5 key takeaways from Chicago Bears first set of OTA offseason workouts

The Chicago Bears first round of OTAs are in the books, and there were good vibes all around.

From coach Ben Johnson giving reporters their first real look at his coaching style, to veterans getting back to doing actual football drills, Bears football was back in the air.

The Bears have two more rounds of OTAs on May 28-30 and June 9-11. They'll have a mandatory team minicamp on June 3-5.

Here are the five biggest takeaways from the first set of OTAs.

Ben Johnson isn't messing around

The biggest takeaway from the Chicago Bears' first round of OTAs is the approach Johnson is taking in Year 1. According to multiple reports from beat reporters in attendance, Johnson has been fiery and focused on the details, including riding veteran tight end Cole Kmet for aligning incorrectly on a rep.

But even more impressive was Johnson's handling of the Caleb Williams drama.

“It’s come to my attention that the quarterback has been out in the media over the last week, and just to get out in front of that a little bit, I just wanted to say I wasn’t here last year and so I can’t speak too much in terms of what it was like before he got here and when he got here last year,” Johnson said. “But from my four months on the job, he’s been outstanding to work with and we just are focusing on getting a little better every day.”

Johnson got out in front of the drama and handled it like a seasoned pro. He's winning over the Chicago Bears beat, which, based on recent head coaching history, is already an impressive 'W.'

Rome Odunze breakout season on the horizon

We haven't heard much about Odunze this offseason, which has been a bit concerning, considering he had an underwhelming rookie year. It's not that Odunze was terrible, but he didn't make nearly the impact Bears fans expected, and his production fell way short of several other rookie wideouts in 2024.

The 2024 season was an odd year for several Bears players, and with a reboot coming in 2025, Odunze stands to be one of the new-look offense's biggest beneficiaries.

Ben Johnson certainly believes in him.

"Yeah, I'm extremely impressed," Johnson said on Wednesday. "To be a second-year guy, you would expect a little more inconsistency. The way he approaches the meeting room, the walkthroughs, the on the field drill work, it's very much like a seasoned pro. Some of the best that I've been around.

Odunze should see a massive uptick in his targets after the departure of Keenan Allen. Sure, the additions of Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III in the 2025 NFL draft could complicate Odunze's 2025 outlook, but there's no doubt his talent and professional approach to the offseason will create more than his fair share of opportunities to prove early in the season that he is the new WR1 for Johnson's system.

Joe Thuney believes in Bears' vision

Thuney agreed to a two-year contract to remain with the Chicago Bears through 2027, all but confirming he'll finish his career as a Bear. It also confirms that what GM Ryan Poles and Johnson are building in Chicago has very real momentum.

Thuney, a likely future Hall-of-Famer, would've had an abundance of suitors next offseason if he decided to play out the final year of his contract. And, if he didn't believe in what the Bears were building, he would've chosen that route. Instead, he opted to sign a multi-year deal.

“As the days rolled into weeks, you realize this is a special place, special building, special history here, and the people in the building just make it even more special,” Thuney said. “I don’t know if there was an exact moment or anything, but pretty early on I could just tell this is something I want to be a part of, something that I think would be really cool going forward.”

Sure, the Bears have been here before with a new coach and a new and improved roster. For now, it feels different. And if a veteran like Thuney feels those vibes, it's a great sign.

Kiran Amegadjie is first man up at left tackle

One of the bigger on-field developments was Amegadjie getting the first crack at first-team reps at left tackle while Braxton Jones recovers from his fractured ankle.

Amegadjie will compete with rookie second-round pick Ozzy Trapilo for the LT2 role (with the very real potential to be LT1 if Jones is slow in his recovery.)

"He's another really hard worker, really smart guy–Yale guy," Joe Thuney said of Amegadjie. "It's fun to talk back and forth, play next to him and seeing how we see the game, talking about different looks.

Perhaps this was nothing more than a seniority thing. Amegadjie is entering his second season and didn't have the benefit of an offseason program as a rookie; he was recovering from an injury this time last year. It's fair for him to get the first-team reps... for now.

While I do think Trapilo's upside is higher, we won't get a real sense for who deserves that first-team role until the pads come on during training camp.

Concern over Luther Burden injury?

Burden was absent from OTAs as he deals with what was described as a soft-tissue injury. No timetable for his return was provided, which, of course, sends shivers down Bears fans' spines.

Remember Kevin White? Yikes.

No, I'm not suggesting it's time to sound the alarm. But Burden is a key to the 2025 NFL draft being a success; if he's out for a while and his rookie season is impacted because of it, the 'same old Bears' narrative will slowly grow louder.

For now, let's hope it's nothing more than the Chicago Bears being conservative with a player who has a very bright future in this system.