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Note: The Chicago Bears training camp officially starts July 19...……. It's on...……. (Pre-Training Camp Analysis).
"Sports Quote of the Day"
Anticipate problems and prepare to overcome obstacles. Don't wait until you get to the top of the ridge and then make up your mind." ~ Major Richard D. Winters, United States Army Officer and Decorated War Veteran
Mitch Trubisky's ability to command Matt Nagy's offense will define the Bears' season.
By Rich Campbell
Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky jokes with media about his beard after participating in the Offense-Defense Football Camp on behalf of the 14th annual Gatorade Beat the Heat program in Naperville on Monday, July 2, 2018. (Photo: James C. Svehla / Chicago Tribune)
As the Bears prepare to report July 19 for training camp at Olivet Nazarene in Bourbonnais, the Tribune is taking a look at each position group. Today: quarterbacks.
Currently on roster: 3
Currently on roster: 3
Roster locks: Mitch Trubisky, Chase Daniel
On the bubble: Tyler Bray
Biggest offseason developments: The Bears hired head coach Matt Nagy, a former Arena League quarterback, to shift Mitch Trubisky’s development into a higher gear. … They signed career backup Chase Daniel (two years, $10 million, $7 million guaranteed) and fifth-year veteran Tyler Bray (one year, $795,000), both of whom have experience playing for Nagy. … Position coach Dave Ragone was the only offensive assistant retained from coach John Fox’s staff. …The Bears released 2017 opening-day starter Mike Glennon, paying him $18.5 million for four starts. …Mark Sanchez, last year’s third quarterback, was not re-signed and currently is without a team.
What to like: From the moment general manager Ryan Pace drafted Trubisky second overall in 2017, the need to surround him with more talented coaches and players became urgent. But that effort didn’t accelerate until after Trubisky’s rookie season, when Pace fired Fox. What followed were a series of hires and signings designed to elevate Trubisky’s performance and, by extension, lift the Bears into playoff contention. Nagy, the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator the last two seasons, brings a precision-based, quick-passing offense that’s colored by option concepts. New coordinator Mark Helfrich, a longtime Division I quarterbacks coach, will help the Bears speed up their tempo. On the field, free agent receivers Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel and tight end Trey Burton diversify Trubisky’s targets and provide Nagy flexibility to exploit matchups. Those personnel upgrades, combined with Nagy’s innovative scheme and quarterback-centric approach, should at least equip Trubisky to ascend, even while the team fights through inevitable growing pains with so many new parts.
Biggest question: Can Trubisky command Nagy’s challenging scheme?
Throughout the offseason program, Nagy balanced his excitement about Trubisky’s fit in the offense with clear explanations about how long it will take Trubisky for master it. “They understand that in Kansas City it took us five years to get to that point that we got to,” Nagy said in May. “We’re kind of at a pace right now where we have to, at times, pull back and say to yourself: We’re months into this thing, not years.” Because Nagy’s plays require the quarterback to call for adjustments at the line of scrimmage based on the defense, and for receivers to adjust their routes based on the coverage, Trubisky has a lot to process on every down. Plus, his footwork must be precise in the quick passing game. Keep in mind he started only 12 games last season and only 13 during his entire college career. By all accounts, Trubisky has fully embraced the learning process and even thrived off it during spring practices.
Fresh face: Daniel, 31, is the peer contributor to the quarterback incubator the Bears have built for Trubisky. When Daniel was the Chiefs’ backup from 2013-15, Nagy was the quarterbacks coach under head coach Andy Reid. In 2016, Daniel joined the Eagles under another Reid protégé, Doug Pederson. That was Carson Wentz’s rookie season, so Daniel has experience tutoring a highly drafted quarterback. That’s why the Bears guaranteed him $7 million, not because of his 78 regular-season passes since entering the league in 2009. The offense “is very specific from a quarterback perspective in terms of splits by receivers, what route does a tight end have on this concept, where the running back is, the depth of a running back, how many yards on a ‘ZD bend,’ ” Daniel said. “It’s very quarterback intensive, and as a quarterback we’re supposed to know that stuff. I’m looking forward to teaching Mitchell.”
You should know: Trubisky’s 12 starts as a rookie were full of growing pains. The Bears won only four of those games, and he had 10 turnovers compared with nine touchdowns. But for everything he learned on the field, there was another critical developmental component off it. Said Ragone: “How do you build a weekly schedule? When are you going to get into the building? How long are you going to stay? What’s your schedule? Who are you watching film with? What are you watching? How do you take notes? All that stuff that you maybe don’t do in college because of a lot of different reasons, you have to do now. That’s part of the process. Now, in Year 2, he’s got that built in.”
Quote of note: “We all believe in Coach Nagy’s plan. And you’ve seen the progression from the first day to now. … Each day you might have some bumps in the road, but, looking back on it, we’ve gotten so much better from where we were at Day 1, and that just gives us so much confidence as an offense moving forward.” — Trubisky on June 6
Big number: 77.5 — Trubisky’s passer rating in 12 starts as a rookie. By comparison, Wentz’s rating was 80.1 in his first 12 rookie starts in 2016. The Rams’ Jared Goff, Trubisky’s roommate in Southern California for a few weeks during the offseason, had a 63.6 rating in seven starts as a rookie in 2016.
