The Charter: A Chicago Bears Podcast

Ruthie Polinsky and Clay Harbor are joined by Charlie Clifford of NBC 5 Cincinnati to break down the Bears-Bengals joint practice, including Caleb Williams’ performance, the offenses led by Williams and Joe Burrow, and standout plays from the Bears’ tight ends and Kalif Raymond. They also discuss the left-tackle competition, whether starters should play Saturday and what to expect in the preseason matchup.

Ruthie and Clay are joined by CHSN contributor and 670 The Score host David Haugh to break down the latest Bears stadium news, including whether Arlington Heights still has a chance against Hammond, Indiana, and what Bears fans are saying in recent polls. They also look ahead to the preseason opener, discuss the latest injury updates on Coby Bryant and Ozzy Trapilo, and dive into Dan Pompei’s profile on head coach Ben Johnson.

The Bears training camp storylines keep coming as Ruthie Polinsky and Clay Harbor are joined by The Bigs Media's Herb Howard to break down the biggest takeaways from camp so far, including Caleb Williams' continued growth, key injury updates, and the left tackle battle. They also discuss under-the-radar standouts, Darnell Wright's record-setting extension, and what to watch as the Bears inch closer to the start of the NFL season.

Ruthie Polinsky and Clay Harbor are joined by The Athletic's senior writer Kevin Fishbain from training camp to break down the biggest storylines, including 'Caleb Williams' added mobility, Kyler Gordon’s injury, the linebacker battle, and what to expect from Dennis Allen’s defense in Year 2. They also discuss Press Taylor’s offense, wide receiver Rome Odunze’s camp, veteran wideout Kalif Raymond, Dayo Odeyingbo’s recovery, and other standout developments from Bears camp.

Ruthie Polinsky and Clay Harbor are joined by The Athletic’s Dan Wiederer to preview Bears training camp, breaking down the biggest position battles, expectations for key players, and what the next step is in Caleb Williams’ development. They also discuss rookies to watch, including Dillon Thieneman, and identify a few under-the-radar players who could make a surprising impact this season.

Ruthie Polinsky and Clay Harbor are back from their summer vacations with their way too early Pro Bowl picks for the Bears. They discuss why Caleb Williams, Jaylon Johnson, Darnell Wright, Montez Sweat, D'Andre Swift, Coby Bryant, and Colston Loveland may all be in line for Pro Bowl seasons.

Ruthie Polinsky and Clay Harbor hand out their pre-training camp superlatives on this episode of The Charter. They discuss which Bears players are primed for a breakout season, who could take a step back, the veterans and rookies poised to make the biggest impact in 2026, and the position group that still needs the most help before training camp begins.

Ruthie Polinsky and Clay Harbor dive into everything they saw from Bears minicamp, including looking at the health of Kyler Gordon and Jaylon Johnson and Braxton Jones’ outlook after an injury-plagued 2025 season. They examine the continued development of Rome Odunze, share their early impressions of veteran wide receiver Kalif Raymond and second-year wideout Luther Burden III before closing with a look at QB1, Caleb Williams, who has impressed throughout camp with his playmaking ability and added strength heading into the season.

Ruthie Polinsky and Clay Harbor react to the news that Caleb Williams will be featured on the cover of Madden NFL 27 before diving into their biggest takeaways from Bears OTAs. The hosts discuss Caleb’s growing confidence and leadership and why he appears much more comfortable entering his third season.
They also examine the concern level surrounding Rome Odunze after comments about his health raised questions during the week. Plus, Clay explains why Kyler Gordon's continued absence is an unfortunate setback for Ben Johnson and the Bears as they continue offseason preparations.

Ruthie Polinsky and Clay Harbor circle back to the Chicago Bears’ 2026 schedule with a fresh perspective, taking a closer look at the matchups that could define the season and revisiting their initial reactions nearly a week after the release. From a potentially brutal midseason stretch to intriguing quarterback battles featuring Caleb Williams, Bryce Young, and Drake Maye, the duo breaks down where the Bears may have advantages and where things could get dicey. They also debate who could actually be under center for the Vikings by Week 2 and whether the Bears can build momentum early in the year.
The conversation moves game-by-game as Ruthie and Clay hand out their way-too-early win-loss predictions, including marquee showdowns against the Eagles, Packers, Patriots, Seahawks, Buccaneers, and Lions on Thanksgiving Day in Detroit. They discuss why matchups against teams like the Saints, Jets, Falcons, Jaguars, and Dolphins may be far more complicated than they appear on paper, while also previewing the Bears’ first trip to the Bills’ new Highmark Stadium. Along the way, the hosts examine the importance of primetime tests, tough road environments, and how Caleb Williams could stack up against some of the NFL’s biggest names in year two.