the Bears wound up taking Rome Odunze, putting the rumors to rest -- and it was the right decision.
But, in Round 3, Chicago took offensive tackle Kiram Amegadjie out of Yale. And, this pick was a long time in the making. Last year, Amegadjie told head coach Matt Eberflus that he was going to be a future Bear, and he was right. The Yale product must have made a lasting impression, and now he gets an opportunity to compete with Jones for the starting left tackle job.
Amegadjie is an Eberflus type. He is ultra-athletic, and at 6-foot-5, that's impressive. He brings quickness and tremendous length, plus he is a very smart football player.
Jones obviously has the starting experience and knows the locker room. There's comfortability with Jones. But, he has also not shown that he's irreplaceable. With a franchise quarterback in place like Caleb Williams, now, the Bears need to figure out who will be able to protect him the best.