Complete Chicago Bears Training Camp Preview
After weeks and months of waiting, the Chicago Bears will be back on the practice fields on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University on July 30 when they officially begin training camp.
Following a disappointing 5-11 season in 2014, the Bears opted to fire head coach Marc Trestman and general manager Phil Emery at the beginning of this offseason.
The Bears front office moved quickly and hired Ryan Pace to be the team's new general manager after he spent the previous 14 seasons with the New Orleans Saints. Pace then hired former Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos head coach John Fox to help turn around the organization on the field.
Pace has added a lot of new faces to the team this offseason, and the Bears will be looking to improve on their disappointing 2014 season. Over the course of the next several weeks, the Bears will have to determine which players will make the team's final 53-man roster before the start of the regular season.
What do you need to know as the Bears open up training camp this week?
Training Camp Schedule
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| Date | Practice Start Time |
| July 30 | 9:35 a.m. (no pads) |
| July 31 | 11:15 a.m. (no pads) |
| August 1 | 9:35 a.m. |
| August 2 | 11:15 a.m. |
| August 3 | 9:35 a.m. |
| August 4 | No Practice |
| August 5 | 11:15 a.m. |
| August 6 | 9:35 a.m. |
| August 7 | 11:15 a.m. |
| August 8 | 11:35 a.m. |
| August 9 | No Practice |
| August 10 | 11:15 a.m. |
| August 11 | 9:35 a.m. |
| August 12 | No Practice |
| August 13 | Preseason Game vs. Miami |
| August 14 | No Practice |
| August 15 | 11:15 a.m. |
| August 16 | 9:35 a.m. |
*All times local (central time)
Meet the New Coaching Staff
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The Bears hired Trestman in 2013 as their head coach even though he had been out of the NFL since 2004, and he quickly proved he was not up to the task of controlling an NFL locker room.
Chicago's offense thrived in 2013 under Trestman, but the team dropped from 10-6 in 2012 to 8-8 under Trestman that season. Chicago's defense struggled both seasons, and former Bears kicker Jay Feely told Mad Dog Sports Radio he thought Trestman lost control of the locker room in 2014, according to David Just of the Chicago Sun-Times.
After firing Trestman, the Bears opted to hire a coach with a proven track record.
Fox began his NFL coaching career in 1989 as the defensive backs coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers before taking the same position with the San Diego Chargers from 1992 to 1993. He was the defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Raiders in 1994 and 1995 before landing the defensive coordinator position with the New York Giants in 1997.
Fox was with the Giants until he was named the head coach of the Panthers in 2002. He spent nine seasons in Carolina, and he led the team to an appearance in Super Bowl XXXVIII. He took over as head coach of the Broncos in 2011 and spent four seasons with Denver and led the team to an appearance in Super Bowl XLVIII.
He parted with the Broncos on January 12 of this year and signed a four-year deal with the Bears on January 16.
Fox has a history of turning struggling franchises around, and the Bears are hoping he can do the same in Chicago. The Panthers won seven games in Fox's first season with the team, but they went on to win 11 games the next season and eventually lost to the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.
He went 8-8 in his first season with the Broncos in 2011, but his team won four straight AFC West titles and eventually lost to the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl following the 2013 season.
Despite his two Super Bowl losses, Fox is an upgrade over Trestman. In addition to being a proven head coach, Fox also added two proven coordinators to his staff this offseason.
Adam Gase followed Fox from Denver to Chicago to be the team's new offensive coordinator, and Fox brought veteran coach Vic Fangio along to run the team's defense in 2015.
Gase called plays in Denver in 2013 and 2014, and the Broncos offense ranked first in points per game in 2013 with 37.9 and finished 2014 second in the NFL with an average of 30.1 points per game. Gase was in the running for many of the open head-coaching jobs this offseason, but he ultimately landed in Chicago.
He is one of the league's brightest young minds, and his addition alone should help Chicago's offense in 2015.
Fangio has been a coach in the NFL since 1986, and during his time as the defensive coordinator in San Francisco from 2011 to 2014, he was in charge of one of the best defenses in the league.
During Fangio's time in San Francisco, the 49ers defense never ranked lower than fifth in yards per game, 10th in points allowed per game, 16th in passing yards allowed per game or seventh in rushing yards allowed per game.
The veteran coordinator was blessed to have All-Pro-caliber players like Patrick Willis, Aldon Smith and Justin Smith during his tenure with the team, but he is one of the league's most well-respected coordinators, and Chicago's defense should improve this season with him in charge.
Injury Update
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Wide Receiver Kevin White
The Bears took West Virginia's Kevin White with the seventh overall pick in this year's draft, and the young receiver missed the team's mandatory minicamp in June with an undisclosed injury.
"Everybody's day to day with me," Fox said at the time, according to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune. "I'll meet with the medical people and we'll make that call, and he'll be out here when he's ready."
