The next time the Chicago Bears and Cincinnati Bengals take the practice field, they will share it. Chicago and Cincinnati will conduct a joint practice Thursday leading up to their preseason week two matchup at Paycor Stadium.

This will be a critical day for both teams. The second week of the preseason is the most important for preparing for the regular season. A joint practice featuring an intrasquad scrimmage goes a long way in doing that as well. Not only will it serve as a proving ground for players locked and on the bubble for the roster alike, it will help determine who ends up playing Saturday night.

We’ve got A to Z Sports beat writers for the Bears, Kole Noble, and Bengals, John Sheeran, here to touch on the most interesting head-to-head matchups for Thursday’s joint practice.

Bears WR Rome Odunze vs. Bengals CB DJ Turner II

Noble: With no Luther Burden III, who continues to be sidelined with a groin injury, the top wide receiver to watch for the Bears will be Rome Odunze. Odunze has developed a strong relationship with his QB Caleb Williams and has had a strong training camp thus far. Any concerns about his foot injury that limited much of his 2025 season have been put to rest. Odunze looks full healthy out there and has often made big plays for this offense.

Sheeran: It’s been so impressive watching DJ Turner II show out basically every day of training camp while his representation negotiate a life-changing contract behind the scenes. Turner has been completely locked in despite the potential distraction, and in turn, he’s been lockdown in coverage. Odunze should be a nice challenge for him, but it’s a matchup in which Cincinnati expects to have the advantage right now.

Bears CB Jaylon Johnson vs. Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase

Noble: Jaylon Johnson has quietly been one of the top storylines of camp and simply because he’s actually out there on the field. Johnson missed the entirety of training camp last offseason due to a leg/groin injury that lingered into the regular season. He’s also finally healthy again and showing signs of the Pro Bowl-caliber player the Bears remember from the 2023 and 2024 seasons. The real question is, is Johnson still capable of shadowing arguably the top wide receiver in football mano a mano? We’ll find out on Thursday.

Sheeran: We all know who Ja’Marr Chase is at this point. As dangerous as he is with the ball in his hands, he certainly not easy to handle when he’s running routes against you. How a corner handles Chase at the line of scrimmage, and throughout the beginning of his route is a testament to his strength and balance. Johnson should get some wins here on account of his own abilities, but it’s a tough matchup no matter who is going up against Uno.

Bears LT Braxton Jones vs. Bengals EDGE Boye Mafe

Noble: The Bears’ left tackle situation can be best described as fluid from what we’ve seen at training camp. I’m still in the belief that Braxton Jones will open the season as the starting left tackle for the fifth year in a row. Jones returned to practice on Sunday and has been taking the majority of the first-team reps while Jedrick Wills Jr. and Kiran Amegadjie burned their chance to make some headway in this competition. Seeing Jones in action against Mafe should give Ben Johnson and Dan Roushar some much needed clarity at the position. Or make things even harder to evaluate.

Sheeran: The edge most likely to go against Jones is Boye Mafe, who is lined up almost exclusively on the right side of the defensive line in last week’s preseason-opener. Mafe has had an impressive camp both as a pass rusher with burst, and edge-setter against the run. His wide array of countermoves should be a good test for Chicago’s embattled blindside protector.

Bears S Dillon Thieneman vs. Bengals TE Mike Gesicki

Noble: Dillon Thieneman has been earning some negative reviews throughout training camp and frankly it’s not his fault. Thieneman has been asked to do a lot over the last few weeks, including covering Colston Loveland and having to adjust to a new running mates at safety after Coby Bryant’s injury. Thieneman wasn’t challenged much in coverage during his limited snaps in the preseason opener, so the staff is still eager to see how he looks in that department against someone not named Colston Loveland, who’s quickly becoming one of the top tight ends in football.

Sheeran: It’s been a relatively quiet camp for “tight end “Mike Gesicki. The Bengals pretty much know who he is at this point, and trust him to win routes as a vertical slot option. He is the guy who is most likely to occupy the middle of the field while safeties are concerned about Chase and Tee Higgins near the sidelines. He can high point passes with the best of them.

Bears C Garrett Bradbury vs. Bengals DT Dexter Lawrence

Noble: Garrett Bradbury has solidified his position as Chicago’s starting center and it honestly wasn’t much of a completion against second-round rookie Logan Jones. Bradbury has quickly taken command of Ben Johnson’s offense and multiple players have raved about his communication. The real concern with Bradbury’s game over the last few years has been his ability to hold up against stout defensive tackles. Dexter Lawrence could present a big challenge for Bradbury on Thursday.

Sheeran: No one has had a stronger training camp in Cincinnati than Dexter Lawrence. The three time Pro Bowler has looked exactly like that description would indicate. He’s been a menace for the Bengals interior offensive line to handle, especially veteran center Ted Karras. There is no one who is going to challenge Bradbury more leading up to the season than Lawrence himself. The expectation is the 28-year-old continues to dominate against a new foe.

Bears EDGE Austin Booker vs. Bengals LT Orlando Brown Jr.

Noble: Everyone in Chicago believes Austin Booker is in for a breakout season and the early returns proved that. No matter who lined up at left tackle, no one seemed to have an answer for Booker’s long-arm off the edge. However, it’s worth noting that we didn’t see that come to fruition in the preseason opener. Is a product of bad left tackle play, or is Booker going to continue flashing against a four-time Pro Bowl selection?

Sheeran: This will be a very good test for Orlando Brown Jr. Cincinnati’s left tackle had a night to forget last Thursday against the Detroit Lions. He’s susceptible to losing against edges with burst and bend. Maybe he gets help against Booker and Co. It will be a good barometer to see where he’s at entering the season.