Early Opening to Chicago Bears 2024 Preseason Schedule

The Bears face a long preseason after the announcement they'll play the Houston Texans in the annual Hall of Fame Game at Canton, Ohio.

Sep 25, 2022; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears running back Khalil Herbert (24) is surrounded / Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

The first Bears game of 2024 will be a convenient one.

The Bears are playing the Houston Texans in the NFL's annual Hall of Fame Game. The exhibition at Canton's Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium will be Thursday, Aug. 1 at 7 p.m.

It will be convenient for Bears fans because the enshrinement of players at the Pro Football Hall of
Fame in Canton that weekend on Aug. 3 will include former Bears kick returner Devin Hester, defensive tackle Steve McMichael and defensive end Julius Peppers.

It's not exactly what players enjoy from two standpoints.

They'll have five preseason games now.

They'll also have an earlier start and longer training camp.

It's what Bears coaches will enjoy from two standpoints.

They'll have five preseason games now.

They'll also have an earlier start and longer training camp.

It's actually a break for the Bears from the standpoint of their offense.

Teams with new coaching staffs get to start offseason practices earlier than those with staffs in place. The Bears won't have the advantage of an early start to the offseason, but this early start to training camp will help them because they have essentially replaced half their coaching staff and also are installing an entirely new offense the way a team with a new staff would be doing.

Let alone the fact they're doing it with a new starting quarterback, and a rookie. Coach Matt Eberflus told reporters at the NFL owners meetings they will consider moving up their mandatory minicamp to give veterans more rest between the end of offseason work in June and start of training camp in mid-July.

The start to training camp is usually two weeks prior to the start of the preseason.

The Bears will need all the extra time they can get to have the offense prepared for thee season opener. They play a regular-season game in London and their late of opponents is the 29th toughest according to opponents' winning perrcentage (.467).

They're playing the Packers, Lions and Vikings at home and away; the Panthers, Rams, Seahawks, Jaguars, Titans and Patriots at home; and the Cardinals, 49ers, Commanders, Texans and Colts on the road.

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