The doors are open at Halas Hall and the practice fields soon will come alive. Chicago Bears rookies and quarterbacks reported back to work Saturday in Lake Forest with the full team reporting Tuesday.

As a new era begins under coach Ben Johnson, the Bears are determined to become a playoff contender in 2025 but face a steep climb to get there. Johnson’s efforts to turn around a franchise that has gone 14 seasons since its last playoff victory — with seven last-place finishes in the last 11 years — will require a sharp training camp to position the team for regular-season success.

The Bears have 20 practices scheduled between now and the Aug. 22 preseason finale, starting Wednesday morning at Halas Hall. As Johnson and his squad gear up for camp, here are the top storylines to keep an eye on over the next month-plus.

1. Ben and Caleb

There will be a lot of focus the next six weeks on how Johnson is assimilating in his first training camp as a head coach at any level. There will be eyes on how he’s organizing and running practices, establishing and maintaining standards, managing his time and delegating responsibilities and increasing the overall buy-in to his program.

Similarly, quarterback Caleb Williams will be under a high-powered microscope as he begins his second season. Williams must continue to learn a new offense, become more comfortable operating under center and refine his rhythm and timing to consistently get rid of the football quicker.

Both Johnson and Williams will have a lot on their plates individually as two of the most important figures in setting the Bears’ direction. But nothing is more important than how they jell together. As one.

That’s why we’re defining Johnson and Williams as a single entity: Ben-and-Caleb. The play caller and quarterback must see the offense through the same eyes and remain in lockstep in the coming weeks to shape the playbook into something that works for both when the season arrives.

The synergy between Johnson and Williams must become strong quickly. And it must grow stronger as camp progresses.

During the spring, Johnson and his staff put a lot on Williams’ plate, asking him, among other things, to master various types of play calls; to operate at times with increased tempo; to frequently juggle multiple calls at the line of scrimmage. It was in part a test of how much the 23-year-old quarterback could handle.

Johnson exited that phase of the offseason with optimism, impressed — but not surprised — by Williams’ jaw-dropping arm talent and ability to create as a playmaker.

“I feel pretty confident with the things he has put on tape that we can go ahead and get after it a little bit,” Johnson said in June.

When Johnson was hired, general manager Ryan Poles was direct in describing how he envisioned the new coach’s arrival aiding Williams’ development.

“(Caleb) is going to be challenged to be a professional football player,” Poles said, “to do the little things right. That foundation, I know, Ben is going to hit that early and often to get that foundation strong.”

Williams has asked to be coached hard. Johnson already has responded with his demanding teaching style and competitive nature.

In a best-case scenario, a brand of healthy pressure will emerge that helps both be at their best — this season and in the future. In a worst-case scenario, a personality clash could result in more aggravation than achievement.

It’s wait and see for now on how the Ben-and-Caleb bond evolves. But it’s hard to argue against that connection being the most important storyline of camp.

2. The left tackle battle

After Poles solidified the interior of the offensive line in the offseason with trades for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and the free-agent signing of center Drew Dalman, the Bears expect to be much better up front. But they still are establishing the 2025 starter at left tackle. And with an urgency to find answers as quickly as possible, the competition in camp will be fascinating to monitor.

Incumbent starter Braxton Jones, who has made 40 starts over his first three seasons, is recovering from a season-ending ankle fracture he suffered in December. Jones’ progress will factor into the left tackle equation. So will the development of rookie Ozzy Trapilo, a second-round pick out of Boston College who impressed the front office and coaching staff this spring with his football acumen and work habits.

Kiran Amegadjie, who missed his entire rookie training camp in 2024 and was inconsistent and too frequently overmatched during his 125 offensive snaps last season, will have his chance to factor into the conversation. But it will take a strong camp to turn the heads of Johnson, offensive line coach Dan Roushar and offensive coordinator Declan Doyle.

Also don’t be surprised if the Bears test right tackle Darnell Wright on the left side from time to time during camp as a contingency plan.

