Chicago Bears: Notes and Quotes from 1st Week of Training Camp
The Chicago Bears reported to training camp in Bourbonnais, Illinois, on Wednesday afternoon, and the team held its first practice Thursday morning.
Even though the Bears officially reported on Wednesday, a few players arrived early on Tuesday.
"I got here [Tuesday] night," said guard Kyle Long, per Larry Mayer of ChicagoBears.com. "A few of us caravanned down here, just waiting on guys. It's great to see everybody. It's like the first day of school. I was in the training room at 8 a.m. and I didn't have to be there until noon. I was just messing with everybody. It was a lot of fun."
Long's fun-loving attitude is a welcomed addition this offseason following the team's disappointing 5-11 2014 campaign. The Bears fired general manager Phil Emery and head coach Marc Trestman after the season, and they hired Ryan Pace as their new GM and John Fox as their new head coach.
The Bears have added over 40 new players to the roster since the end of the 2014 season, and Fox said it will be all about competition in training camp.
"When we pick the 53(-man roster), one of the things I tell the football team is, 'Congratulations. Some of you lost friends. It can be a cruel business,'" Fox said, per David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune. "It's competitive all the time and it will be throughout this camp."
The Bears will hold their first padded practice of training camp on August 1, and in the coming weeks, they will have to trim their roster down from 90 players to 53 players before the regular season begins.
Just ahead, we take a look at some of the latest notes and quotes from the start of Chicago's training camp.
Kevin White Will Begin Training Camp on the PUP List
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The Bears selected West Virginia's Kevin White in the first round of this year's draft, but the young receiver was unable to participate in the team's mandatory minicamp in June.
At the time, Fox had little to say about White's injury.
"Everybody's day to day with me," Fox said, 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."
The Bears did not disclose the injury at the time, and it was not known whether White would be ready for training camp. When the Bears reported on Wednesday, the team announced the young receiver would begin camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.
According to Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune, White suffered a shin injury, but Pace did not seem too worried about White's injury.
"For us, it's more, hey, he has been inactive," Pace said about White, per Wiederer. "We want to have more of a ramp-up phase as far as his cardio. So we'll start him on PUP to help build his cardiovascular endurance."
White excelled at West Virginia because of his speed, and his injury could be a concern if it keeps him off the field for an extended period of time.
Fox met with the media on Thursday and explained White's situation.
"Bears coach John Fox refused to elaborate on what is wrong with Kevin White's shin, calling him day-to-day, saying it's not long term," tweeted Chicago Bears radio network sideline reporter Zach Zaidman.
Missing a few practices should not be that big of a deal for White, but if he misses more than a week's worth of practices, he will risk falling behind.
If he is forced to stand on the sidelines during practice for an extended period of time, that will open the door for a guy like Marquess Wilson to get more reps at the position.
Lamarr Houston and Willie Young Are Cleared to Practice
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White's injury and placement on the PUP list was a bit of a blow for Chicago, but some good news did come out on Wednesday.
Outside linebackers Lamarr Houston and Willie Young both suffered season-ending injuries last year, but both were cleared to participate in training camp, according to Mayer.
"It's just going to be a progressive stage with our coaches," said Pace, per Mayer. "It might not be full-fledged 100 percent of practice. It could be, 'Hey, we're going to do some individual, a couple of periods and just be smart with it.' Build them up with their football activities."
Houston tore his ACL in Week 8 against the New England Patriots celebrating his first sack of the season, while Young tore his Achilles in Week 16 against the Detroit Lions. Both injuries are difficult to come back from, but Fox has a history of coaching players who are coming off serious injuries.
"So much of those injuries are mental as well, both with the athlete and the people evaluating them," Fox said, per Mayer. "Just as far as building that up and that confidence, we had a couple of guys a year ago we did that with in Denver. So we've got a pretty good plan, a pretty good track record of doing it."
Cornerback Chris Harris and outside linebacker Von Miller were both coming off season-ending injuries last offseason, and both were named to the Pro Bowl following the 2014 season playing under Fox in Denver.
Houston signed a five-year, $35 million contract last offseason, but he was a disappointment in the eight games he played. He finished the year with just 11 tackles and one sack, but he is ready to get back out on the field.
"I want contact," he said, according to Wiederer. "That's one of the things I'm thirsting for—to actually get out there and hit somebody, to actually throw people around. It's not a curiosity. It's a hunger to do it."
If he stays healthy, he is one of the front-runners to be a starter at outside linebacker this season.
Young notched a career-high 10 sacks last season, and he could find a role this season as a situational pass-rusher on the outside. Since he has no experience playing out of a two-point stance, the snaps he receives in training camp will be crucial.
The Bears Want to Put Their Disappointing 2014 Season Behind Them
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Many Bears made it clear on Wednesday they are ready to put their disappointing 2014 season behind them, including guard Kyle Long.
“You can definitely tell that a lot of the walls that had been built for whatever reason in the locker room have been knocked down,” Long said, per Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “It’s kind of an open-air environment for a lot of guys. And between upstairs and downstairs, there’s great relationships between players, coaches, staff, personnel. Everybody’s really cool.”
The Bears struggled throughout much of the 2014 season, and former kicker Jay Feely told Mad Dog Sports Radio he thought Trestman lost control of the locker room, according to David Just of the Chicago Sun-Times.
With Trestman out of the picture and Fox now in charge, the Bears feel comfortable with the direction the team is heading.
“More than anything,” quarterback Jay Cutler said, according to Finley, “I think guys like coming to work now and enjoy the process of what we’re trying to get done.”
Veteran safety Ryan Mundy also chimed in on Wednesday about where the team is heading.
