Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. (Getty)
It’s been a rough go for the Chicago Bears over the past couple of years.
They’ve finished at the bottom of the NFC North for two-straight seasons and haven’t had a winning season since going 6-10 in 2012. And now they’ll embark on the 2016 without running back, and arguably best player, Matt Forte, who is with the New York Jets after 8 seasons in Chicago, and tight end Martellus Bennett, who was traded to the New England Patriots.
The Bears get their start on the upcoming season on Wednesday, July 27, when both the rookies and veterans report to training camp. Camp will be held at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois. The team has held camp there since 2002.
Chicago kicks off preseason action on Thursday, August 11, at home against the Denver Broncos. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern.
Here is the team’s full preseason schedule:
Week 1 — Thursday, August 11, 8 p.m. ET, vs. Broncos
Week 2 — Thursday, August 18, 8 p.m. ET, at Patriots
Week 3 — Saturday, August 27, 1 p.m. ET, vs. Chiefs
Week 4 — Thursday, September 1, 8 p.m. ET, at Browns
The Bears travel to Houston to face the Texans for the regular season opener on Sunday, September 11. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Eastern and the game will be televised by FOX.
Click here to see the Bears full schedule.
Forte left the Bears, the team which drafted him in the second round (44th) overall in the 2008 NFL Draft out of Tulane, for the Jets during the offseason free agency period.
The Bears will go into camp with Jeremy Langford as the presumed starter. Langford showed flashes as a rookie in 2015, rushing for 537 yards and 6 touchdowns on 148 carries. He added another score on 22 receptions. Chicago also used its fifth round pick in the 2016 Draft on running back Jordan Howard, who ran for over 1,200 yards at Indiana last season.
Quarterback Jay Cutler is back, as is wide receiver Alshon Jeffery. The Bears are also hoping second-year wideout Kevin White, a first round pick in 2015, can make an impact after missing his entire rookie season with a stress fracture in his shin.
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Chicago Bears 2016 Training Camp Dates & Location