Sun-Times beat writer Patrick Finley breaks down first week of Chicago Bears training camp

CBS News

5 hours ago

The Chicago Bears will put on the pads for the first time at their practice Monday morning at Halas Hall, following an intense week of practice last week as the team gets used to new head coach Ben Johnson's style.
Chicago Sun-Times beat reporter Patrick Finley emphasized the intensity and urgency with which Johnson coaches.
"When Ben Johnson got here on the first day on check-in day, he didn't say, 'Boy, we've got see weeks, you know, we'll ease into this thing.' He said: 'It is a race. We need to go,' and that's just a different vibe here. He's got an intelligence and intensity that I think is really refreshing, and it has been all offseason, and now we get to see it on the field," Finley said. "I think the players are reacting to it, and reacting in a really good way. This is a team that really wanted to be coached hard last year, had to beg the last offensive coordinator to coach them hard — and now they're getting it."
Finley said the Bears' offense was really bad in the red zone on Friday, but improved Saturday — and progress is critically important.
"It's one thing to make a mistake. It's another to keep making it. I think we've seen with Justin Fields and Mitch Trubisky before them that they'll make one mistake and then it keeps going on and on," said Finley. "If they can correct it, that's what I'm looking for, and Saturday was a really good start in that direction."
On the defensive side, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's unit is being talked about as getting different looks every day.
"They've been a handful, and you know, there's this old wives' tale that at this time of year, the defense should be winning. But they've been winning, and they've been winning pretty decisively," Finley said. "Part of that is because of the different looks they're giving them. Part of it's by plan too. There is a pressure, time of practice, where they just bring blitzes at Caleb and go, hey, you know, figure it out."
Meanwhile, the Bears are also working without cornerback Jaylon Johnson on the defensive side. He suffered a non-football injury during offseason training and will mis several weeks.
"To make up for the lack of Jaylon Johnson has been really impressive. I mean, they have Nahshon Wright out there. He's looked good. They're cycling through with Tyrique Stevenson and Terrell Smith," said Finley. "They're going to need that depth at some point in the year, and for them to look pretty decent out there now, that's good stuff."
In the week to come, the practices will feel a little more real as the team puts on the pads. Finley said his eye will be on the rookies.
"Kyle Monangai — the seventh-round pick out of Rutgers — really curious to see what he does when he has really big guys trying to chase him down. You know, I'll be interested to see what the rookie class can do physically — you know, we saw Colston Loveland on Saturday practicing T-drills for the first time. That's a really good sign," said Finley. "Maybe Luther Burden can be out there next week. Ben Johnson said that he was hopeful on the second-round pick. And then you've got Ozzy Trapilo, who is playing left tackle and cycling through with the starters. All of those guys, once the pads come on, they're going to be really interesting to me."