“I mean, it’s been well-documented that that was an issue last year,” Mundy said, per Finley. “But that was last year and we have an opportunity to right some of the things that weren’t good for us last year. It started not today or tomorrow, but it started in (organized team activities), minicamp and offseason workouts.”
Having a positive attitude is nothing new for a team in training camp, but after the way the season ended last year in Chicago, the team's positive attitude could help it on the field this season. Chicago has struggled with leadership since Brian Urlacher's retirement after the 2012 season, but guys like Long, Cutler and Mundy have a chance to take over as leaders this season in Chicago.
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Jared Allen Is Ready to Bounce Back in 2015
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The Bears signed Jared Allen last offseason to get after the quarterback, but the NFL's active sacks leader finished the 2014 season with a career-low 5.5 sacks.
When Allen spoke to the media on Wednesday, he talked about how frustrating last season was, according to ESPN.com's Jeff Dickerson:
"Last year sucked; I’m not going to sugarcoat it. There are always circumstances around it, but it is what it is. I want to have fun. Last year wasn’t fun. It was miserable. I didn’t transition well coming over from Minnesota like I thought I was going to. There were just all these different circumstances and I let them get to me. I shouldn’t have. I’m about as healthy as I can be right now. I just want to go out and have fun and play football and win football games and display my talents and help our team win. That’s all I want to do.
"
Allen is moving to outside linebacker this offseason in the team's new 3-4 defense, and he said he is ready to get back out on the practice field.
“I’m ready to go out and bust someone’s head open, honestly,” Allen said, per Dickerson.
Allen has spent his entire career playing defensive end in a 4-3, but he will now be asked to rush the passer out of a two-point stance in defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's scheme.
“Three years ago, if you had tried to make me switch my position, I would’ve quit,” Allen said, per Dickerson.
Allen has fully embraced the move to the outside this offseason, and he could find new life rushing the passer as a situational pass-rusher. He lacks the athleticism to drop back in coverage on a consistent basis in the team's base package, but he could be moved around a bit this season in order to get the most out of him.
Even though Allen is set to make $12.5 million this season, Fox said the veteran is not guaranteed a spot on the roster.
"When asked directly if Jared Allen has a spot on the Bears, John Fox said everyone has to earn their spot on the roster," tweeted Zaidman.
In the coming weeks, Allen will be competing with Houston, Young, Sam Acho and David Bass to be one of the team's starters at outside linebacker opposite of Pernell McPhee. Even though Fox said everyone has to earn his spot on the roster, it would be a bit of a surprise if Allen is not on the team's 53-man roster once the regular season begins.
Cornerback Tim Jennings Missed the Team's First Practice
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According to Dickerson, cornerback Tim Jennings was excused from Chicago's first training camp practice because of personal reasons, but Fox expects the veteran defensive back to be on the field for Friday's practice.
According to Wiederer, Jennings was arrested in Georgia in January on "charges of speeding, reckless driving and driving under the influence of alcohol," and per TMZ.com, Jennings struck a plea deal in court on Thursday.
Jennings was sentenced to 12 months of probation and 40 hours of community service.
The former Georgia Bulldog is a two-time Pro Bowler, but his starting job on the outside may be in question this offseason.
The Bears signed former Dallas Cowboy, Houston Texan and Jacksonville Jaguar Alan Ball to a one-year, $3 million deal this offseason, and the former University of Illinois standout may be a better fit at cornerback in Fangio's system.
Jennings will be in the running for the starting spot on the outside, but he appears to be a better fit on the inside at nickelback.
"Dimension-wise, he's built like a nickel corner," Fox said, according to Wiederer. "He has played it before."
Jennings is a quick cornerback who is at his best playing zone coverage, but he will have to improve in man coverage this offseason if he wants to be considered a starter on the outside.
He has a knack for making big plays and recorded 13 interceptions between 2012 and 2013, but he finished last season without an interception for the first time in his career.
With his DUI case behind him, Jennings will now be able to focus on the 2015 season.
Jay Cutler Is Once Again the Talk of Training Camp
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Cutler arrived in Bourbonnais, Illinois, on Wednesday for his seventh training camp with the Bears, and the veteran quarterback said players are excited to play for Fox.
"Guys have reacted really well to coach Fox," Cutler said, per Mayer. "He's an easy guy to talk to. He's got a lot of experience. He's got a game plan. He's shown that it works in the NFL. More than anything, I think guys like coming to work now and enjoy the process of what we're trying to get done."
Cutler is entering the 2015 season with no ties to the front office or coaching staff, and Fox has gotten tired of fielding questions about Cutler.
“I get asked this 8,000 different ways,” Fox said about Cutler, according to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times. “At the end of the day, we’re a performance-based business. No matter what we say about anybody, it’s going to come down to how we perform.”
Cutler threw for 3,812 yards with 28 touchdowns and 18 interceptions last season, but he struggled with turnovers, and Chicago's offense became more and more predictable as the season wore on. The veteran quarterback will start the season as the team's starter at the position, but Cutler will have to be a consistent performer if he wants to keep his starting job.
Even though the media and the fans have made it all about Cutler this offseason, the Bears appear to be more focused on growing as a team. Cutler is not guaranteed a spot on the roster after this season for the first time in his career, and that uncertainty could help push the veteran quarterback this summer.
Cutler noted Fox wants to win Super Bowls, and he thinks the team needs more guys like that, according to Dickerson:
"Fox isn't going to sugarcoat anything. He is going tell you exactly how it is. What he expects from you. How things are going to go day to day.
He wants guys who want to win Super Bowls. That's all he wants. He doesn't want guys that are in it for themselves or want to go to Pro Bowls. He's got one thing in mind, and that's the Super Bowl, and we have to find more guys like that.
"
Cutler appears to have the right attitude and is focused on the season ahead, but none of that will matter unless he can help get the Bears into the playoffs this season.
Statistical information 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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