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Oh, how far the Chicago Bears have come.
It was just over one year ago when Bears coach Ben Johnson explained the circle of trust he had found on the offensive side of the ball.
Cole Kmet, DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Olamide Zaccheaus were the four players he trusted to be lined up where they needed to be every time without fail.
"Those are the three that stand out to me first and foremost," Johnson said on Aug. 3. "I think OZ is doing a great job of being where he's supposed to be and he's professional about it.
That was then. Now, Johnson’s circle of trust looks different in Year 2.
"Yeah, I don't know if I could put a number on it," he said Saturday.
Big picture view:
The Bears’ offense has been completely different so far in training camp this year. Last year, there were issues.
They had issues lining up on 7-on-7 drills, issues with false starts and issues with pre-snap operations. Much of that isn’t lingering, now.
On Saturday, the Bears went out and played a simple game. They didn’t do a whole lot of pre-snap movement and fancy formations where players were lined up differently.
They went out there and played.
"I love the fact that we take all the bells and whistles off today and we're more static, not a whole lots of motions and all that and these guys can just cut it loose and play fast," Johnson said. "I thought their play speed showed up today."
Trusting the players exemplified their speed. It’s an example of how much Johnson doesn’t think about that circle of trust anymore.
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These players don’t need to earn his trust. They’ve already earned it with how they operate on a daily basis, and Johnson sees that first hand.
It helps that circle of trust exists today. Odunze is a player Johnson had lauded all offseason and in the preseason as a hard worker and a tough player. It’s reinforced when Johnson brings in another player who has the characteristics, like wide receiver Kalif Raymond.
That example is something that carries on to a younger player in the receiver room, like rookie Zavion Thomas.
"You bring in some new guys, some young guys, like take Zavion, for example. Now you can just say, ‘Hey, just do what Rome does. Just do what Kalif does," Johnson said. "That's where this thing really takes off."
There’s a different level to it, too. Especially when even the veterans like Raymond notice the work Thomas can do outside the facility.
That gets back to Johnson, and it’s an example of how well the rookie is adjusting and how great of a role model players like Odunze and Raymond are.
"Zavion is on his stuff because he's just watching them and doing what they do," Johnson said. "There's not a number on it, but there's a lot of confidence right now with where we are, where we're heading, and what we can potentially become here as we keep going through this thing."
What's next:
This isn’t a normal thing, though.
Johnson has such a high standard for this team, players have noticed it consistently last year. The veterans who have seen plenty of football from so many different aspects notice it, too.
"Ben’s very demanding," quarterback Case Keenum said.
Setting that expectation is one thing. Having a group of players who understand and adhere to it is another.
The offense faces plenty of questions. Who will the left tackle be? Can Odunze and Luther Burden III emerge as pass catchers in the wake of Moore’s departure? Can the offense stay consistent in 2026?
These questions can be answered because Johnson doesn’t have a number of players he trusts.
He knows what he can get out of each one of them.
"These guys understand what the expectation is," Johnson said. "I think they study their tails off. I mean, they're professionals."