Chicago Bears Training Camp: Observations from Family Fest 2023

The Chicago Bears hosted their annual Family Fest at Soldier Field yesterday, and I was there with a figurative pencil in my ear to digest it all.

In the 25 years since I made a conscious choice to be a diehard Chicago Bears fan, I have never been this excited or hopeful. I know what some would say in response: I’m setting myself up for serious disappointment. But what are sports if you’re not willing to believe beyond reason?

Before I ponder too much on my potential future heartbreak, I will choose to live in the here and now.

Here are five observations from the Chicago Bears 2023 Family Fest at Soldier Field.

1. Justin Fields looked and played like a completely different Quarterback

I get it, it’s just training camp. We have to see Justin Fields perform this way when the Packers come to Soldier Field in Week 1.

With that being said, if he performs the way he did yesterday at Family Fest, the Chicago Bears are in good hands.

During 11 on 11 drills, Justin Fields consistently demonstrated all of the improvements he’s made in his own game as well as how important it was to provide him with better playmakers. On multiple occasions, Fields dropped back to pass, quickly went through his reads, and found the open man.

His knowledge of the playbook and the timing of certain routes was noticeably improved over last season. He understood what the defense was giving him and took it nearly every time.

Two plays come to mind where his improved footwork and release mechanics were on full display.

One was in the red zone when he threw a touchdown to Cole Kmet on a hitch route where timing was critical given the short field in front of him. The other was on a quick slant to D.J. Moore where he fit a ball between two defenders with a quick release, giving Moore ample room to showcase his special YAC ability.

For a quarterback who is constantly called a running back, he frequently chose to stay in the pocket and throw. When he did scramble, it was nearly always to set up an angle to pass. It is clear that Justin Fields has plans to silence the critics who dismiss his passing ability.

2. Chase Claypool is much more comfortable in Luke Getsy’s offense this year

Much has been made about Ryan Poles’ decision to trade a second-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for Chase Claypool.

For a player whom most would currently label as Poles’ biggest mistake as General Manager, he sure looked like a force to be reckoned with during the Chicago Bears Family Fest yesterday.

It is obvious that Chase Claypool was not comfortable last season. He had to learn a completely new playbook and develop chemistry with a quarterback he never previously played with.

Now equipped with a full offseason in Getsy’s offense under his belt, Chase Claypool is unrecognizable to the player who drew the ire of Chicago Bears fans and pundits last season.

His unique blend of size, catch radius and speed make him the X Factor for the Chicago Bears offense. With D.J. Moore being the primary focus of the defense, Claypool found himself open on multiple occasions, making numerous big plays and scoring a touchdown during 11 on 11 drills.

His passion for the game is often called into question, but in the eyes of this journalist, that talk should be silenced. At one point, Claypool completely laid out for a pass on the sideline where he was ruled just out of bounds.

He put his body on the line at Chicago Bears Family Fest during a season he has already called the “biggest in his career.”

An injury yesterday would’ve been devastating for Chase Claypool’s contract negotiations. Despite this, he put on a show and risked injury for his teammates and those in attendance.

The Chase Claypool revenge tour may just be getting started.

3. Jaylon Johnson made a statement by forcing a highlight reel turnover

It is no secret that the upcoming season is an important one for Jaylon Johnson.

While he’s been a bright spot in a poor Chicago Bears defense, the one glaring criticism of Johnson was his inability to force turnovers. So far in his career, he only has one interception to his name.

That’s why the play he made towards the end of Family Fest yesterday was so encouraging.

On first and goal, Justin Fields dropped back to pass and was looking to throw to a seemingly open Chase Claypool in the corner of the endzone. Jaylon Johnson was not having any of it.

He played the situation to complete textbook perfection. He took care of his first read by covering down on Cole Kmet in the flat. However, he never took his eyes off Justin Fields, keeping his footing and spacing perfect. As Fields began unloading, Jaylon immediately drove back to make a leaping interception in the back of the endzone.

