Bears, Bengals to Have Joint Practice Ahead of Preseason Week 2 Tilt

The NFL news cycle is very much in one of the larger lulls of the calendar year, but that doesn't stop the NFL from finding ways to sneak back in front of fans' eyes. In the case of the Chicago Bears, some important news regarding the preseason was reported on Sunday. 

According to Nicholas Moreano of CHGO, the Bears will host the Cincinnati Bengals for a joint practice on August 15, 2024. That Thursday practice will be the final full-go practice before the two squads play on Saturday, August 17 at Soldier Field. With the game being hosted in Chicago, the practice will take place up at Halas Hall. 

With the amount of hype around the Bears entering the season, this will be an excellent benchmark for the team during the preseason. Although the games are important, starters do not play much in game action. As a result, the Thursday practice will likely provide the most competition for the starting units. 

In the case of the defense, receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins will be an excellent test for the Bears' secondary. With Kevin Byard replacing Eddie Jackson this season, the rest of the unit remains the same entering 2024. With Joe Burrow slinging the rock to his weapons, it will be the perfect test early on for a defense coming off a really good season statistically. 

On the other side, the Bengals have had a very respectable defensive unit over the last few seasons. This should provide quite the challenge for DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, and Caleb Williams. However, if the practice flows in favor of the Bears' offense, then the early returns are spectacular for a new-look offensive group. 

Overall, this will be the most competition the starting units will have in the preseason. The games are more intended for the players trying to make the roster, not those penciled in as starters. On Thursday, August 15, the starting units for both teams will be presented with a quality test in the preseason's second week.