Chicago Bears Who've Turned Heads in Offseason Workouts
The Chicago Bears wrapped up their second series of organized team activities (OTAs) late last week, and a handful of players have turned heads with their performances on the field in the last few weeks.
Chicago's first voluntary OTA session was held from May 27-29, the second session was held June 1-3 and the final session will be held June 8-11. The team will hold a mandatory minicamp June 16-18 before taking a few weeks off before the start of training camp in Bourbonnais, Illinois, on July 30.
Throughout Chicago's OTAs, the team has been implementing a new scheme on both sides of the football, and the coaching staff is trying to determine what the depth chart is going to look like heading into training camp.
Here are five Chicago Bears who have turned heads in offseason workouts in 2015.
CB Sherrick McManis
1 of 5
Acquired by the Bears in a trade with the Houston Texans back in 2012, Sherrick McManis has spent most of his career in Chicago as a special teams contributor.
According to Pro Football Focus, he played 46 snaps last season on defense, and 34 of those came in Week 7 against the Miami Dolphins. In his five years in the league, he has only played a total of 58 snaps on defense.
Even though the veteran cornerback has limited experience outside of special teams, head coach John Fox has been impressed with McManis this offseason.
“[McManis] has been a guy that’s caught my eye. He’s adapted well to [Vic Fangio's] defensive schemes and we’ll see where that goes,” Fox said, according to Larry Mayer of ChicagoBears.com.
He has registered 47 tackles, two pass deflections and one interception in 62 career games, but he wants to be known for being more than just a special teams contributor.
“I just feel like the opportunity is there for me,” McManis said, according to Mayer. “As long as I keep improving, that’s all I can control and if the coach sees fit and feels I’m in a good spot for it I think I’ll get the chance to play.”
He will have a difficult time trying to beat out Kyle Fuller or Tim Jennings for one of the team's starting cornerback jobs, but he could be in the running for the nickelback spot this offseason. He is an athletic cornerback who is not afraid to put a hit on a ball-carrier, and that physicality could come in handy out of the slot.
In addition to fighting with Fuller and Jennings this offseason, he will also be competing with Alan Ball, Demontre Hurst, Al Louis-Jean and a couple of undrafted free agents for a spot on the roster.
He is not guaranteed a position on Chicago's 53-man roster this season, but if he can continue to impress Fox during the remainder of OTAs and training camp, he could become more than just a contributor on special teams in 2015.
LB Sam Acho
2 of 5
After recording seven sacks in his rookie season with the Arizona Cardinals in 2011, outside linebacker Sam Acho struggled with consistency and injuries and hit free agency this offseason.
The Bears signed the former fourth-round pick to a one-year deal in April, and he has impressed the coaching staff in OTAs.
“He’s a smart player,” Fox said, according to Chris Boden of CSNChicago.com. “He’s able to grasp things and take it from the classroom out to the field well. We’ve talked about leadership. He helps some of the younger players grasp what we’re doing, and I think he’s been an excellent addition.”
He spent his career in Arizona as a pass-rushing 3-4 outside linebacker, but he could be used at inside linebacker in certain sub-packages this season. He has only been with the Bears for a couple of months, but he feels like he is a good fit with the team.
“I couldn’t be happier to be here,” Acho said last Wednesday, according to Mayer. “This couldn’t be a better fit for me, from a physical perspective and what we can do on the defensive side of the ball—and also just as a team, getting to know these guys in the locker room. It’s a great locker room and a great bunch of guys and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
Acho has a great motor, has a quick first step and plays with good technique, but he struggles with his hands and is more of a pass-rusher than a run-stopper. With pass-rushers like Pernell McPhee, Jared Allen, Lamarr Houston and Willie Young on the roster, it is going to be hard for Acho to claim a spot this offseason.
If Acho can prove he has the ability to play both inside and outside linebacker, he could earn a spot on the 53-man roster as a super-sub at both linebacker spots and as a contributor on special teams.
OT Jordan Mills
3 of 5
Jordan Mills started all 16 games during his rookie season in 2013 at right tackle, but he struggled with injuries last season and only appeared in 13 games.
According to Pro Football Focus, Mills gave up three sacks, 13 quarterback hits and 62 quarterback hurries in 1,022 snaps in 2013. In 2014, he allowed six sacks, six quarterback hits and 31 quarterback hurries in 839 snaps.
