Latest news with #Jarrett
San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Bears defense opens training camp by picking on QB Caleb Williams and the offense
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams fired his first pass of training camp in Wednesday's scrimmage directly to Tremaine Edmunds and the veteran middle linebacker took the interception up the field. This was how coach Ben Johnson's era unfolded on Day 1 of practices. For the other side of the football it was much different as the Bears defense under coordinator Dennis Allen seemed to pick up where they left off in their offseason work, even without injured cornerback Jaylon Johnson. 'I thought today, for the first day out there, was pretty good,' Allen said. 'I thought the retention from what we did in spring to what we saw out there today, I was pleased with what I saw there. And yet we still have a long way to go. We're going to keep working every day, continue to battle, and continue to improve and get this defense better.' Allen has installed a defense along the lines of those he had in New Orleans as head coach and coordinator, with an emphasis on attacking and playing more man-to-man coverage. One key to restoring a defense that dropped last season to 27th in yards allowed will be getting their run defense back to the level they had in 2023 when they led the league. From that end, the addition of defensive tackle Grady Jarrett seems critical. 'His vocal leadership's been awesome,' linebacker T.J. Edwards said. 'He's a guy who's been doing that since OTAs, been here every day locked in and ready to go. 'An older guy (32), but you can see it when he's out there. He's got so much juice in him and he's just ready to go.' After 10 years with Atlanta and seeing Allen's defenses against the Falcons twice a season, Jarrett anticipated the attacking emphasis they're using. 'The grittiness, the attention to detail, the knowledge of knowing what everybody should be doing from front to back and how it all works together and communicating to us, as a defense, what his expectations are on a daily basis have all been something that I've been appreciating," Jarrett said. 'It definitely is going to make us all better and he is definitely somebody who's as hungry as ever just to go out there and compete and play football and he has some players that's ready to go out there and hunt for him.' Johnson, a Pro Bowl cornerback the past two seasons, normally would be replaced by Terell Smith. However, Smith suffered a soft-tissue injury during OTAs and is still out. Instead, he was replaced by veteran roster pickup Nahshon Wright to start camp. The Bears also added speedy cornerback Zah Frazier in the draft, and their secondary could be one of the team's strongest position groups once they adjust to playing less zone. Allen says it doesn't hurt having a 6-foot-5 linebacker manning the middle regardless of coverage emphasis, as Edmunds showed in Wednesday's practice. 'I'm anticipating him being an exceptional playmaker for us,' Allen said. 'He's got size. He's got range. He's got speed, a lot of the things we're going to look for in terms of — look, it's hard to throw over him. He's got length in the middle of the field." It could be Allen who supplies the extra edge the defense needs to bounce back. He had the defense doing exhausting up-downs in individual work on Wednesday, a drill normally associated with lower levels of football. 'It took me back to like seventh, eighth grade a little bit,' Edwards admitted. It was an extra bit of unanticipated 'fun' for the defense on a 95-degree day. 'It's all part of building the culture of what type of defense we're going to be,' Allen said. 'You have to pay the toll. You have to pay the price. It's a privilege to be on this defense. 'We've been doing that on every defense that I've been associated with since 2009. And it's a way to mentally train players to be tough and push through adversity. Training camp is going to be difficult, and we have to be able to overcome when we're tired.' ___
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Bears defense opens training camp by picking on QB Caleb Williams and the offense
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams fired his first pass of training camp in Wednesday's scrimmage directly to Tremaine Edmunds and the veteran middle linebacker took the interception up the field. This was how coach Ben Johnson's era unfolded on Day 1 of practices. For the other side of the football it was much different as the Bears defense under coordinator Dennis Allen seemed to pick up where they left off in their offseason work, even without injured cornerback Jaylon Johnson. 'I thought today, for the first day out there, was pretty good,' Allen said. 'I thought the retention from what we did in spring to what we saw out there today, I was pleased with what I saw there. And yet we still have a long way to go. We're going to keep working every day, continue to battle, and continue to improve and get this defense better.' Allen has installed a defense along the lines of those he had in New Orleans as head coach and coordinator, with an emphasis on attacking and playing more man-to-man coverage. One key to restoring a defense that dropped last season to 27th in yards allowed will be getting their run defense back to the level they had in 2023 when they led the league. From that end, the addition of defensive tackle Grady Jarrett seems critical. 