Howard, Cohen give Bears a strong backfield.
By Larry Mayer
(#24 Jordan Howard (L), #29 Tarik Cohen (R), Photo: chicagobears.com)
Howard enters his third year with the Bears after becoming the first player in franchise history to rush for at least 1,000 yards in each of his first two NFL seasons. The 2016 fifth-round draft pick from Indiana finished second in the league in rushing with 1,313 yards in 2016 and sixth with 1,122 yards in 2017.
Howard's 2,435 yards are the most by a Bears player in their first two seasons, and his 12 100-yard games are tied with the Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott for the most by an NFL player over the last two years.
In April, first-year coach Matt Nagy told reporters that Howard "absolutely" would be the Bears' feature back this season, though the team plans to utilize other ballcarriers as well, primarily the game-breaking Cohen.
"[Howard] is going to be a guy that lines up and gets the ball," Nagy said at the time. "But at the same time, we're crazy if we use one back. That's not going to happen. We're going to use multiple backs."
Cohen made an immediate impact as a rookie last season, displaying the same explosive game-breaking ability that earned him the nickname "The Human Joystick" at North Carolina A&T.
Selected by the Bears in the fourth round of last year's draft, Cohen rushed for 370 yards and two touchdowns on 87 carries, caught 53 passes for 358 yards and one TD, averaged 9.4 yards with one touchdown on 29 punt returns, averaged 22.4 yards on 26 kickoff returns and even threw a touchdown pass.
In the process, Cohen became the first NFL rookie to generate a touchdown on a rush, reception, pass and punt return in a single season since Bears Hall of Famer Gale Sayers in 1965 and the first NFL player to do so since Terry Metcalf in 1975.
Bears players vote for teammates who best exemplify the courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication and sense of humor of Brian Piccolo, a Bears running back who died from embryonal cell carcinoma on June 16, 1970 at the age of 26.
Cunningham appeared in 14 games last year in his first season with the Bears. The versatile 5-10, 217-pounder rushed for 29 yards on nine carries, caught 20 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns—including a 38-yarder from Patrick O'Donnell on a fake punt against the Vikings—averaged 21.0 yards on seven kickoff returns and made six special teams tackles.
During the offseason, NFL.com's Bucky Brooks ranked the Bears as having the league's fourth best "backfield by committee."
"For a team that won just five games in 2017, the Bears have plenty of reasons for optimism heading into the new season," Brooks wrote. "And a lot of the positive vibes spawn from this 1-2 backfield punch, which gave opponents fits last fall.
"Considering Matt Nagy's experience working with versatile playmakers in Kansas City, the Bears' backfield could be a treat to watch in 2018."
The only backfields Brooks ranked ahead of the Bears were the Saints with Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram, the Falcons with Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, and the Titans with Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis.
Bears sporting upgraded receiving corps.
By Larry Mayer
(#12 Allen Robinson II, Photo: chicagobears.com)
The Bears will arrive in Bourbonnais in two weeks with a revamped receiving corps after targeting the position in both free agency and the draft.
General manager Ryan Pace and his crew made the position a top priority during the offseason, signing Allen Robinson II, Taylor Gabriel and Bennie Fowler in free agency while also selecting Anthony Miller in the second round of the draft.
Robinson joins the Bears after spending his first four seasons with the Jaguars, catching 202 passes for 2,848 yards and 22 touchdowns in 43 games. He will try to regain the form he displayed in 2015-16 before missing most of last season with an injury.
Robinson was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2015, recording 80 receptions for 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns. He followed with 73 catches for 883 yards and six TDs in 2016 but sat out 15 of 16 games last year with a torn ACL.
After signing with the Bears, Robinson revealed that the chance to play in the offense that first-year coach Matt Nagy operated with the Chiefs helped lure him to Chicago.
"It was a good fit for me," Robinson said. "You see a lot of big plays, you see some dink-and-dunk plays, you see everybody being involved. It's something that just looked fun to play in. Watching what coach Nagy did in Kansas City, I think it has a lot of versatility that I can be used in many different ways in this offense. I'll be able to play inside, outside, have some deep shots, work the short game and things like that."
Gabriel joins the Bears after spending his first four NFL seasons with the Browns (2014-15) and Falcons (2015-16). The speedy 5-8, 165-pounder has played in 58 games with 13 starts, catching 132 passes for 1,819 yards and eight touchdowns and rushing for 110 yards and 1 TD on 16 carries.
Gabriel caught six touchdown passes in helping the Falcons reach the Super Bowl in 2016. Last year he played in all 16 games with four starts, catching 33 passes for 378 yards and one TD and rushing for 49 yards on eight carries.
Gabriel was drawn to the Bears for the same reason as Robinson.
"It was just Nagy's offense, just his creativity and the things that he did when he was with the Chiefs," Gabriel said. "With Tyreek Hill and the things that he did with him to move him around and get him open, it was a no-brainer for me."
Last season Gabriel frequently spoke with his friend and former Abilene Christian teammate, Chiefs running back Charcandrick West, about Kansas City's offense.
"He would talk about it all the time and how he loved it, the different schemes and just kind of how [Nagy] was just a doctor at creating an offense and getting people open," Gabriel said. "If you go on YouTube, you see different things they did and how Tyreek Hill got open and how he made those explosive plays."