Mills showed flashes of his potential in both 2013 and 2014, but he has been wildly inconsistent throughout his career. Even though Fox has not commented much on the offensive line, or Mills in particular, this offseason, he thinks the group as a whole has looked good.
"With all our linemen, I've liked what I've seen," he said, according to Kevin Fishbain of ChicagoFootball.com.
Mills injured his foot in the final game of the 2013 season, and he says he is finally starting to feel normal again.
"It feels good. I'm not thinking about it at all," Mills said, according to Fishbain. "Veterans that I talk to that had the same injury [told me] last year, you think you're perfect, but it takes a year to be back. It feels good to be back to be with my teammates, feeling great and not having to worry about my foot or anything breaking."
Despite his struggles in 2013 and 2014, the Bears opted not to address the position in free agency and only added TCU tackle Tayo Fabuluje in the sixth round of this year's draft, but he is viewed as a project player.
Mills is at his best in the running game, but he struggles in pass protection and needs to do a better job of gaining leverage off the snap of the football. He tends to stand flat-footed and often allows pass-rushers to get by him on the inside. He has the athleticism to get outside and the seal the edge in the running game, but he will need to better utilize his athleticism in pass protection this season.
The Bears could always opt to move Pro Bowl guard Kyle Long to right tackle sometime this offseason, but as long as Mills can stay healthy, he looks to be the front-runner for the position once again in 2015.
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OLB Lamarr Houston
4 of 5
After signing a five-year, $35 million contract last offseason, defensive end Lamarr Houston had a disappointing start to his career in Chicago.
Houston only registered 11 tackles, one sack and one pass deflection in eight games last season, and he tore his ACL in the team's blowout loss to the New England Patriots in Week 8 and was lost for the season.
He has put last season behind him, and he feels good about how he has progressed this offseason with his rehab.
“I feel great,” Houston said in April, according to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times. “But you can feel as good as you want and be able to do a lot of things, but when it comes to doing certain things, you should just take your time and keep building your strength.”
He is making the transition from 4-3 defensive end to 3-4 outside linebacker, and Fox has liked what he has seen from Houston so far this offseason.
"They do an outstanding job," Fox said when referring to both Houston and fellow outside linebacker Willie Young, according to Fishbain. "They're on target and we'll see when they get back out there."
Houston was able to apply pressure to the quarterback as a 4-3 defensive end, but he struggled to consistently sack the quarterback. He is hoping the move to outside linebacker can make him a more effective pass-rusher.
“Now I have the opportunity to go back to strictly playing outside linebacker and rushing on the edge,” Houston said, according to Jahns. “I don’t have to necessarily put last year behind me because when I start playing this year, it’s going to be gone.”
Houston's progress this offseason has been encouraging, but he is going to need to put last year behind him in order to be successful in 2015. He has a good burst, uses his hands well and does a nice job of collapsing the pocket, but he is going to need to work on his technique this offseason; otherwise, he'll spend this season as a situational pass-rusher.
QB Jay Cutler
5 of 5
New offensive coordinator Adam Gase is quarterback Jay Cutler's fifth coordinator in seven years in Chicago, and the young coach thinks Cutler has matured over the years.
"I think most of us would say when he first came into the league he was that gun-slinger type mentality, and I see a more patient guy," Gase said, according to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune. "We’ve just got to get him there for 60 minutes."
Cutler threw 18 interceptions last season, his highest total since throwing 26 in 2009, and he will have to show off more patience this season in order for the team to be successful. In addition to his 18 interceptions, he also fumbled the ball 12 times last season.
Even though he turned 32 years old earlier this year, he still has one of the strongest arms in the league, and he has been showing it off in OTAs.
"From a physical standpoint—Cutler looks strong and healthy at OTAs," wrote ESPN.com's Jeff Dickerson last week.
Cutler has missed 12 games over the last four seasons due to injuries, and he will need to remain healthy this season if the Bears want to compete for a playoff spot. Cutler is going to throw interceptions and make mistakes, but because of his strong arm, he can make big throws down the field.
Gase would be wise to limit Cutler's control in his offense in 2015, but the veteran quarterback has a chance to have a good season if he can stay healthy and can continue to flash his strong arm.
Statistical information courtesy of NFL.com unless otherwise noted.
Matt Eurich is a Chicago Bears featured columnist for Bleacher Report and a member of the Pro Football Writers of America.
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