Overview
- The Chicago Bears and Cincinnati Bengals held a physical joint practice in Cincinnati on Thursday that served as a game-like evaluation window for both clubs.
- Cincinnati's defensive line and edge rushers generated consistent pressure, producing would‑be sacks, tipped passes and turnovers that repeatedly collapsed the Bears' pocket.
- Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and the offensive line struggled at points, committing a botched snap and finishing a two‑minute drill with an interception that highlighted pass‑protection issues.
- Several individual plays stood out for both teams: Rome Odunze had a catch‑and‑run to the end zone, Colston Loveland caught a red‑zone touchdown, rookie Dillon Thieneman intercepted Joe Burrow, and Maurice Alexander returned a kickoff for a score in a live drill.
- The practice included multiple skirmishes but no major injuries were reported, and coaches said they will pair Thursday's tape with limited preseason reps on Saturday to adjust roles and finalize roster evaluations.