Chicago Bears Rookies Report To Training Camp: One question for each draft pick, including the usage of Zavion Thomas
The Chicago Bears rookies are back in the facilities on Saturday for the start of training camp and all seven draft picks have an opportunity to earn sizable roles in Year 1. Here’s one question we have for each player.
The Chicago Bears rookies report to training camp today, and for all seven draft picks, this marks their first NFL camp. Several have already acknowledged they are prepared for an intense experience under head coach Ben Johnson, who set a demanding tone during his first training camp with the team last year.
“I know coach Ben Johnson is a hard nose blue colored guy,” Bears rookie linebacker Keyshaun Elliott said, via Bears Weekly. “I’m expecting all of it when it comes to effort, physicality and how much we go when it comes to training camp. That’s what’s going to separate people in this league is how much time you’re putting in in the offseason. The offseason wins you the championships and Super Bowls. Just hearing that from older guys just makes me want to get going right now, let’s do it. Let’s put on the pads, and let’s roll.”
With pads going on soon and practice set to start next Wednesday, each rookie faces a unique test that will shape his role heading into the regular season. Here is one question worth tracking for each draft pick as camp gets underway.
One question for each of the seven Chicago Bears rookie draft picks entering training camp
How versatile will the Bears be with Dillon Thieneman?
The first-round safety is the headliner of this rookie class. The first thing to monitor is whether Thieneman opens camp working alongside safety Coby Bryant with the first-team defense. Beyond that, the real intrigue is how defensive coordinator Dennis Allen deploys him. Does Allen send him on blitzes? Does he line Thieneman up in the slot and move him around the secondary? The Bears didn’t draft a player with his athletic profile to keep him in one spot, and training camp will reveal how creative Allen plans to get.
How much of the offense does Logan Jones truly know?
The second-round center out of Iowa is getting ready to step into a competition with veteran Garrett Bradbury for the starting job. Jones has the talent, but center is the quarterback of the offensive line in Ben Johnson’s offense. He needs to know every call and relay them to the other four offensive linemen without hesitation. The question isn’t whether Jones can win the job eventually. It’s whether he can demonstrate enough command of the playbook from Day 1 to push Bradbury right away.
Can Sam Roush be more than a blocking tight end?
The third-round tight end is an enormous player who projects as a valuable blocking tight end behind Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet taking over Durham Smythe’s former role. That role is secure for him already. What matters more during camp is how Roush looks as a pass catcher and with the ball in his hands. Can he be another weapon in Ben Johnson’s offense? His receiving ability will determine how often he sees the field and if he can be a player that catches defenses by surprise as a pass catcher.
Will the Bears actually use Zavion Thomas out of the backfield?
The comparisons to Jahmyr Gibbs in Ben Johnson’s offense have sporadically popped up surrounding rookie wide receiver Zavion Thomas since landing with Johnson, but Thomas was primarily used as a wide receiver throughout the offseason program. He’s lightning quick and a vertical presence in the passing game. The real camp question is whether Johnson works him out of the backfield once pads come on, hitting running lanes and carrying the ball in that role. If the Bears actually commit to that usage, Thomas could become one of the most dynamic pieces of this offense.
Can Keyshaun Elliott carve out a special teams role?
The fourth-round linebacker walks into a crowded room with plenty of veterans ahead of him on the depth chart. Standing out as a traditional linebacker will be difficult early on. The path to making an impact is through special teams. Elliott had limited experience there in college, but he’s noted his openness to embracing the role. If he can prove himself as a four-phase contributor on special teams, he’ll have a much clearer route to earning meaningful snaps in Year 1.
Where does Malik Muhammad line up?
If Kyler Gordon is still sidelined at the start of training camp, Malik Muhammad could open camp in the nickel position with the first-team defense. If Gordon is healthy, the question becomes how often the Bears rotate Muhammad at outside cornerback, or whether they prefer Tyrique Stevenson in that role opposite Jaylon Johnson. Muhammad’s early usage will reveal how the coaching staff views his readiness and where he fits in Dennis Allen’s secondary long-term.
Is Jordan van den Berg’s speed a genuine difference maker?
The sixth-round defensive tackle has one trait that separates him from the rest of the interior defensive line: get-off speed. The Bears had real issues with quickness along the defensive tackle position last season, and van den Berg’s burst off the snap could push Allen to find him reps with the starting defense. Training camp will show whether that speed translates against NFL-caliber offensive linemen or if he needs more time to develop.
Each of these seven rookies have a clear pathway to contribute in 2026, but training camp is where those paths start to take shape. The Bears invested heavily in this draft class, and the next few weeks will reveal which players are ready to make an immediate impact and which ones need more time.