It will be worth monitoring how the first-team reps are divvied up over the next six weeks. When the pads finally come on, each tackle will have his chance to stand out during both one-on-one competition and team drills. And the action in joint practices with the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills and in three preseason games next month will help crystallize a plan for Week 1.

Trapilo might be the preferred choice as camp begins, but he’ll have to get comfortable and produce quickly to earn the job.

3. Joint practices

Since we mentioned those crossover sessions, here’s your “save the dates” reminder: The Dolphins will visit Halas Hall on Aug. 8 for a 10:30 a.m. practice two days ahead of the preseason opener at Soldier Field. And the Bills will come to Lake Forest on Aug. 15, also two days before they play the Bears in an exhibition game.

For fans lucky enough to land tickets to one or both joint practices, it should be a fun opportunity to see a few of the league’s brightest stars, most notably Bills quarterback and reigning MVP Josh Allen and eight-time Pro Bowl Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

For those into nostalgia, Mitch Trubisky’s return to Halas Hall figures to be compelling for a day. Trubisky, currently QB2 for the Bills, started 50 regular-season games over four seasons with the Bears after they drafted him with the No. 2 pick in 2017. His last practice at Halas Hall came on Jan. 8, 2021, in preparation for a playoff game in New Orleans.

Trubisky’s emotions upon his return to the practice fields at 1920 Football Drive will be notable. For what it’s worth, only three players on the Bears’ current 90-man roster — tight end Cole Kmet, cornerback Jaylon Johnson and kicker Cairo Santos — played with Trubisky.

4. The injury report

In an ideal world, the Bears would navigate July and August with very few health setbacks, gliding into the season close to full strength. But players report to camp this week with several significant injury-related questions already lingering.

How quickly will Jones be cleared to return? And can he get into top condition to factor into the left tackle competition?

What is the status of rookie tight end Colston Loveland, who didn’t practice during the spring as he makes his way back from January shoulder surgery?

Will fellow rookie Luther Burden III be at full speed after also missing all of the on-field work during organized team activities and minicamp with what Ben Johnson described only as a soft-tissue issue?

Are the minor injury setbacks that defensive starters Kyler Gordon and T.J. Edwards experienced in the spring fully behind them?

Can reserve offensive lineman Ryan Bates make a successful comeback from the nagging shoulder injury that derailed his 2024 season and dragged into the offseason?

Finally, can safety Jaquan Brisker navigate all of training camp without a health setback? Brisker has a concerning concussion history, including a Week 5 collision last season that ultimately sidelined him for the final 12 games. He also missed chunks of camp during each of his first three seasons with injuries ranging from a broken thumb (2022) to a groin strain (2023) to an undisclosed soft-tissue problem (2024).

5. The secondary swagger

Perhaps no unit on the Bears depth chart is more established than the defensive backfield. And that group never has been shy in expressing its confidence. Look for the defensive backs to make their share of splash plays during camp. Then listen for them to make some noise too.

Jaylon Johnson remains the headliner, a two-time Pro Bowl selection who is eager to take on even more responsibility as a lockdown cornerback under new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.

Johnson’s wish to shadow the opponent’s top receiver will be easier to grant in Allen’s system that relies heavily on man coverage.

“We evaluated him when he came out of college and felt like he was a great fit in our system,” Allen, who was with the Saints when the Bears picked Johnson in the second round in 2020, told the Tribune in April. “He has size. He has length. He’s really the perfect fit for a press-man corner.”

Gordon, who signed a three-year, $40 million extension in April, also continues to ascend, with Allen hinting over the offseason that he’s considering a hybrid role for the 25-year-old. So don’t be surprised if Gordon becomes a valuable chess piece, capable of being one of the league’s better slot cornerbacks while also having the versatility to mix in at safety in certain packages.

Outside cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, meanwhile, may be positioned for a bounce-back season after some well-documented hardship in 2024. Stevenson’s role in the Hail Mary disaster that helped torpedo the season will forever be a talking point. But in Allen’s man-heavy defense, the third-year cornerback has a real opportunity to excel with his combination of strength, athleticism and aggression.