Fowler spent the past three seasons with the Broncos, catching 56 passes for 698 yards and five touchdowns while appearing in 45 games with five starts. Last year Fowler set career highs with four starts, 29 receptions, 350 yards and three touchdowns.
The 6-1, 212-pounder entered the NFL with the Broncos in 2014 as an undrafted free agent from Michigan State. He spent his rookie season on Denver's practice squad.
Fowler helped the Broncos win Super Bowl 50 in 2015, catching a two-point conversion pass from Peyton Manning late in a 24-10 victory over the Panthers. It was the final pass of Manning's career.
White, meanwhile, is attempting to stay healthy after being plagued by injuries during his first three seasons with the Bears. The 2015 first-round pick has missed 43 of 48 games. He sat out his entire rookie year with a stress fracture in his leg, broke his fibula in the fourth game in 2016 and fractured his scapula in last year's season opener.
On the rare occasions White has been healthy, he has shown the traits that convinced the Bears to select him with the seventh pick in the 2015 draft. He opened the 2016 season with 19 receptions in the first four games, the most ever by a Bears player in his first four NFL contests.
"How cool would that be to be able to get this kid to come back and be a dominant player?" Nagy said during the offseason. "You think he doesn't want that? Of course he wants that. So let's as coaches look at the glass half full and let's get this kid right. Now am I making any promises?
Absolutely not. But I will tell you this, we're going to give that kid every opportunity possible."
The Bears traded up to land Miller in the second round of this year's draft. After redshirting as a freshman walk-on at Memphis in 2013 and missing the entire 2014 season with a shoulder injury, Miller blossomed, catching 238 passes for 3,590 yards and 37 touchdowns over his final three years.
The 5-11, 201-pounder had 95 receptions for 1,434 yards and 14 TDs in 2016 and 96 catches for 1,462 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2017. He set school records in all three categories in 2016 and eclipsed the marks in 2017.
"Really how I describe my game, I'm more than a receiver," Miller said after the draft. "But I have all the capabilities of a receiver. I can run, catch the ball. I would call it a 10 out of 10. I have great hands and I'm also physical, which a lot of people don't know about me. My passion for the game I think is just unmatched, especially at the position I play."
Other receivers who will compete for playing time in training camp include veteran Joshua Bellamy and rookie seventh-round draft pick Javon Wims.
Burton a key component of new Bears offense.
By Larry Mayer
(#80 Trey Burton, Photo: chicagobears.com)
Burton spent his first four NFL seasons in Philadelphia after arriving in 2014 as an undrafted free agent from Florida. He caught 37 passes for 327 yards and one touchdown in 2016 and 23 passes for 248 yards and five TDs in 2017.
Burton appealed to the Bears because he possesses the traits to excel at a key position in their new offense and has experience in the scheme, having played for coach Doug Pederson with the Eagles. Pederson worked with first-year Bears coach Matt Nagy on Andy Reid's staff with the Chiefs.
Burton landed on the Bears' radar not long after general manager Ryan Pace's first discussion with Nagy about offensive philosophy.
"The very first thing he said was the value of the 'U' tight end or the 'F' tight end, which is kind of that move tight end that's flexed out a lot," Pace said during the offseason. "So immediately my wheels started turning, 'OK, who is that in free agency, who is that potentially in the draft,' and we quickly identified Trey as a target.
Burton initially made the Eagles roster as a special teams contributor. He later showed he could be a downfield pass-catching target, hauling in five touchdowns last year despite being third on Philadelphia's depth chart behind Zach Ertz and Brent Celek.
A former college quarterback, Burton tossed a 1-yard TD pass to quarterback Nick Foles on fourth-and-goal in the Eagles' 41-33 win over the Patriots in Super Bowl LII.
Three separate fantasy football columns on NFL.com have identified Burton as a player who could post big numbers this season. In a column entitled "20 shocking fantasy football predictions for 2018," NFL.com senior analyst Michael Fabiano wrote "it wouldn't shock me if Trey Burton is a top-10 fantasy tight end. Burton is in a great position to succeed with the Bears, as he will fill the Travis Kelce role in the offense of coach Matt Nagy. He's a high-upside player you can get late if you like to wait to pick a tight end."
Also at tight end, Adam Shaheen returns for his second NFL season after catching 12 passes for 127 yards and a team-leading three touchdowns while playing in 13 games.
Also back is veteran Dion Sims, who had 15 receptions for 180 yards and one TD while starting all 14 games he played in his first season with the Bears last year.
Asked during the offseason if Sims would have a role with the Bears this year, Nagy said: "The nice thing with Dion is that he's a guy that's proven to be a solid blocker. He can be in there and be your 'Y' tight end but yet he still has really good hands. He can make plays on intermediate routes. He's not going to be anybody that's a downfield threat—I think he knows that, we all know that—but he's a valuable piece of this puzzle."
Other tight ends who will compete for roster spots in training camp include returnees Daniel Brown and Ben Braunecker. Brown has appeared in 20 games with five starts for the Bears the past two seasons, catching 29 passes for 253 yards and one TD. Braunecker has four receptions for 41 yards in 21 games the past two years.
