NFL announces training camp arrival dates for the Chicago Bears while confirming a second joint practice on the team’s schedule
The Chicago Bears now have an official day on the calendar for when the players are expected to return for the start of training camp along with another big announcement made to the team’s summer schedule.
Before sending the players off for summer break, Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson told reporters that he is still ironing out the plan for what training camp will look like going into his second season leading the team. If it’s anything like last year, it’s going to be a brutal couple of weeks for the players.
In terms of the scheduling aspect, Johnson is finally able to get the dates ironed out. The NFL announced the training camp arrival dates for all 32 teams on Monday. For the Bears, rookies are required to be back on July 25 with veterans expected to be back on July 28.
And that’s not the only key detail that got announced on Chicago’s upcoming summer schedule.
Chicago Bears will have two joint practices during the 2026 preseason schedule
A few weeks back, Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor shared to the media that he was lining up a joint practice with the Bears prior to the team’s preseason Week 2 game. Johnson added the details were still being finalized the last time we heard from him, while also hinting another joint practice date was in the works.
“Potentially,” Johnson said. “We’re still working through the scheduling right now… There’s potentially more than just one this year.”
Well, Johnson was right on the money. Chicago’s joint practice with the Bengals is on the books and scheduled for August 20. The Bears will also officially have a second joint practice this year on August 27 ahead of the team’s Week 3 preseason game against the Tennessee Titans.
Johnson is a big supporter of joint practices and getting the opportunity to face a different team in a controlled setting, which is more beneficial to the starters who might sit out of a preseason game. Last year, the Bears held joint practices with the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills. Chicago even faced criticism from some Dolphins players for how intense they took the joint practice session.
In Cincinnati, the Bears get the opportunity to go up against top experienced players in quarterback Joe Burrow, wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, and new defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. In Tennessee, the Bears will go up against a young nucleus of players that include quarterback Cam Ward and wide receiver Carnell Tate, along with a top interior defender in Jeffery Simmons. Both sessions will be a great barometer to see where Johnson’s squad stands among other teams in the league.