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Bears Bench Starters for Preseason Opener, Prioritize Joint Practices
8 Aug
Summary
- Bears head coach Ben Johnson will hold out QB Caleb Williams and majority of starters
- Johnson plans to get more reps for the starters through joint practices with Dolphins
- Reserves will get the chance to shine in the preseason opener against Miami
As the Chicago Bears prepare to kick off their preseason slate on Sunday, August 13th, 2025, head coach Ben Johnson has announced that quarterback Caleb Williams and the majority of the team's starters will not see any game action against the visiting Miami Dolphins.
In an exclusive interview on August 11th, 2025, Johnson explained his strategy, stating, "There are going to be a number of guys that aren't playing in this game. I haven't even told the team this yet." The coach emphasized that the Bears will instead get "great work in the joint practice" with the Dolphins, which is scheduled for August 12th, 2025.
Furthermore, Johnson revealed that the team has "a number of things scheduled around the game for those guys that aren't playing, whether it's the day before or the day after." This suggests the Bears are prioritizing practice time over preseason game reps to ensure their starters are adequately prepared for the regular season opener against the Minnesota Vikings on September 8th, 2025.
While the absence of the team's top players may disappoint some fans, it presents an opportunity for the Bears' reserves to showcase their talents at Soldier Field. Johnson noted that around nine players on offense and defense will be inactive for the preseason game, accounting for the vast majority of the starters.