And on the back end, Brisker and 10th-year veteran Kevin Byard give the Bears an instinctive, battle-tested safety tandem.

6. The backfield rotation

The Bears had hopes in April of dipping into a talent-rich running backs draft class to upgrade their offense. But after the board continually danced away throughout draft weekend, the biggest offseason addition to the backfield became Kyle Monangai, a rookie from Rutgers taken with pick No. 233 as the 22nd of 25 running backs selected.

That, for now, leaves veteran D’Andre Swift as the top dog. And Swift is determined to improve on a 2024 season in which he totaled 1,345 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns but averaged a career-worst 3.8 yards per carry.

Swift’s new coaches already have reminded him to balance his big-play hunger with some small-play discipline, to understand the concepts of the re-envisioned Bears ground game and to marry himself to the design of each specific run.

“The little stuff is big,” Swift said last month.

For whatever it’s worth, Swift averaged 5.5 yards per carry with Ben Johnson as his play caller in Detroit in 2022, playing a complementary role to Jamaal Williams in the Lions backfield. So perhaps he will offer the necessary pop in the running game to help unlock the entire offense.

Still, the Bears need multiple reliable runners. And it remains to be seen how Johnson and his coaching staff envision using Roschon Johnson or Monangai as complements to Swift.

7. The edge

It will be important during camp to feel an edge off the edge from the defense. Molding a pass rush with more teeth is critical to everything Allen wants to accomplish. And the juice must start with Montez Sweat, the team’s highest-paid defender who is coming off a bumpy 2024 season in which he totaled only 5½ sacks.

“You definitely use that as motivation,” Sweat said.

Almost as important: Newcomer Dayo Odeyingbo must provide an immediate and healthy return on investment on the three-year, $48 million deal the Bears gave him in March. The Bears are betting Odeyingbo’s best football is right ahead, confident his ability to disrupt from both the outside and inside can create much greater impact than his 16½ career sacks would suggest.

“I’m just starting to hit my stride,” Odeyingbo said in March.

8. The vibes

The summer optimism at Halas Hall is overflowing again, this time sparked by Ben Johnson’s arrival. And understandably so.

The magic Johnson worked with the Lions offense over the last three seasons, combined with his competitive fire, is attention-grabbing. The surge of excitement has spread across the fan base, too, with many believing Johnson is the long-awaited savior to lead the team on a run of sustained success.

Everything seems lined up perfectly, right?

For those experiencing déjà vu, though, it’s important to remember how infrequently the training camp buzz surrounding the Bears is matched by regular-season accomplishment.

In other words, hope away … but do so at your own risk.

Likewise, the microanalysis of any perceived improvements during camp should involve intense filtering of legitimate evidence of progress from hype- and hope-based fluff. That’s always a difficult chore that requires measured, practical judgment. Day after day after day.

Naturally, there will be a temptation in some circles to rubber-stamp every viral Williams highlight as proof that he’s headed for a Pro Bowl-caliber season. Some will try to minimize the significance of prolonged stretches of struggle — by Williams or any other player or unit.

There will be weekly surges of excitement and players providing flashes that are hard to ignore. (Remember the sizzle of Austin Booker and Velus Jones Jr. last summer?) After all, July and August are optimism-driven months in the NFL.

But it’s also important to take a cue from Jaylon Johnson, one of the team’s most candid voices and now also one of its most scarred veterans. Johnson is entering his sixth season and has been part of Bears teams that have posted a 29-55 record. He also has been consistent that he won’t declare victory or trumpet a resurgence until it’s confirmed by actual hard evidence in the form of regular-season success.

“I’ve been here a minute,” Johnson said in April. “I’ve been through the hype. And (yet) we don’t win no games. So for me? If it’s not about winning, quite honestly I don’t really care about it. … I’ve been through it too many times, man.

“I’m going to get excited when we win in November. And December. And when we change some things and get into the playoffs.”

Take note. Adjust accordingly.