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The Chicago Bears are gearing up for the start of training camp, where first-year head coach Ben Johnson will prepare his team ready for the 2025 season.
The Bears have a number of players on defense who have become stars over the years. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson has made the Pro Bowl in consecutive seasons, while Montez Sweat is the most talented player on the defensive line. But there are also some players flying under the radar heading into the summer who bear watching.
With that in mind, here are five under-the-radar players on defense to watch during training camp:
Despite being the first guy off the bench at this point at defensive end, we have not heard much about Austin Booker during the offseason. The second-year edge rusher was viewed as a project when he was picked in the fifth round and made a couple of plays throughout his rookie season. Booker has been training with Gervon Dexter and Grady Jarrett this year and likely added more weight to play in Dennis Allen's defense. There are rumors that the Bears could add another pass rusher during training camp, something they have done the last two years. If they choose to stand pat, it will show they have confidence in Booker to step up as a rotational pass rusher.
One of the darlings of last year's training camp is back, only this time he won't surprise anyone with the big plays he makes. Daniel Hardy was a primary contributor on special teams in 2024, and he made one of the biggest plays of the year with his punt block in Week 1. Hardy wound up leading the team in special teams tackles but was relatively quiet at defensive end. With a lack of depth at the position, Hardy can once again make some noise during camp and the preseason. Perhaps a new coaching staff can unlock something in him that makes him more impactful on defense. Hardy won't sneak up on anyone this year, but that doesn't mean he's high on anyone's radar.
When the Bears allowed Jack Sanborn to sign with the Dallas Cowboys this offseason, it signaled Noah Sewell's opportunity to earn a starting spot on the defense. That all changed with the selection of Ruben Hyppolite in the fourth round, a raw linebacker, but someone who is impressing the coaching staff during offseason workouts. Suddenly, Sewell is back in the shadows, but he can easily change that with a strong camp performance. Injuries have impacted him as well, so staying healthy will be paramount to his success.
Historically, the Bears have been able to find gems at defensive back in the later rounds of the draft. Guys like Nathan Vasher, Zackary Bowman, and Adrian Amos all had solid stints in the league. Can Zah Frazier be the next? He's a big cornerback who turned into a ballhawk last year at UTSA, and he's joining a deep position group led by the likes of Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon. Two starting spots are spoken for, and while Tyrique Stevenson has the inside track to retain the other outside corner spot, Frazier is someone who could challenge him.
The Bears safety group hasn't changed much since last season, with all four players returning for the 2025 season. Starters Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker are back healthy, and reserves Jonathan Owens and Elijah Hicks have the inside track at remaining on the roster. Someone could challenge either for a roster spot, though, and my bet would be Tysheem Johnson. An undrafted free agent, Johnson led the Oregon Ducks in interceptions last year and played against some of the top competition with positive results. He's big-game tested and could flash in camp and the preseason.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 5 under-the-radar Bears players to watch on defense in training camp
Continue reading...
The Bears have a number of players on defense who have become stars over the years. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson has made the Pro Bowl in consecutive seasons, while Montez Sweat is the most talented player on the defensive line. But there are also some players flying under the radar heading into the summer who bear watching.
With that in mind, here are five under-the-radar players on defense to watch during training camp:
1. DE Austin Booker
Despite being the first guy off the bench at this point at defensive end, we have not heard much about Austin Booker during the offseason. The second-year edge rusher was viewed as a project when he was picked in the fifth round and made a couple of plays throughout his rookie season. Booker has been training with Gervon Dexter and Grady Jarrett this year and likely added more weight to play in Dennis Allen's defense. There are rumors that the Bears could add another pass rusher during training camp, something they have done the last two years. If they choose to stand pat, it will show they have confidence in Booker to step up as a rotational pass rusher.
2. DE Daniel Hardy
One of the darlings of last year's training camp is back, only this time he won't surprise anyone with the big plays he makes. Daniel Hardy was a primary contributor on special teams in 2024, and he made one of the biggest plays of the year with his punt block in Week 1. Hardy wound up leading the team in special teams tackles but was relatively quiet at defensive end. With a lack of depth at the position, Hardy can once again make some noise during camp and the preseason. Perhaps a new coaching staff can unlock something in him that makes him more impactful on defense. Hardy won't sneak up on anyone this year, but that doesn't mean he's high on anyone's radar.
3. LB Noah Sewell
When the Bears allowed Jack Sanborn to sign with the Dallas Cowboys this offseason, it signaled Noah Sewell's opportunity to earn a starting spot on the defense. That all changed with the selection of Ruben Hyppolite in the fourth round, a raw linebacker, but someone who is impressing the coaching staff during offseason workouts. Suddenly, Sewell is back in the shadows, but he can easily change that with a strong camp performance. Injuries have impacted him as well, so staying healthy will be paramount to his success.
4. CB Zah Frazier
Historically, the Bears have been able to find gems at defensive back in the later rounds of the draft. Guys like Nathan Vasher, Zackary Bowman, and Adrian Amos all had solid stints in the league. Can Zah Frazier be the next? He's a big cornerback who turned into a ballhawk last year at UTSA, and he's joining a deep position group led by the likes of Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon. Two starting spots are spoken for, and while Tyrique Stevenson has the inside track to retain the other outside corner spot, Frazier is someone who could challenge him.
5. S Tysheem Johnson
The Bears safety group hasn't changed much since last season, with all four players returning for the 2025 season. Starters Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker are back healthy, and reserves Jonathan Owens and Elijah Hicks have the inside track at remaining on the roster. Someone could challenge either for a roster spot, though, and my bet would be Tysheem Johnson. An undrafted free agent, Johnson led the Oregon Ducks in interceptions last year and played against some of the top competition with positive results. He's big-game tested and could flash in camp and the preseason.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 5 under-the-radar Bears players to watch on defense in training camp
Continue reading...