'His vocal leadership's been awesome,' linebacker T.J. Edwards said. 'He's a guy who's been doing that since OTAs, been here every day locked in and ready to go. 'An older guy (32), but you can see it when he's out there. He's got so much juice in him and he's just ready to go.' After 10 years with Atlanta and seeing Allen's defenses against the Falcons twice a season, Jarrett anticipated the attacking emphasis they're using. 'The grittiness, the attention to detail, the knowledge of knowing what everybody should be doing from front to back and how it all works together and communicating to us, as a defense, what his expectations are on a daily basis have all been something that I've been appreciating,' Jarrett said. 'It definitely is going to make us all better and he is definitely somebody who's as hungry as ever just to go out there and compete and play football and he has some players that's ready to go out there and hunt for him.' Johnson, a Pro Bowl cornerback the past two seasons, normally would be replaced by Terell Smith. However, Smith suffered a soft-tissue injury during OTAs and is still out. Instead, he was replaced by veteran roster pickup Nahshon Wright to start camp. The Bears also added speedy cornerback Zah Frazier in the draft, and their secondary could be one of the team's strongest position groups once they adjust to playing less zone. Allen says it doesn't hurt having a 6-foot-5 linebacker manning the middle regardless of coverage emphasis, as Edmunds showed in Wednesday's practice. 'I'm anticipating him being an exceptional playmaker for us,' Allen said. 'He's got size. He's got range. He's got speed, a lot of the things we're going to look for in terms of — look, it's hard to throw over him. He's got length in the middle of the field.' It could be Allen who supplies the extra edge the defense needs to bounce back. He had the defense doing exhausting up-downs in individual work on Wednesday, a drill normally associated with lower levels of football. 'It took me back to like seventh, eighth grade a little bit,' Edwards admitted. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. It was an extra bit of unanticipated 'fun' for the defense on a 95-degree day. 'It's all part of building the culture of what type of defense we're going to be,' Allen said. 'You have to pay the toll. You have to pay the price. It's a privilege to be on this defense. 'We've been doing that on every defense that I've been associated with since 2009. And it's a way to mentally train players to be tough and push through adversity. Training camp is going to be difficult, and we have to be able to overcome when we're tired.' ___ AP NFL:
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
What Grady Jarrett has learned working with Bears DC Dennis Allen
With all the moves that the Chicago Bears made to improve their roster this offseason, they also had a major overhaul of their coaching staff, including the hiring of defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. Formerly a defensive coordinator and head coach for the New Orleans Saints since 2015, Allen has a long and respected resume across the NFL and his new defensive tackle Grady Jarrett has taken notice of it. A longtime member of the Atlanta Falcons, Jarrett has had plenty of matchups against Allen's Saints as NFC South rivals. But, now, the two will work together as key members of the Bears defense. Getting early work in with his defensive coordinator, Jarrett spoke about his early takeaways from Allen and the defense that he's building in Chicago. "I've learned a lot about him," Jarrett said Tuesday. "I competed against him for so many years playing against him when I was in Atlanta, but I'm not surprised by anything. The grittiness, the attention to detail, the knowledge of knowing what everybody should be doing from front to back and how it all works together and communicating to us, as a defense, what his expectations are on a daily basis have all been something that I've been appreciating. It definitely is going to make us all better and he is definitely somebody who's as hungry as ever just to go out there and compete and play football and he has some players that's ready to go out there and hunt for him." Jarrett appreciates how Allen is pushing the defense and raising expectations about how the unit will operate. "He challenges us every day and he's not making it easy on us and not babying us as far as what he is expecting us to learn for the defense and what he wants to call," Jarrett said. "That raises the expectation for guys involved to know that he is not going to call things that make us comfortable. He wants to run defense a certain way and he is going to make sure his players are going to go out there and be able to do it." One of the most standout quotes from Jarrett about Allen is the attention to detail that he is showing, a similar compliment that new head coach Ben Johnson has received early on, as well. The new coaching staff is clearly working extremely hard to put in all the details and emphasize their importance, a factor that was clearly missing in their 5-12 season last year.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
5 Buccaneers on offense to watch during the 2025 training camp