It is impossible to play this any better.

If Jaylon Johnson adds ballhawk to his skill set, it will be extremely hard to argue against Ryan Poles giving him a contract extension worthy of a CB1.

4. The Chicago Bears 2023 Rookie Class flashed on numerous occasions throughout the day

Perhaps who I was most intrigued to watch before the Chicago Bears 2023 Family Fest was the rookie class that Ryan Poles just brought in.

By most accounts, Poles had done well during the 2023 NFL Draft. Yet, it is impossible to truly be excited about rookies until you see them play against their peers in the league.

That’s why the flashes I witnessed yesterday were so encouraging.

Gervon Dexter has a lot to learn if he wants to fulfill his potential at defensive tackle. His pad level and explosion off the line of scrimmage have to be more consistent, but it’s impossible to deny the physical specimen that he is.

On one occasion, Khalil Herbert took a handoff and appeared to have a seem between the tackle and guard on the left side. As he ran through the hole, Dexter worked his way down the line as if he was a linebacker and stopped Herbert after a four-yard gain. Many defensive tackles would’ve been far too slow to make the play.

On another occasion, Dexter took on a double team and used his immense strength to bully through the middle of the offensive linemen to force a sack. The best part of this play? One of the two offensive linemen was flagged for holding, yet they still succumbed to the strength of the rookie.

I also walked away impressed with the potential of rookies Roschon Johnson and Tyler Scott. In the case of Roschon Johnson, it is obvious that the Chicago Bears are bringing him on slowly. He didn’t receive many reps, but there was a two-play sequence that has me excited for his future.

On the first play, Johnson took a handoff and bounced outside where he found some room to run. As he accelerated up the field, he threw down a nasty move that showcased uncanny balance and agility. On the second play, Johnson caught a pass on a short out route, turned on the gas and aggressively finished the play ten yards down the field by lowering his shoulder into the defender.

These two plays demonstrated his unique skillset and why some believe he could rise to the top of the depth chart sooner rather than later.

Tyler Scott has work to do to become a more polished wide receiver, but his speed is undeniable. He primarily worked with the second-team offense and caught a ball on a hitch from P.J. Walker where it was clear that the defender was overly concerned with getting beat deep. He also got some work in as a punt returner.

If the 2023 rookie class can live up to their potential, the Chicago Bears rebuild is going to progress much quicker than expected.

5. The addition of D.J. Moore has unlocked the Chicago Bears’ offense

I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about D.J. Moore and his enormous impact on the offense.

His addition will be looked back on as a massive milestone if the Chicago Bears franchise can right the ship. In one fell swoop, Ryan Poles improved the outlook of every single player on the offense when he traded for D.J. Moore.

Chase Claypool and Darnell Mooney, for example, no longer need to carry the burden of living up to No.1 Wide Receiver expectations. Moore’s mere presence opens things up for them in ways they’ve perhaps never experienced in their career.

On one rep, D.J. Moore exploded off the line of scrimmage and ran a corner-post route. The conviction and speed he ran this completely swallowed the attention of the cornerback and the safety. With the defense cleared out of the left side, Claypool was wide open on a crossing route into the empty space, resulting in a huge gain.

Darnell Mooney in particular seemed to be wide open underneath at will as the defense was forced to pick a poison. The amount of attention he received was minimal compared to last season. Cole Kmet will similarly benefit from the attention that D.J. Moore demands.

I haven’t even begun talking about what he will bring as a playmaker himself.

Moore caught everything thrown his way with ease, no matter the difficulty of the catch. His instant chemistry with Justin Fields is simply abnormal and cannot be taught.

There is no way that Justin Fields’ name would come up during MVP debates right now if it wasn’t for the addition of D.J. Moore. He is a true alpha at wide receiver, perhaps more so than any receiver that has ever laced up for the Chicago Bears.

Chicago Bears fans, get your popcorn ready.