It's been a long training camp for the Chicago Bears this year, and thankfully it's been far less messy than what we saw in 2025. Caleb Williams has been sharp, the offense has been more consistent, and the defense had a good showing against the Cincinnati Bengals' starting offense in a joint practice last week, which means general manager Ryan Poles' big gamble on defense could soon be vindicated.

The Bears have one more joint practice this week against the Tennessee Titans, who will be their preseason Week 3 opponent. After that, however, comes roster cutdown day. On August 30th, the Bears will have to trim their roster from 90 players to just 53, and few of those decisions will be easy. Some players were relative unknowns at the start of camp yet now seem indispensable to the operation of the team. Others who looked like roster locks, however, may find themselves without a chair when the music stops.

With that in mind, let's consider some of the biggest risers and fallers from the Bears ahead of their final week of training camp.

Jahdae Walker - Riser

Whether the Bears carry five or six wide receivers on the depth chart this year, it's hard to imagine Walker not earning a spot. His rise truly began a year ago as an undrafted rookie when he caught a go-ahead touchdown pass in Chicago's preseason Week 3 thriller against the Kansas City Chiefs, then hit a crescendo when he became the unlikely hero in the Bears' wild Week 15 comeback win over the Packers.

Throughout training camp and preseason this year, Walker has continued to impress with his acrobatic catches and nifty route running, including this 36-yard reception against the Bengals on Saturday. He may not ever be a starting receiver for the Bears, but he looks like one of the better depth options in the league.

Kyler Gordon - Faller

When the Bears signed Kyler Gordon to a market-setting contract extension in April of 2025, they thought they were locking in the services of the NFL's best nickel cornerback for the next four years. Since then, Gordon has played just five games including the playoffs and has not practiced at all in training camp as he rehabs a soft tissue injury.

This has been a frustrating issue for everyone involved: Gordon himself, Ben Johnson, the media, and the fans. And as if to add insult to injury, Ozzy Trapilo defied history with his improbable return from a ruptured patellar tendon. I'm sure Gordon will play again at some point this season, but his stock has cratered, especially with the coaches, and I imagine the Bears will be looking to move off of his contract as soon as feasible.

Kaden Davis - Riser

Should the Bears carry just five receivers on their depth chart this year rather than the customary six, I don't think Davis would make the cut, but he may have done enough already to force the Bears to make room for him. The undrafted rookie receiver from NW Missouri State has repeatedly ended training camp practice sessions with walk-off touchdown receptions. In the Bears' preseason Week 1 win over the Browns, Davis led the team with four receptions for 88 yards.

Despite a poor showing on Saturday night against the Bengals, I'm still counting Davis among the risers of training camp. He may have been entirely unknown among the fans a month ago, but he's quickly become a fan-favorite and a proven contributor in a depth role.

Every Left Tackle Not Named Ozzy Trapilo - Faller

The sooner Trapilo can return to full action for the Bears, the better. The left tackle position has become a big problem for the Bears that can't be addressed adequately so long as Trapilo is sidelined. In the Bears' preseason Week 2 loss to the Bengals, everyone who suited up at left tackle for the Bears looked outmatched by Cincinnati's backups and rookie pass rushers. Even Braxton Jones, who had distinguished himself earlier in training camp, has fallen far over the past week.

That's an untenable situation for a team hoping to take another step towards Super Bowl contention. Hopefully, Trapilo returns sometime in September and looks as good as he did back in January before he got hurt. If not, the Bears could be in trouble.

Jordan van den Berg - Riser

One of the most popular players among Bears fans since the 2026 NFL draft has been defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg. His perfect Relative Athletic Score (RAS) wowed the Bears and convinced them to select him in the sixth round, and he has lived up to every expectation and then some since then.

After a slow start to training camp, van den Berg saw a training camp surge as he got some work in with the starters a couple of weeks ago. He's further impressed in both preseason games so far, especially after Saturday. Van den Berg was a menace against the Bengals, solidifying what was already a strong case for a roster spot.

Ruben Hyppolite II - Faller

There wasn't much room left for Hyppolite to fall after spending most of his rookie season as a healthy scratch, but this seems like rock bottom for him. The second-year player was nearly a complete ghost throughout training camp, only shining on one day in particular. Meanwhile, between returning linebackers, the signing of Devin Bush, and the drafting of Keyshaun Elliott, it's hard to see the Bears making room for Hyppolite on this year's roster.

Is it too soon to move off of a 2025 draft pick? Maybe. But in this business, it's often better to be too soon than too late.

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