As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers enter 2025 training camp with high expectations, the battle for key depth roles begins quietly behind the scenes. While household names dominate headlines, it's often the under-the-radar players who end up shaping the roster into something special. Here are five offensive sleepers who could make noise at camp and force their way into the conversation. Sean Tucker, Running Back Tucker entered the league in 2023 as an undrafted free agent with significant buzz following a standout career at Syracuse. Tucker could re-emerge in 2025 as a valuable change-of-pace option in new coordinator Josh Grizzard's system. His ability to contribute as a pass catcher and his natural burst give him a strong shot at cracking the rotation behind Rachaad White and Bucky Irving. Rakim Jarrett, Wide Receiver Jarrett, another 2023 UDFA, made the roster based on strong special-teams play and a physical, reliable style as a depth receiver. A former five-star recruit at Maryland, Jarrett has the pedigree and polish to contribute if given the opportunity. With wide receiver depth beyond Evans and Chris Godwin Jr still unsettled, Jarrett's sharp route running and contested-catch ability could earn him more offensive reps this summer and a spot in a now crowded wide receiver room. Jake Majors, Center Signed as an undrafted rookie in 2025 out of Texas, Majors brings a wealth of experience and leadership from his time as a multi-year starter in the Big 12. Though undersized by NFL standards, Majors is technically sound and intelligent, a combination that could win him a backup interior line job with Tampa's depth at center and guard not yet solidified, Tez Johnson, Wide Receiver One of the Bucs' final draft picks, Tez Johnson, is a small-framed receiver with elite quickness and separation ability. The Oregon product turned heads at the Senior Bowl with his stop-start agility and natural feel in the slot. His size may have pushed him down draft boards, but his traits are tailor-made for third-down work and designed motion packages. If he proves reliable in special teams and route discipline, Johnson could rise fast in Tampa's wide receiver competition. Devin Culp, Tight End Culp, a seventh-round pick out of Washington, entered the league last year with top-tier speed for a tight end (40-yard dash time of 4.47 at the combine). He saw limited snaps in 2024 but impressed coaches with his athleticism and versatility. Culp profiles as a potential mismatch piece in two-tight-end sets. With Cade Otton entrenched as TE1, the competition behind him is wide open. A strong camp could solidify Culp's place in the offense as a situational weapon.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Where ESPN ranks Bears guard Joe Thuney after Chiefs trade
The post Where ESPN ranks Bears guard Joe Thuney after Chiefs trade appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Chicago Bears are arguably the most improved team in the NFL heading into training camp. Chicago added Ben Johnson at head coach and made a flurry of moves to upgrade the roster. One Bears player just got his name included in an exclusive list. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler ranked the best interior offensive linemen in the NFL in his most recent article. Fowler polled NFL scouts, coaches, and executives to come up with his ranking list. Bears fans will be pleased to learn that newcomer Joe Thuney cracked the top 10, coming in sixth place. The Bears traded for Thuney, as well as guard Jonah Jackson, right at the start of NFL free agency this spring. Thuney is an elite pass protector whose 96.4% pass block win rate is tied for first in the NFL among guards. He is also a versatile offensive linemen, proving that he can play at left tackle last year with the Chiefs. 'Complete package: Speed, athletic ability, hand placement, toughness, instincts,' an AFC executive said. 'I think power is a slight deficiency. Versatility isn't.' Coaches also praised Thuney for his incredible grip strength. Once he gets his paws on a defensive player, they aren't going anywhere. 'All technique, instincts and smarts with Joe,' a separate AFC executive said. 'Physical skills are on the decline.' If Thuney continues to play at a high level, it could unlock Ben Johnson's new-look Bears offense in 2025. ESPN criticizes Bears for 'awful' Grady Jarrett free agency signing ESPN may like the Joe Thuney trade, but they are not fans of a different Bears offseason move. Seth Walder criticized the Bears for signing veteran defensive lineman Grady Jarrett to a three-year contract worth $43.5 million in free agency. Walder called the move 'awful value' in his critique. 'On the flip side, the Jarrett deal was awful value,' Walder wrote. 'They gave him a three-year contract averaging $14.25 million with $28.4 million fully guaranteed, per Roster Management System. That includes a full guarantee on his 2026 base salary when Jarrett, who has been steadily declining, will be 33. Jarrett's pass rush win rate at defensive tackle has dropped every season from 2019 (22%) to 2024 (9%), and he suffered a torn ACL in 2023.' The sticking point here is the contract value. Nobody seems to be complaining that Jarrett is not a talented player. But his large contract, with one fully guaranteed season in the future, is certainly questionable. Bears fans, and the national media, will certainly change their tune if Chicago takes a big leap forward this fall. Related: Bears lock up general manager Ryan Poles for 5 more years Related: 10 greatest Chicago Bears teams of all time
