Bears’ Ben Johnson pushes physical edge in camp practice as several starters leave the field

The Chicago Bears put their emphasis on physicality front and center during a training camp practice that, by the team’s own description, turned into a grind. In a day that included live passing segments bookending the session, head coach Ben Johnson said beforehand that the Bears would have their longest practice yet and promised “some thumping,” a reference to harder, contact-heavy work that can shape how a roster handles late-season tempo and competition.

According to a practice recap circulated by team beat coverage, the physical nature of the session carried consequences on the field. Multiple Bears players were reported as leaving practice after being “dinged up,” and the list included left tackle Braxton Jones, defensive end Montez Sweat, cornerback Dallis Flowers, and safety Gervarrius Owens. In a full training camp day, those types of departures matter immediately because they reduce reps for key starters and offer early clues about who may be managed during the remaining weeks of camp.

The Bears also moved through live work in a way that underscored both sides of the ball. The same recap pointed to passing touchdowns in the practice sequence, describing the day as having passing work at both ends of the session. That matters because camp periodization often alternates between contact-heavy installation phases and periods designed to sharpen timing, spacing, and finishing on plays, especially in red-zone and situational looks.

On the defensive front, the practice was described as featuring flashes from defensive linemen, a common developmental theme in camp when pass rushers are tested against offensive line pass sets and protection adjustments. Montez Sweat’s reported departure after contact adds extra attention to how the Bears plan their front seven reps, particularly if the team tries to limit workload while evaluating whether a player’s issue is minor or something that needs a longer look.

In the secondary, the recap noted that cornerback Dallis Flowers and safety Gervarrius Owens were among those who left the field due to being dinged up. That can influence how defensive backs are used in team drills and how coaches balance technique correction with injury management. It also matters for the Bears’ depth chart as camp progresses, since injuries can force the coaching staff to expand opportunity to younger or rotational defensive backs while still maintaining defensive coverage integrity.

There was also a smaller but notable late detail from the session: Jaylon Jones was not on the field late in practice, which the recap characterized as possibly injury-related. When a player is absent late, the most important next step is confirmation and monitoring, since a late absence can be as minor as a precautionary rest or as significant as a developing injury that affects availability for subsequent days.