After finishing with the NFL’s worst record in 2022, the Chicago Bears are aiming to take a step forward next season. While the Bears will pin most of their hopes on quarterback Justin Fields’ development, other parts of the club’s roster have been revamped and will feature training camp battles in late July and into August. Let’s sort through the depth chart questions Chicago must answer over the next eight weeks.

Top Chicago Bears Training Camp Battles To Watch

Running Back | Khalil Herbert vs. D’Onta Foreman vs. Roschon Johnson

The Bears will move forward without stalwart David Montgomery after he signed a three-year, $18 million deal with the division-rival Lions. Chicago tried to re-sign Montgomery, who handled at least 235 touches in each of the four previous seasons, but their offer to the veteran back didn’t include any guaranteed money beyond 2023.

Khalil Herbert handled 232 carries over his first two NFL seasons as Montgomery’s backup and is now poised to take on a larger role. Viewed as potentially a better fit for the Bears’ zone scheme than Montgomery, Herbert has the talent to ascend.

The former sixth-round pick posted 2.5 yards after contact per attempt last season — good for second among qualifying running backs behind only the Cowboys’ Tony Pollard — and finished 11th in broken tackles per attempt. While evaluating a running back’s individual play without respect to his supporting cast can often be difficult, elusiveness and the ability to create yardage independent of circumstances are typically stable traits.

Herbert has struggled in pass protection throughout his career, and he’s also garnered just 28 targets over two seasons in the NFL. As productive as Herbert is as a pure runner, he’ll need to show development in the passing game if he wants to become a full-time player. Herbert recently indicated that he added five pounds over the offseason and started boxing training in an effort to refine his blocking abilities.

Herbert will likely get the first opportunity to become the Bears’ bell cow in 2023, but he’s under no illusions about his competition. Not only did Chicago sign former Panthers running back D’Onta Foreman to a one-year deal worth $3 million, but they also used a fourth-round draft choice on Texas’ Roschon Johnson.

Foreman was a bulldozer for the Panthers in 2023, managing more than 900 yards on the ground as Carolina’s RB1 following the club’s trade of Christian McCaffrey.

The 27-year-old ranked sixth in rushing yards over expectation per attempt (0.82), meaning he was significantly more productive than other backs would have been in the same situations. Foreman managed that feat despite facing eight-plus defenders on 35.47% of his attempts, the fifth-highest rate in the NFL.

Because Foreman has never been much of a receiver during his NFL career, Johnson could have an early career role on third downs. The Texas product needs more refinement as a pass catcher, but he’s already demonstrated the physicality, awareness, and instincts to be a solid pass protector at the next level.

Center | Cody Whitehair vs. Lucas Patrick

General manager Ryan Poles made Chicago’s offensive line a priority this offseason. The Bears inked former Titans guard Nate Davis to a three-year, $30 million deal before using the 10th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on Darnell Wright, who should immediately slot in as the club’s starting right tackle.

With Braxton Jones and Teven Jenkins slotted in at left tackle and left guard, respectively, center is the only position up for grabs along Chicago’s front.

Cody Whitehair, the longest-tenured player on the Bears’ roster, is tentatively scheduled to start at the pivot. Whitehair was primarily a center for the first three seasons of his career before eventually moving to left guard. A foot injury caused Whitehair to miss five games in 2022, but he posted an otherwise solid season, allowing just 14 pressures on 320 pass-blocking snaps.

Lucas Patrick could have a chance to usurp Whitehair during training camp, but it will be an uphill battle. Chicago signed Patrick last offseason with the intention of making him their starting center, but a thumb injury wiped out his training camp participation, and he was eventually shifted to guard. Patrick suffered a toe injury in Week 7 and was eventually placed on season-ending injured reserve.

“Well, the experience that you have somebody inside that can move from guard to center, center to guard on both sides, you know, to have a guy like that that has that, it’s easy for him to do that,” head coach Matt Eberflus said of Patrick. “As we know, during the course of the season, there’s going to be guys in different combinations cause there is going to be injury, and we have to deal with that. To have a guy that has that experience, it’s certainly valuable.”

Patrick seems likely to start next season on the bench, but he’ll be the top option if any player along Chicago’s interior goes down with an injury.

Cornerback | Tyrique Stevenson vs. Kindle Vildor

The Bears finished dead last in pass defense DVOA a season ago — any efforts to upgrade their overall defense will likely fall short unless Chicago can improve against opposing aerial attacks. While they’re counting on growth from second-year defensive backs Jaquan Brisker and Kyler Gordon, the Bears are also hoping second-round rookie Tyrique Stevenson can be an immediate contributor.

Gordon played roughly two-thirds of his snaps in the slot in 2023, but Chicago likely wants him playing nearly every down inside. With Jaylon Johnson entrenched as a starter at one outside corner spot, Stevenson has a clear path to earning first-team reps with the Bears’ No. 1 unit.

“It’s a little bit ahead, I would say,” Eberflus said of Stevenson’s confidence. “It seems more like a veteran to me than a rookie, which is kind of cool to be able to watch that. And he’s very confident. I think the guys gravitate toward him. He’s a likable guy because he does love football, and he is competitive.”

Stevenson’s primary competition will be Kindle Vildor, a former fifth-round selection who’s made 22 starts over three years with the Bears. Vildor has largely been a below-replacement level player in Chicago and last season ranked 111th among 131 qualifying cornerbacks in yards allowed per reception (14.2).

The best outcome for the Bears involves Stevenson’s physicality and instincts shining during training camp, allowing him to secure a starting role. But Vildor has the edge in experience, so there’s always a chance Chicago’s coaches will choose to rely on the veteran, at least early in the season.