Line should benefit from vets, Hiestand.
By Larry Mayer
(Coach Harry Hiestand (C), Photo: chicagobears.com)
Four returning starters in left tackle Charles Leno Jr., center Cody Whitehair, right guard Kyle Long and right tackle Bobby Massie figure to provide stability on a unit that no doubt will grow under the tutelage of coach Harry Hiestand.
Candidates to start at left guard include Eric Kush and rookie second-round draft pick James Daniels, among others.
Hiestand returns this year for a second stint with the Bears. The veteran assistant served in the same capacity for five seasons from 2005-09 under coach Lovie Smith, helping the Bears win two NFC North titles and reach Super Bowl XLI.
Hiestand played a key role in sending center Olin Kreutz (2005 and 2006) and guard Ruben Brown (2006) to the Pro Bowl. Kreutz was also named first-team All-Pro in 2006, the first Bears offensive lineman to accomplish that feat in 17 years.
Hiestand has spent the last 29 seasons as an offensive line coach, mainly at the collegiate level, including the last six years at Notre Dame. His other stops have included Cincinnati (1989-93), Missouri (1994-96), Illinois (1997-2004) and Tennessee (2010-11).
After Hiestand joined first-year coach Matt Nagy's staff, Bears general manager Ryan Pace called it "one of his most important hires."
The Bears also couldn't be happier about Long arriving at training camp healthy enough to practice. The 6-6, 316-pounder was voted to the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons with the Bears from 2013-15 while starting 47 of 48 games. But injuries have limited him to 18 contests the past two years.
Long appeared in 10 games last year. He missed the final four contests with a shoulder injury after sitting out the first two weeks of the season recovering from surgery to repair a broken ankle that forced him to miss the final seven games in 2016.
Although Daniels played center the past two seasons at Iowa, he'll begin his Bears career at guard because Whitehair is entrenched at center. A 2016 second-round pick, Whitehair has excelled in two seasons at center, a position he never played at Kansas State.
Daniels lined up at guard as a freshman at Iowa and is confident that he'll make a smooth transition.
Bears relying on Hicks to anchor defensive line.
By Larry Mayer
(#96 Akiem Hicks, Photo: chicagobears.com)
The Bears will head to Bourbonnais next week once again counting on veteran defensive end Akiem Hicks to be one of their most productive and dependable players this season.
After spending his first four NFL seasons with the Saints and Patriots, Hicks has blossomed with the Bears while being coached by veteran defensive coordinator Vic Fangio the last two years. The 6-5, 332-pounder established a career high with seven sacks in 2016 and eclipsed that mark with 8.5 in 2017.
"I think just putting me in the right positions to be successful [is] what I'd attribute my play to over the past couple years," Hicks said. "Vic has a great idea of what I'm good at and what I'm bad at, so he's not going to put me out there to sit and go contain. Coming from a situation where I was being cast as a 4-3 defensive end, I think he just knows how to use me and my strengths better."
Hicks was selected by the Saints in the third round of the 2012 draft when Bears general manager Ryan Pace worked in New Orleans' personnel department. Hicks was traded to the Patriots early in the 2015 season after the Saints had switched to a 4-3 defense.
Bleacher Report ranked Hicks as the best 3-4 defensive end in the NFL for the 2017 season. He led the Bears with 8.5 sacks, 15 tackles-for-loss and 20 quarterback hits while also recording 54 tackles and two fumble recoveries.
"Akiem Hicks had a breakout season in 2016, but there's a good chance you didn't know his name until he signed a four-year extension with the Chicago Bears in September," wrote scout Justis Mosqueda. "His response to his first blockbuster contract? An 8.5-sack season, an elite year for an interior defensive lineman. According to Pro Football Reference, Hicks recorded 19.5 tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage in 2017. … Expect Hicks to become a household name soon."
Third-year pro Jonathan Bullard is expected to replace departed free agent Mitch Unrein at the other defensive end position. Last year the 2016 third-round pick registered 25 tackles, one sack, two tackles-for-loss and one forced fumble while appearing in all 16 games with three starts.
Asked about Bullard earning a starting job, Hicks said: "There's no question in my mind that he has the talent. One thing that he's picked up as of late and last year as well is just his work ethic. I think that he now knows what it means to be in the NFL. You can be here today and gone tomorrow. So you've got to be able to put your best foot forward at any moment and I think that he's ready to take on that position."
After spending his first four NFL seasons with the Saints and Patriots, Hicks has blossomed with the Bears while being coached by veteran defensive coordinator Vic Fangio the last two years. The 6-5, 332-pounder established a career high with seven sacks in 2016 and eclipsed that mark with 8.5 in 2017.
"I think just putting me in the right positions to be successful [is] what I'd attribute my play to over the past couple years," Hicks said. "Vic has a great idea of what I'm good at and what I'm bad at, so he's not going to put me out there to sit and go contain. Coming from a situation where I was being cast as a 4-3 defensive end, I think he just knows how to use me and my strengths better."
Hicks was selected by the Saints in the third round of the 2012 draft when Bears general manager Ryan Pace worked in New Orleans' personnel department. Hicks was traded to the Patriots early in the 2015 season after the Saints had switched to a 4-3 defense.
