3 things we learned at Chicago Bears training camp, including players’ eagerness for the 1st padded practice Tuesday
The Chicago Bears completed their fifth practice of training camp Monday and will take things up a notch when they return to the field Tuesday at Halas Hall. The team is less than two weeks from its preseason opener Aug. 13 against the Kansas City Chiefs, continuing to piece things together and looking for leaders and playmakers to emerge.
As the camp grind continues, here are three things we learned Monday.
1. The Bears will practice in full pads Tuesday and Wednesday.
Per league rules, the Bears had an opening to practice in pads for the first time Monday. But coming off Sunday’s day off, coach Matt Eberflus opted to ease his players back before turning up the intensity with consecutive padded practices.
“I would rather ramp up into it,” Eberflus said. “I think it’s better for the players to get them back into the swing of things and then put the pads on. It’s an exciting time.”
Eberflus has been emphatic since the spring about his need to evaluate players in padded situations with much more contact allowed. So the next two practices should be both intense for the players and informative for the coaching staff and front office.
“When you get the pads on,” Eberflus said, “now you can really see that guys will either rise or they’ll fall a little bit based on (being in) pads. I’ve seen it every year. So we’re looking for that.
“We’re looking for guys who can play with leverage, play (well) with the pads on and the guys who are physical. Because we covet the guys who are physical and want to play the style we want to play.”
Eberflus will zero in on how players in the trenches compete and produce with pads on. But there will be plenty to learn about skill-position players as well.
Count veteran tight end Ryan Griffin among those giddy to finally have a padded practice.
“This is where we get to see what we are made of as a team, as an offense really,” Griffin said. “I know Coach Flus is going to have the defense ready to go. And I take personal responsibility in setting the tone offensively.
“It’s always a fun day. It’s a heated day. It’s testy but it’s fun. Hopefully it’s going to be nice and hot and we will see what we are made of.”
2. One of Monday’s biggest offensive highlights might have had a much different result in a game.
Byron Pringle beat rookie cornerback Kyler Gordon up the right sideline, and Justin Fields dropped a perfect deep ball into Pringle’s hands for a long completion that elicited roars from the offensive sideline. But in a game situation with hitting allowed, safety Eddie Jackson might have crushed Pringle.
In this instance, Jackson closed hard from the middle of the field and ran past Pringle’s outside shoulder as the ball arrived, avoiding a massive collision. Some of Jackson’s defensive teammates let Pringle know his big catch had an asterisk.
“They were talking about how I would have been in the hospital,” Pringle said. “But I saw him. I’m not going to blink my eyes. I’m going to keep smiling.
“He would have had to lay me out because I ain’t going to get out.”
Jackson also told Pringle he should have made an interception on the play. To which Pringle responded, “If it was a pick, he would have picked it, correct?”
3. Second-year cornerback Thomas Graham Jr. will be out for a while with a hamstring strain.
Eberflus indicated Graham’s hamstring issue hasn’t responded to treatment the way the team had hoped and the young cornerback will be sidelined for a significant chunk of time.
“It’s going to be a little bit longer (than we thought),” Eberflus said. “I won’t give you a timetable on it. But he’ll be back when he’s back.”
Eberflus didn’t have an update on offensive tackle Teven Jenkins, who missed his fourth consecutive practice for reasons the team has declined to disclose.
Center Lucas Patrick, defensive tackle Angelo Blackson and tight end Chase Allen were among the others who did not practice. Rookie linebacker Christian Albright left practice with what appeared to be an injury to his right leg.
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