Bears 2026 Training Camp Preview with The Athletic's Dan Wiederer

Ruthie Polinsky and Clay Harbor are joined by The Athletic’s Dan Wiederer to preview Bears training camp, breaking down the biggest position battles, expectations for key players, and what the next step is in Caleb Williams’ development. They also discuss rookies to watch, including Dillon Thieneman, and identify a few under-the-radar players who could make a surprising impact this season.

Ruthie Polinsky and Clay Harbor are back from their summer vacations with their way too early Pro Bowl picks for the Bears. They discuss why Caleb Williams, Jaylon Johnson, Darnell Wright, Montez Sweat, D'Andre Swift, Coby Bryant, and Colston Loveland may all be in line for Pro Bowl seasons.

Ruthie Polinsky and Clay Harbor hand out their pre-training camp superlatives on this episode of The Charter. They discuss which Bears players are primed for a breakout season, who could take a step back, the veterans and rookies poised to make the biggest impact in 2026, and the position group that still needs the most help before training camp begins.

Ruthie Polinsky and Clay Harbor dive into everything they saw from Bears minicamp, including looking at the health of Kyler Gordon and Jaylon Johnson and Braxton Jones’ outlook after an injury-plagued 2025 season. They examine the continued development of Rome Odunze, share their early impressions of veteran wide receiver Kalif Raymond and second-year wideout Luther Burden III before closing with a look at QB1, Caleb Williams, who has impressed throughout camp with his playmaking ability and added strength heading into the season.

Ruthie Polinsky and Clay Harbor react to the news that Caleb Williams will be featured on the cover of Madden NFL 27 before diving into their biggest takeaways from Bears OTAs. The hosts discuss Caleb’s growing confidence and leadership and why he appears much more comfortable entering his third season. They also examine the concern level surrounding Rome Odunze after comments about his health raised questions during the week. Plus, Clay explains why Kyler Gordon's continued absence is an unfortunate setback for Ben Johnson and the Bears as they continue offseason preparations.

Ruthie Polinsky and Clay Harbor circle back to the Chicago Bears’ 2026 schedule with a fresh perspective, taking a closer look at the matchups that could define the season and revisiting their initial reactions nearly a week after the release. From a potentially brutal midseason stretch to intriguing quarterback battles featuring Caleb Williams, Bryce Young, and Drake Maye, the duo breaks down where the Bears may have advantages and where things could get dicey. They also debate who could actually be under center for the Vikings by Week 2 and whether the Bears can build momentum early in the year. The conversation moves game-by-game as Ruthie and Clay hand out their way-too-early win-loss predictions, including marquee showdowns against the Eagles, Packers, Patriots, Seahawks, Buccaneers, and Lions on Thanksgiving Day in Detroit. They discuss why matchups against teams like the Saints, Jets, Falcons, Jaguars, and Dolphins may be far more complicated than they appear on paper, while also previewing the Bears’ first trip to the Bills’ new Highmark Stadium. Along the way, the hosts examine the importance of primetime tests, tough road environments, and how Caleb Williams could stack up against some of the NFL’s biggest names in year two.

Ruthie Polinsky and Clay Harbor unpack the newly released 2026 Chicago Bears schedule and react to some early surprises, including Chicago opening the season on the road against Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers instead of a trip to Seattle. The duo highlights several marquee matchups on the calendar, from a Monday night showdown with the Philadelphia Eagles to a pivotal Week 8 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks that Clay believes could become a measuring-stick game for the season. They also discuss the Bears’ stretch of primetime appearances and why the Week 10 bye may arrive at the perfect time. Later in the episode, Ruthie and Clay look ahead to a challenging finish to the year that includes Thanksgiving in Detroit against the Detroit Lions, a late-season home game versus the Jacksonville Jaguars, and a brutal closing run featuring Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, the Green Bay Packers on Christmas Day, another matchup with Detroit, and a season finale against the Minnesota Vikings. Clay shares a player’s perspective on preparing for holiday games and explains why Ben Johnson may be uniquely prepared to navigate the challenges that come with facing a first-place schedule after his success coordinating one in Detroit.

Clay and Ruthie kick things off with a lighter moment as they share what it’s been like being in the middle of a fast, before turning their attention to the Chicago Bears’ early offseason rhythm. With rookie minicamp approaching, they break down how the team is laying the groundwork for its newest additions and revisit their initial reactions to the draft now that there’s been time to digest it. Clay offers an updated perspective after diving deeper into film, giving a clearer picture of how each pick could fit moving forward. Later, the conversation shifts to a bigger-picture evaluation as Clay ranks Ryan Poles’ draft classes now that the GM has reached his fifth year at the helm. The duo highlights standout successes like Darnell Wright, Colston Loveland, and Caleb Williams, while also addressing picks that didn’t pan out as hoped, including Tyler Scott and Zach Pickens. They wrap up by circling back to rookie minicamp, discussing what fans should realistically watch for and why this early stage can quietly shape the trajectory of a player’s first season.

Ruthie Polinsky and Clay Harbor break down the Bears’ full 2026 NFL Draft class, diving into whether this group meaningfully upgrades the roster heading into the season. The conversation starts in the trenches with second-round center Logan Jones and how he fits alongside Garrett Bradbury, before shifting to third-round tight end Sam Roush and what his arrival means for the Bears’ evolving TE room. They also explore how head coach Ben Johnson’s vision shapes these selections and the ways these rookies could be deployed in his system. The episode continues with a closer look at playmakers and value picks, including wide receiver Zavion Thomas and what he brings to the offense, plus cornerback Malik Muhammad, who is already drawing “steal of the draft” buzz, and fifth round linebacker Keyshaun Elliot. The duo also discuss the Bears trading up for defensive tackle Jordan Van Den Berg and whether he could develop into a future surprise contributor. Ruthie shares what she would have done differently, while Clay wraps things up with his overall takeaways from a draft class that could define the next phase of the roster. 

CHSN host and The Score's David Haugh joins Ruthie and Clay to break down the Chicago Bears' first-round selection of Dillon Thieneman at No. 25 overall, a move Haugh says he predicted. The group dives into why there’s so much excitement around the pick, how Thieneman fits into Ben Johnson’s vision, and the way his speed adds another layer to a defense that’s clearly gotten faster this offseason. They also look at how he could complement newly added safety Coby Bryant and what that pairing might bring to the secondary. Later they look into some of the biggest surprises across the draft, including quarterback Ty Simpson landing with the Los Angeles Rams. The crew also checks in on division movement, including what the Detroit Lions did, while Clay shares insight on his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles, and their first-round pick Makai Lemon.