Bleacher Report ranked Hicks as the best 3-4 defensive end in the NFL for the 2017 season. He led the Bears with 8.5 sacks, 15 tackles-for-loss and 20 quarterback hits while also recording 54 tackles and two fumble recoveries.
"Akiem Hicks had a breakout season in 2016, but there's a good chance you didn't know his name until he signed a four-year extension with the Chicago Bears in September," wrote scout Justis Mosqueda. "His response to his first blockbuster contract? An 8.5-sack season, an elite year for an interior defensive lineman. According to Pro Football Reference, Hicks recorded 19.5 tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage in 2017. … Expect Hicks to become a household name soon."
Third-year pro Jonathan Bullard is expected to replace departed free agent Mitch Unrein at the other defensive end position. Last year the 2016 third-round pick registered 25 tackles, one sack, two tackles-for-loss and one forced fumble while appearing in all 16 games with three starts.
Asked about Bullard earning a starting job, Hicks said: "There's no question in my mind that he has the talent. One thing that he's picked up as of late and last year as well is just his work ethic. I think that he now knows what it means to be in the NFL. You can be here today and gone tomorrow. So you've got to be able to put your best foot forward at any moment and I think that he's ready to take on that position."
Roy Robertson-Harris also is expected to be part of the rotation at defensive end. After spending his rookie season on injured reserve in 2016, the 6-7, 294-pounder played in 12 games as a reserve last year, compiling seven tackles, one sack and one tackle-for-loss.
Nose tackle Eddie Goldman returns for a fourth season. The 2015 second-round pick started 15 games last year, recording 43 tackles, 1.5 sacks and three tackles-for-loss.
"As he stacks up with nose tackles, he's up there," Fangio said during the offseason. "He's another one that has gotten better and better through the whole process. Year 1 early this time and even more so in training camp, I didn't see a whole lot. That year he got better and better.
"Then Year 2 was lost. I think he played 15 percent of the plays and five percent of those he was playing hurt. And then last year I think he had a good season. He's a good, solid player, and if he's going to be considered more than a good, solid player, this would be the year to show it."
The Bears bolstered their defensive line in the draft by selecting Bilal Nichols in the fifth round. The 6-4, 290-pounder was a four-year contributor and two-year starter at Delaware. Playing in a 3-4 defense for the first time last season as a senior, Nichols was named first-team All-Colonial Athletic Association after registering 56 tackles, 5.5 sacks and one interception.
Nichols will play defensive end for the Bears, who feel that he's a good fit for their defense due in part to his toughness and potential as a pass rusher.
"For his size, he's athletic," Pace said after the draft. "The toughness and rugged style he plays with stands out. We sent [defensive line coach] Jay Rodgers up there to have a private workout with him. We spent a lot of time with him up in Delaware, and we just feel like he has a lot of upside. He has a lot of upside specifically as an inside rusher, which we value too."
Smith, Trevathan lead linebacker corps.
By Larry Mayer
(#58 Roquan Smith (L), #59 Danny Trevathan (R), Photo: chicagobears.com)
The following is the seventh of nine position previews in advance of training camp.
The Bears added a key piece to their defense when they spent the eighth pick in this year's draft on Georgia inside linebacker Roquan Smith.
The 6-1, 225-pounder is a speedy and tenacious sideline-to-sideline three-down defender who excels against the run as well as in pass coverage. Last season as a junior Smith was voted first-team All-American, won the Butkus Award as the nation's best linebacker and was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year.
"What they can expect from me when I arrive is a relentless guy on the field and off the field, going about my business the right way and going to do whatever it takes to put the Bears in the best possible situation every time I step onto the field and on the practice field," Smith said after he was drafted.
Smith helped Georgia reach the CFP national title game last season, starting all 15 games and leading the Bulldogs with 137 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 14.0 tackles-for-loss and 20 quarterback hits. He was named MVP of the SEC Championship Game and Defensive MVP of the Rose Bowl in the CFP semifinal after registering 11 tackles in a win over Oklahoma.
At the NFL Combine, Smith ran a 4.51 in the 40-yard dash, the second fastest time among linebackers.
The Bears are expected to pair Smith with Danny Trevathan. Last season the veteran inside linebacker recorded a team-high 89 tackles along with four tackles-for-loss, two sacks, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He's entering his third year with the Bears after spending his first four NFL seasons with the Broncos.
"We went against Danny when I was in Kansas City and he was at Denver, so we always knew what kind of player he was," said Bears first-year coach Matt Nagy. "He has the demeanor to him, a focus. He's very serious when he's out there on the field and he'll be a great mentor for Roquan."
Trevathan was impressed with Smith while playing alongside the rookie during offseason workouts.
"He's quick, instinctive, learns well," Trevathan said during OTA practices in May. "He's just out here trying to get better. That's what I like about him. He's calling the call sheets out. He's learning the plays. That's what you want in him. You want him to come out here and be humble. You want him to work hard. I see that in his eyes, coming out here. It's a lot of lights on him. It's a lot of attention on him. But he's finding himself out here, coming out here and trying to make some plays."
At outside linebacker, 2016 first-round pick Leonard Floyd returns after recovering from a knee injury that forced him to miss the final six games last season. In 10 contests in 2017, he registered 33 tackles, 4.5 sacks, nine tackles-for-loss and one fumble recovery.