Fox opted not to disclose White's injury at the end of minicamp, but he did say he expected the young receiver to be ready for training camp, according to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times:
"I do [expect White to be ready]. I think part of the offseason is getting ready for the season. Any decision that we make is going to be with the player’s best interests in mind. It can be physically. It can be a variety of reasons. I feel good about where we are [with White], and I feel good about where we’ll be when we start camp.
"
Assuming White is healthy once training camp begins, he will be penciled in as the team's No. 2 receiver on the outside.
Inside Linebacker Jon Bostic
Former Florida linebacker Jon Bostic has made 17 starts over the course of the last two seasons for the Bears, but he has been sidelined much of this offseason due to a back injury, per Jahns.
Fox was asked in June what he has seen from Bostic this offseason.
“Nothing,” Fox said, according to Jahns. “He hasn’t been at practice.”
If healthy, Bostic will be in the running for one of the open inside linebacker spots, and according to Arthur Arkush of ChicagoFootball.com, Fox expects the young linebacker to be ready for the start of training camp.
Outside Linebackers Lamarr Houston and Willie Young
Two of Chicago's biggest offseason signings from 2014, Lamarr Houston and Willie Young, suffered season-ending injuries last season.
Houston tore his ACL in October celebrating his first sack of the season, while Young tore his Achilles in Chicago's Week 16 loss to the Detroit Lions. Neither have been able to practice this offseason, but Fox has been impressed by Houston's rehab efforts.
“I’ve not had a chance to see him move around, but I watch the way he works in the weight room, training room and he’s very focused, done a good job with that rehab," Fox said, according to Arkush.
The Bears have said little about both Houston and Young's rehab this offseason, but CSNChicago.com's John Mullin expects to see them on the practice field in the coming weeks.
"Houston (knee) and Young (Achilles) are expected to be on reduced practice schedules when they finally are able to be in pads," wrote Mullin in June.
If they are both healthy, they will be competing for one of the starting outside linebacker jobs this summer.
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2015 Is a Crucial Year for Jay Cutler
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To say this upcoming season is a crucial one for quarterback Jay Cutler may sound like a broken record, but for the first time during his tenure with the Bears, the veteran quarterback has no ties to the front office or coaching staff.
Former general manager Jerry Angelo traded for Cutler back in 2009, and Emery signed Cutler to a long-term extension last offseason. Pace and Fox have no ties to Cutler, and 2015 could be the former Vanderbilt standout's last year in Chicago unless he can put together a strong season.
Prior to the start of the NFL draft in late April, the Bears were reportedly in talks with the Tennessee Titans to acquire the second overall pick to select Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota.
“The St. Louis Rams have had conversations, the New York Jets have had conversations and the hometown Chicago Bears have also touched base with the Tennessee Titans about possibly moving up to No. 2 to select Mariota,” NFL.com's Ian Rapoport said in late April, via Just.
A deal never materialized, and the Bears are set to move forward with Cutler in 2015.
Gase is Cutler's fifth different coordinator in seven years in Chicago, and the veteran quarterback knows he needs to forget the past and move forward.
"You've got to try to forget the last (offense) as quickly as possible and just wipe the slate clean," Cutler said, according to Bob LeGere of the Daily Herald. "Maybe I've gotten better at that over the years; maybe not."
Statistically, Cutler had one of the best seasons of his career in 2014 (3,812 passing yards and 28 touchdowns), but he struggled with turnovers. He threw 18 interceptions—his most since 2009—and he fumbled 12 times and lost six fumbles.
Cutler has a terrific arm and can make unbelievable throws down the field, but he simply turns the football over too much.
With the way Cutler's contract is structured, he is set to make $25.5 million dollars between 2015 and 2016, according to Ken Woolums of ESPN Stats & Info. If he struggles this season, the Bears will be more inclined to find a replacement for him in the draft next offseason. If he performs well this year in Gase's offense, the Bears may be more willing to hang onto him in 2016 and beyond.
Throughout training camp and the preseason, it will be interesting to see how well Cutler fits in Gase's offense.
New Additions Are Expected to Be Big Contributors
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Following Chicago's disappointing 5-11 season in 2014, Pace added more than 40 new players to the roster this offseason.
Signing outside linebacker Pernell McPhee to a long-term deal was Pace's first big move of the offseason. The former Baltimore Raven registered 92 tackles and 17 sacks in his first four seasons as a pass-rushing specialist, and the former Mississippi State standout will be leaned on heavily this season as a starter.
In addition to signing McPhee, the Bears also signed veteran wide receiver Eddie Royal and veteran safety Antrel Rolle to three-year deals this offseason. Royal is expected to be Chicago's top option out of the slot on offense, while Rolle is expected to add stability to the safety position this season.
