Bears rookies are delivering big hits as training camp battles heat up and the push for final roster spots begin taking shape

Kyle Monangai showing off his unique skillset

Going back to last week, rookie running back Kyle Monangai has been showing off a wide range of skills he can bring to the table for this offense.

Last Thursday, Monangai had one of the top plays of the day ripping off a long run that showcased his speed and even threw in a little juke down the field. He was also seen catching screen passes and using his vision to follow his blockers down the field on Saturday.

When pads came on this week, Monangai really got to show his best talent by bouncing off defenders and standing out to his coaches with his ability to protect the quarterback.

"He's a sponge. He wants to do everything exactly like you coach it," head coach Ben Johnson said of Monangai. "He's going to be one of those glue guys that you can count on to do it the right way. . . You have to be wired a little differently to come up and smack a linebacker in the teeth (on) Day 1 with pads. I think he's got that mentality."

Left tackle battle expected to last a little longer

The urgency of deciding who starts at left tackle sooner than later is clear for the Bears' coaching staff, but the staff also understands it's going to take some time before coming to a decision.

So far, Braxton Jones, Ozzy Trapilo, and Kiran Amegadjie have been rotating pretty evenly and all three players have experienced some high and low moments going up against the pass rush with pads on this week.

Ideally Jones can regain his starting position so the Bears can use Trapilo as a swing tackle on both sides, but the second-round rookie continues to push hard for the starting gig himself. Next week, when the Miami Dolphins come to down for joint practice and an eventual preseason game, we should be a little closer to figuring out how the staff feels about the position.

"By Week 1, we’ll know exactly who our starting five are going to be," Johnson explained. "If that takes three weeks, great. If that takes six weeks to find out, no problem."

CB depth is starting to be established, but one key factor is still unknown

Being without Jaylon Johnson, surprisingly, has been a good thing for the cornerback room during the first two weeks of camp, and something that will continue until the team's top cornerback returns from his leg injury.

In Johnson's absence, other players have gotten more opportunities to step up. Nahshon Wright continues to be the big name after predominantly playing with the first-team defense while Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith rotate in and out of the other outside spot. On Wednesday, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen mentioned Nick McCloud as another player who's stepped up in camp.

The name we haven't seen out there yet is rookie Zah Frazier, who is dealing with a personal matter and has yet to practice since training camp opened. Frazier's eventual return will make things interesting at the cornerback position but if he's able to hit the ground running, things become much more clearer at this position when it comes to roster cuts.

How's the offensive line depth looking?

We've gotten a few clues about this throughout the last few days with various players taking rest days and some players dealing with minor injuries. As far as the starting five goes, everything is set outside of left tackle, which was expected, with Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, Jonah Jackson, and Darnell Wright holding down the other four spots.

On Saturday, Wright was given a rest day and in his place second-year tackle Theo Benedet took most of the reps at right tackle, but you have to remember Jones, Trapilo, and Amegadjie are in play as well as a potential backup swing tackle once the left tackle battle concludes and it'll be hard to see the team keep five tackles.

On the inside, veteran Ryan Bates filled in at right guard on Wednesday with Jackson out and has been on the field every day despite missing time earlier in the spring. Doug Kramer missed practice on Monday but was able to return the next day and mix back in as the second-team center. Rookie Luke Newman is another exciting option with positional flexibility. So far, that seems like a solid 10-man unit to bring into the season.