Also back at outside linebacker is veteran Sam Acho, who originally joined the Bears in 2015 after spending his first four NFL seasons with the Cardinals. In three seasons in Chicago, Acho has compiled 140 tackles, four sacks, eight tackles-for-loss, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery while appearing in 47 games with 25 starts.
The Bears bolstered their outside linebacker position during the offseason by signing free agent Aaron Lynch and selecting Kylie Fitts in the sixth round of the draft.
Lynch excelled as a 49ers rookie in 2014 when Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio served in the same capacity in San Francisco, recording six sacks while playing in all 16 games.
Lynch had another productive year in 2015 with 6.5 sacks, but his career has since taken a detour. He was suspended for the first four games in 2016 for violating the NFL policy on substance abuse and was a healthy scratch late last year after missing games with a calf injury.
Fitts spent the past three seasons at Utah. He registered 41 tackles, seven sacks and four forced fumbles while appearing in 13 games with 11 starts in 2015. But the 6-4, 265-pounder was slowed by injuries each of the past two years.
Fitts was lost for the season in the second game in 2016 when he suffered a torn Lisfranc ligament in his foot. He then missed three contests and saw limited time in five others in 2017 due to a sprained ankle and sprained shoulder.
The Bears see Fitts as an outside linebacker who possesses an excellent size, speed, toughness, instincts and character. His traits are evident on his game tape and helped him deliver an impressive performance in drills and tests at the NFL Combine.
The Bears added a key piece to their defense when they spent the eighth pick in this year's draft on Georgia inside linebacker Roquan Smith.
The 6-1, 225-pounder is a speedy and tenacious sideline-to-sideline three-down defender who excels against the run as well as in pass coverage. Last season as a junior Smith was voted first-team All-American, won the Butkus Award as the nation's best linebacker and was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year.
"What they can expect from me when I arrive is a relentless guy on the field and off the field, going about my business the right way and going to do whatever it takes to put the Bears in the best possible situation every time I step onto the field and on the practice field," Smith said after he was drafted.
Smith helped Georgia reach the CFP national title game last season, starting all 15 games and leading the Bulldogs with 137 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 14.0 tackles-for-loss and 20 quarterback hits. He was named MVP of the SEC Championship Game and Defensive MVP of the Rose Bowl in the CFP semifinal after registering 11 tackles in a win over Oklahoma.
At the NFL Combine, Smith ran a 4.51 in the 40-yard dash, the second fastest time among linebackers.
The Bears are expected to pair Smith with Danny Trevathan. Last season the veteran inside linebacker recorded a team-high 89 tackles along with four tackles-for-loss, two sacks, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He's entering his third year with the Bears after spending his first four NFL seasons with the Broncos.
"We went against Danny when I was in Kansas City and he was at Denver, so we always knew what kind of player he was," said Bears first-year coach Matt Nagy. "He has the demeanor to him, a focus. He's very serious when he's out there on the field and he'll be a great mentor for Roquan."
Trevathan was impressed with Smith while playing alongside the rookie during offseason workouts.
"He's quick, instinctive, learns well," Trevathan said during OTA practices in May. "He's just out here trying to get better. That's what I like about him. He's calling the call sheets out. He's learning the plays. That's what you want in him. You want him to come out here and be humble. You want him to work hard. I see that in his eyes, coming out here. It's a lot of lights on him. It's a lot of attention on him. But he's finding himself out here, coming out here and trying to make some plays."
At outside linebacker, 2016 first-round pick Leonard Floyd returns after recovering from a knee injury that forced him to miss the final six games last season. In 10 contests in 2017, he registered 33 tackles, 4.5 sacks, nine tackles-for-loss and one fumble recovery.
Also back at outside linebacker is veteran Sam Acho, who originally joined the Bears in 2015 after spending his first four NFL seasons with the Cardinals. In three seasons in Chicago, Acho has compiled 140 tackles, four sacks, eight tackles-for-loss, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery while appearing in 47 games with 25 starts.
The Bears bolstered their outside linebacker position during the offseason by signing free agent Aaron Lynch and selecting Kylie Fitts in the sixth round of the draft.
Lynch excelled as a 49ers rookie in 2014 when Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio served in the same capacity in San Francisco, recording six sacks while playing in all 16 games.
Lynch had another productive year in 2015 with 6.5 sacks, but his career has since taken a detour. He was suspended for the first four games in 2016 for violating the NFL policy on substance abuse and was a healthy scratch late last year after missing games with a calf injury.
Fitts spent the past three seasons at Utah. He registered 41 tackles, seven sacks and four forced fumbles while appearing in 13 games with 11 starts in 2015. But the 6-4, 265-pounder was slowed by injuries each of the past two years.
Fitts was lost for the season in the second game in 2016 when he suffered a torn Lisfranc ligament in his foot. He then missed three contests and saw limited time in five others in 2017 due to a sprained ankle and sprained shoulder.
The Bears see Fitts as an outside linebacker who possesses an excellent size, speed, toughness, instincts and character. His traits are evident on his game tape and helped him deliver an impressive performance in drills and tests at the NFL Combine.