Pace also signed veteran linebackers Mason Foster and Sam Acho, guard Vladimir Ducasse, defensive end Jarvis Jenkins, safety Sherrod Martin and center Will Montgomery to one-year deals this offseason.
Foster and Montgomery both appear to be front-runners for starting jobs, while Acho, Ducasse, Jenkins and Martin are all set to battle for significant roles in 2015 during training camp.
While many of the team's free-agent additions will be leaned on heavily this season, a number of its rookies will also be battling for roles during training camp.
Chicago used its first-round pick on White, and the young receiver is expected to be a starter on the outside opposite of former Pro Bowler Alshon Jeffery. After the Bears took White in the first round of the draft, Pace spoke about the selection.
“This was an easy pick,” Pace said at the time, according to Mullin. “Stay true to our board, take the best player available, and let's get a playmaker. Whether it's defense or offense, let's get a playmaker in the top 10 and that's what we did.”
White has the ability to stretch the field with his speed, but he is also tough across the middle of the field.
Chicago selected Florida State's Eddie Goldman in the second round of the draft, and the young nose tackle is in the running for the starting 0-technique spot in the team's 3-4 defense. Third-round pick Hroniss Grasu could push Montgomery for the starting center job, while fourth-round pick Jeremy Langford is one of the team's front-runners for the No. 2 running back spot behind Matt Forte.
The Bears added Penn State safety Adrian Amos in the fifth round and TCU offensive lineman Tayo Fabuluje in the sixth round, but both are viewed as developmental players at this point.
With so many new faces on the roster, Chicago has a chance to look radically different in 2015. Guys like McPhee, Rolle, Royal, White and Goldman will be relied on heavily this season, but guys like Grasu, Foster and Jenkins could emerge as key pieces on offense and defense with a strong showing in training camp.
Revamped Defense Still Has a Lot of Question Marks
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The Bears added one of the best defensive coordinators in the league in Fangio and signed a handful of talented defenders to play in his system, but there are still a lot of question marks surrounding Chicago's defense as it heads into training camp.
Between 2013 and 2014, the Bears were one of the league's worst defenses under coordinator Mel Tucker. In 2013, the Bears allowed the third-most yards per game in the NFL with 394.6, and they again allowed the third-most yards per game in the NFL with 377.1 in 2014.
Fangio's addition alone should help the Bears improve in 2015, but many starting positions will be up for grabs during training camp.
Veteran defensive lineman Jeremiah Ratliff, Rolle, McPhee and second-year cornerback Kyle Fuller are all locks to be starters on defense, but nearly every other position is still wide-open.
In the coming weeks, the Bears need to find starters along the defensive line, at three of the four linebacker positions, at cornerback and at strong safety.
Jenkins, Goldman, Will Sutton and Ego Ferguson will be battling for two of the three starting spots along the defensive line. Jenkins played defensive end in Washington's 3-4 defense the last three seasons, but he needs to improve as a pass-rusher. Goldman is a prototypical nose tackle in a 3-4 defense, but he needs to prove he can be an every-down player.
Sutton and Ferguson are both moving to defensive end this season after playing defensive tackle last year, and they will have to prove they can be effective in a two-gap system.
The inside linebacker position may end up being one Chicago's most intriguing battles this summer. Foster, Christian Jones, Shea McClellin and Bostic will all be competing for the team's two open inside linebacker jobs in training camp.
Foster is an experienced linebacker, but he has never played in a 3-4 defense before. Jones showed flashes of his potential last season as an undrafted rookie, but he needs to improve against the pass. Both Bostic and McClellin have been disappointments so far in their careers, but they may be able to find new life playing in a 3-4 defense.
While McPhee is a lock to be a starter at one of the two outside linebacker spots, veterans Jared Allen, Young, Houston, David Bass and Acho will battle to be the team's other starter on the outside.
McPhee and Acho are the only two linebackers on the roster who have played in a 3-4 defense before, meaning the remaining four linebackers are learning an entirely new position this offseason.
Veteran Tim Jennings is the front-runner to be the starter at cornerback opposite of Fuller this season, but he could get pushed by veteran Alan Ball. The former University of Illinois standout has struggled with injuries throughout his career, but he is a better fit in Fangio's system on the outside because of his size (6'2", 197 lbs).
Rolle is a lock to be the team's starter at free safety, but veteran Ryan Mundy and second-year man Brock Vereen are set to compete for the starting strong safety job in training camp. Mundy plays well against the run, but Vereen is a more fluid athlete and works better in space.
The Bears should improve on defense in 2015, and some of the team's most interesting training camp battles will come on that side of the football in the coming weeks.
Training camp information courtesy of ChicagoBears.com. Statistical information and measurables courtesy of NFL.com unless otherwise noted. Contract information courtesy of Spotrac.
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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