The Chicago Bears have a big week ahead of them as they'll face the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2 of the preseason. But before that, they'll head to Cincinnati for a joint practice that will serve as a huge test for head coach Ben Johnson's team.
This is the first of two joint practices against preseason opponents, as the Bears will also participate in a joint practice against the Tennessee Titans next Thursday. Johnson said that the plan is already in place for this Thursday's joint practice against the Bengals, where he's already had discussions with Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor.
"Zac and I had really good conversations in the springtime, and they're really organized over there," Johnson said. "It was probably in May when he sent over what he wanted the practice to look like, field diagrams and all that. It's really detailed. I know they put a lot of time into what we want this to look like. I think we're going to call it just under two-and-a-half hours of really good work, so I'm excited about that.
"I think we're on the same page with what we want this to look like, what we want to get out of it, and I think both sides are going to come away pretty pleased with the work we get in."
As for how much playing time, if any, starters will see in Saturday's preseason game against the Bengals, Johnson said it depends on how Thursday's joint practice unfolds.
"No, I think I said last time it depends on what the joint practice looks like for the team," Johnson said. "There's a certain number of reps we're trying to hit and we'll see where we're at after the joint practice."
In Chicago's preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns, the Bears opted to rest most of their starters, including quarterback Caleb Williams. And considering how Johnson values joint practices just as much as preseason games, it wouldn't be a surprise for Williams and the starters to once again sit out Saturday.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Ben Johnson on how joint practice will determine Bears preseason reps
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