Returning starters provide stability in secondary.
chicagobears.com
(Photo: chicagobears.com)
The Bears placed a transition tag on Fuller and then retained him by matching an offer sheet he signed with the rival Packers in March.
"We could not be happier to have Kyle under contract for four more years," general manager Ryan Pace said at the time. "We feel he is an ascending player on our top 10 defense and we look forward to him having many more productive seasons here in Chicago."
Fuller had a resurgent 2017 season after missing the entire 2016 campaign following knee surgery. He started all 16 games, recording 68 tackles, two interceptions and a career-high 22 pass breakups.
"It was really just kind of about showing I was healthy and showing what type of player I could really be," Fuller said. "I was just happy to be able to come out and have fun, enjoy it, and be myself, and I think I showed that last year."
Fuller was selected by the Bears with the 14th pick in the first round of the 2014 draft out of Virginia Tech. He has appeared in 48 games with 46 starts over four seasons, registering 196 tackles, eight interceptions and three forced fumbles.
Fuller's 22 pass breakups were tied for the second most by a Bears player since 1991 and his six PBUs in a Week 16 win over the Browns were the most by an NFL player in 2017 and the most by a Bears player since the stat first began to be tracked in 1994.
"Last year I feel I definitely showed the type of player that I knew I was and people with the Bears knew I was, so I was definitely happy to do that," Fuller said. "But I definitely feel like there's always room for improvement. There are things that I feel like I can definitely get better at moving forward, so I'm definitely looking forward to that. I'm looking forward to continuing to grow and learn and get better."
Amukamara also is back after signing a three-year extension. The veteran instructed his agent to speak only to the Bears because he didn't want to play for any other team—in part because he wanted to continue to pair with Fuller.
"We work pretty well together," Amukamara said. "Kyle's a different type of corner. Kyle likes to play off and he likes to read the quarterback, which made him very successful last year just reading the quarterback and being able to break on passes. My deal is more of an in-your-face press type of corner.
"Kyle's preparation for the game, he studies like a quarterback. Quarterbacks study film before the game all throughout the week. He'll give me tips and stuff like that and we'll help each other out. I feel like just watching him prepare, that just excited me, especially for him being so young."
Amukamara played in 14 games with 12 starts last season in his first year with the Bears, registering 49 tackles, seven passes defensed and one fumble recovery.
Amukamara joined the Bears after spending his first six NFL seasons with the Giants (2011-15) and Jaguars (2016). Prior to arriving in Chicago, he had appeared in 69 games with 57 starts and compiled 310 tackles, seven interceptions, 49 pass breakups, seven tackles-for-loss, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Jackson will look to build on an impressive rookie season. The 2017 fourth-round draft pick from Alabama started all 16 games, ranking third on the defense with 70 tackles while also producing two interceptions, six pass breakups, a team-high three fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.
Jackson led the Bears to a 17-3 win over the Panthers by scoring touchdowns on a 75-yard fumble return and a 76-yard interception return. In the process, he became the first player in NFL history to record two defensive TDs of at least 75 yards in a game.
Amos had his best season last year since being selected by the Bears in the fifth round of the 2015 draft out of Penn State. He compiled 67 tackles, one interception that he returned 90 yards for a touchdown, six tackles-for-loss, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Also returning in 2018 are cornerback Sherrick McManis, a top special teams contributor; nickel backs Bryce Callahan and Cre'Von LeBlanc; and safeties Deon Bush, Deiondre' Hall and DeAndre Houston-Carson.
Tabor, Parkey hope to spark special teams.
By Larry Mayer
On this Date in Sports History: Today is Monday, July 16, 2018. By Larry Mayer
(Photo: chicagobears.com)
The Bears gave their special teams a major boost during the offseason by hiring coordinator Chris Tabor and signing free-agent place-kicker Cody Parkey.
Tabor has returned for a second stint with the Bears after serving as assistant special teams coach under coordinator Dave Toub on coach Lovie Smith's staff from 2008-10. Tabor spent the last seven seasons as the Browns special teams coordinator, working with Parkey in Cleveland in 2016.
Last year Parkey converted a career-high 91.3 percent of his field-goal attempts (21 of 23) in his lone season with the Dolphins. He has also played for the Colts and Eagles, making 76 of 88 career tries (86.4 percent).
Parkey was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2014 when he played for the Eagles after establishing an NFL rookie record by scoring 150 points, eclipsing Kevin Butler's mark of 144 he set with the 1985 Super Bowl champion Bears.
Last year Bears kickers Connor Barth (11 of 16), Cairo Santos (1 of 2) and Mike Nugent (4 of 4) combined to convert 16 of 22 field-goal attempts (72.7 percent).
Punter Patrick O'Donnell returns for a fifth season with the Bears. Last year he averaged a career-high 47.0 yards on 87 punts, nearly three yards better than his previous high of 44.2 in 2015. He also threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Benny Cunningham on a fake punt against the Vikings.
O'Donnell will be challenged in training camp by Ryan Winslow. The undrafted rookie appeared in 51 games over four seasons at Pittsburgh, averaging 42.1 yards on 226 punts. Winslow was named first-team All-ACC last year after leading the conference in punting with a 44.5-yard average.
