Bears to open training camp July 20

Bears fans will get their first look at the new-look, Matt Nagy-coached team on July 20, the first day of training camp practice at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais.

The Bears will report to camp on July 19 and are scheduled to hold an open-to-the-public practice the next day, the team said Friday.

Camp will start one week earlier this year than in 2017 because the team is playing an extra preseason game — the Hall of Fame exhibition against the Ravens on Aug. 2 in Canton, Ohio. Each team will have a former linebacker inducted into the Hall on Aug. 4 — the Bears’ Brian Urlacher and the Ravens’ Ray Lewis.

The Bears will announce future training camp practice dates later. Last year, the team began requiring fans to download free tickets to attend.

After starting their offseason program last week, the Bears will hold a three-day voluntary veteran minicamp next week at Halas Hall, the first chance for the team to practice together, albeit with league-mandated restrictions.

They’ll present the Brian Piccolo Award, given to one rookie and one veteran that best exemplify courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication and a sense of humor, on April 24. After the NFL Draft, which runs from Aug. 26-28, the Bears will hold a rookie minicamp from May 11-13, followed by three weeks of organized team activities.

Their veteran minicamp will run June 5-7 before the team breaks for exactly six weeks leading up to the training camp report date.