Bears Dolphins practice recap

A neutral recap of the Bears and Dolphins joint practice at Halas Hall as both teams prepare for the preseason opener.

Bears and Dolphins Hold Joint Practice Ahead of Preseason

At Halas Hall, the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins staged a joint practice ahead of Sundays preseason opener. With most starters expected to see limited action, coaches emphasized controlled snaps and situational work to evaluate depth players and tighten schemes. Kyler Gordon attended the session but did not dress, while Darnell Wright returned to practice after an earlier scare. The left tackle job remained open, with Braxton Jones starting and rookie Ozzy Trapilo and former UDFA Theo Benedet rotating in during red-zone work.

Practice took place on two fields, making it hard to track every rep. Bears coach Ben Johnson warned players about discipline, saying there must be no fights and that consequences would follow. Kiran Amegadjie was sidelined with a leg issue, while the team kept an eye on Wright and other health concerns. The session offered a glimpse of the Bears depth chart behind the expected starters and provided early indicators of how the team might handle the offensive line and run game this season.

These joint practices are about depth testing more than box score results. The Bears appear to be weighing their left tackle options, which could ripple across the line. With Amegadjie out and Gordon limited, the competition for players will shape who steps in if injuries mount. The two-field setup illustrates how quickly observations can fragment, underscoring the need to read multiple voices and videos to get a clear sense of progress.

Discipline matters as much as playmaking in August. If the Bears can keep collisions controlled while evaluating the backups, the coaching staff will be more confident about the roster come September. The Dolphins bring a different challenge, so the joint practice provides a broader view of how both teams adapt to game-like situations before the real games begin.

Highlights

What unfolds in the coming days will reveal how seriously both teams take these joint sessions as a pathway to October.