Last year Bears kickers Connor Barth (11 of 16), Cairo Santos (1 of 2) and Mike Nugent (4 of 4) combined to convert 16 of 22 field-goal attempts (72.7 percent).
Punter Patrick O'Donnell returns for a fifth season with the Bears. Last year he averaged a career-high 47.0 yards on 87 punts, nearly three yards better than his previous high of 44.2 in 2015. He also threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Benny Cunningham on a fake punt against the Vikings.
O'Donnell will be challenged in training camp by Ryan Winslow. The undrafted rookie appeared in 51 games over four seasons at Pittsburgh, averaging 42.1 yards on 226 punts. Winslow was named first-team All-ACC last year after leading the conference in punting with a 44.5-yard average.
Asked if the Bears will conduct a true competition for the punting job in Bourbonnais, Tabor said: "I think there's competition at all positions. Your play is your résumé. If there's another guy in here competing with someone, then it's always a competition. Competition brings out the best in everyone."
Tarik Cohen was the Bears' primary punt and kickoff returner last season as a rookie. The fourth-round pick from North Carolina A&T averaged 9.4 yards on 29 punt returns with one touchdown and 22.4 yards on 26 kickoff returns. He also had a 90-yard kickoff return in Detroit nullified by a holding penalty.
"He's a dynamic player," Tabor said during the offseason. "It's a big statement, but [he's] like a young [Darren] Sproles because he's not a real big guy, but he's built well in his lower half."
Cohen generated multiple highlight-reel plays last year as a rookie, but none was more spectacular than his 61-yard punt return touchdown Dec. 3 against the 49ers. Cohen raced to his right while retreating 15 yards, then reversed field to the left and followed a convoy of blockers to the end zone.
Tabor has returned for a second stint with the Bears after serving as assistant special teams coach under coordinator Dave Toub on coach Lovie Smith's staff from 2008-10. Tabor spent the last seven seasons as the Browns special teams coordinator, working with Parkey in Cleveland in 2016.
Last year Parkey converted a career-high 91.3 percent of his field-goal attempts (21 of 23) in his lone season with the Dolphins. He has also played for the Colts and Eagles, making 76 of 88 career tries (86.4 percent).
Parkey was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2014 when he played for the Eagles after establishing an NFL rookie record by scoring 150 points, eclipsing Kevin Butler's mark of 144 he set with the 1985 Super Bowl champion Bears.
Last year Bears kickers Connor Barth (11 of 16), Cairo Santos (1 of 2) and Mike Nugent (4 of 4) combined to convert 16 of 22 field-goal attempts (72.7 percent).
Punter Patrick O'Donnell returns for a fifth season with the Bears. Last year he averaged a career-high 47.0 yards on 87 punts, nearly three yards better than his previous high of 44.2 in 2015. He also threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Benny Cunningham on a fake punt against the Vikings.
O'Donnell will be challenged in training camp by Ryan Winslow. The undrafted rookie appeared in 51 games over four seasons at Pittsburgh, averaging 42.1 yards on 226 punts. Winslow was named first-team All-ACC last year after leading the conference in punting with a 44.5-yard average.
Last year Bears kickers Connor Barth (11 of 16), Cairo Santos (1 of 2) and Mike Nugent (4 of 4) combined to convert 16 of 22 field-goal attempts (72.7 percent).
Punter Patrick O'Donnell returns for a fifth season with the Bears. Last year he averaged a career-high 47.0 yards on 87 punts, nearly three yards better than his previous high of 44.2 in 2015. He also threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Benny Cunningham on a fake punt against the Vikings.
O'Donnell will be challenged in training camp by Ryan Winslow. The undrafted rookie appeared in 51 games over four seasons at Pittsburgh, averaging 42.1 yards on 226 punts. Winslow was named first-team All-ACC last year after leading the conference in punting with a 44.5-yard average.
Asked if the Bears will conduct a true competition for the punting job in Bourbonnais, Tabor said: "I think there's competition at all positions. Your play is your résumé. If there's another guy in here competing with someone, then it's always a competition. Competition brings out the best in everyone."
Tarik Cohen was the Bears' primary punt and kickoff returner last season as a rookie. The fourth-round pick from North Carolina A&T averaged 9.4 yards on 29 punt returns with one touchdown and 22.4 yards on 26 kickoff returns. He also had a 90-yard kickoff return in Detroit nullified by a holding penalty.
"He's a dynamic player," Tabor said during the offseason. "It's a big statement, but [he's] like a young [Darren] Sproles because he's not a real big guy, but he's built well in his lower half."
Cohen generated multiple highlight-reel plays last year as a rookie, but none was more spectacular than his 61-yard punt return touchdown Dec. 3 against the 49ers. Cohen raced to his right while retreating 15 yards, then reversed field to the left and followed a convoy of blockers to the end zone.
Memoriesofhistory.com
1950 - The largest crowd in sporting history was 199,854. They watched the Uruguay defeat Brazil in the World Cup soccer finals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
1964 - Little League Baseball Incorporated was granted a Federal Charter unanimously by the United States Senate and House of Representatives.
1970 - The Pittsburgh Pirates played their first game at Three Rivers Stadium.
1985 - The All-Star Game, televised on NBC-TV, was the first program broadcast in stereo by a TV network.
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