Pinpointing potential Chicago Bears training camp surpises

It's as inevitable as hamstring injuries during the first week of an NFL training camp.

Unexpected players will make a statement during the July and August heat and catch the eyes of coaches.

They might be undrafted rookies, it also might be a veteran player who had been signed later in free agency for possible depth, but more likely as mere competition in camp—a sort of fodder for the starters in practice. Instead, they rise up.

Someone is going to step up.

Veteran tackle Jake Curhan made his presence felt last year and got to stick around all season after he had been with former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron in Seattle. Undrafted rookie defensive back Reddy Steward caught coaches' attention by picking off Caleb Williams a few times when he got a chance to practice against the starters.

Steward never made the team but did get onto the practice squad and eventually played in one game.

In case anyone wonders what happened to Steward, he signed in the offseason with the Minnesota Vikings so anticipate he'll somehow rise up and have a hand in a Bears loss this year.

Bill Murray—the guard and not the comedic actor—made his first real statement last training camp and preseason. The Bears found the former defensive lineman could block but he then suffered a season-ending torn pectoral muscle.

It's all about competition in training camp after OTAs and minicamp were merely about learning the roles and schemes. When players compete, anything can happen.

Here are five Bears well positioned after OTAs and minicamp to pop up as training camp surprises in 2025.

WR Maurice Alexander

When OTAs started, Alexander began making plays immediately and it shouldn't have surprised anyone. He played in Johnson's offense with the Lions as a practice squad and bottom-of-the-roster type. He was ahead of everyone else and will start camp that way. The ball often finds a slot receiver in this offense, says Johnson. Expect some early hoise from this 5-10, 173-pound receiver.

LB Swayze Bozeman

He's a third-year player so he has been through all of this before a few times--except, he went through it with the defending world champion Kansas City Chiefs and not a cellar dweller. The Bears got Jack Sanborn as an undrafted free agent. Why couldn't they find another UDFA who was a free agent? He spent last year on the Chiefs practice squad but was elevated to play in three Games. The 6-1, 230-pounder played for coaches Andy Reid, Steve Spagnuolo and special teams legend Dave Toub, so why couldn't he make this roster as a heady backup and special teams performer?

DT Jonathan Ford

There has been a change in tactics up front. The Bears won't be in a standard gap-attacking defensive line but will now be attacking the man in front of them in a sort of cross between one-gap and two-gap styles. Who better to drive back blockers into the backfield than a massive 340-pounder who is 6-foot-5 and has played both in one-gap and two-gap systems? He got into four games with nine tackles last year in Chicago after being plucked off the Packers practice squad. Don't write him off, even if they have Grady Jarrett, Gervon Dexter, Shemar Turner and Andrew Billings ahead of him, with more competition from Chris Williams and Zacch Pickens.

Tysheem Johnson

Johnson already has the attention of defensive coordinator Dennis Allen because of his versatility.

"Johnson is a modern defensive back, in that he can play both safeties, corner and cover the slot," Allen said. 

It helps to win a roster spot when you can be used anywhere. He made five interceptions at Oregon, one at Ole' Miss and is a strong special teamer.

G Jordan McFadden

A team with some questions at backup guard can't dismiss a player with 13 games and two starts in the NFL. Murray, rookie Luke Newman and Ryan Bates are players who might be severely challenged by a 6-2, 302-pounder who spent last year inactive for all but one game but has been through a few training camps with the Chargers. He also has experience being inserted as a blocking back, which means the Bears wouldn't have to make poor Doug Kramer do it again.