The Chicago Bears got off to a bit of a slow start yesterday with their first practice of training camp. Day two however was quite a bit different as quarterback Justin Fields showed command of the offense and confidence in the receivers he’s been working with in OTAs and mini-camp.
Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields put on a show at training camp today, completing big passes to Cole Kmet, Byron Pringle and Darnell Mooney. The caveat here is that Fields isn’t working against a pass rush, but the arm strength and accuracy to make dynamic throws was on full display today.
fields to mooney (blocked by guys head) pic.twitter.com/enK98RiP56
— DaBearsProductions (@dabearsprod) July 28, 2022
https://t.co/QD7VNt9ODR pic.twitter.com/3sMO5MVMl8
— DaWindyCity Productions (@dwcprodz) July 28, 2022
These two throws alone make you sit up and take notice. These aren’t throws Mitchell Trubisky was making. Fields is making these throws into windows where he has the confidence to see it and then pull the trigger between two defenders for a big. That’s confidence in your offense, that’s confidence in your receivers, we’ll see if there’s enough confidence in the offensive line to allow Fields to make these throws.
Pringle had a nice double move for a catch early in practice that also drew rave reviews.
Speaking of the offensive line one starter and what could be a key backup were out of practice today. First Teven Jenkins didn’t practice today. Chicago Bears fans are all well aware of his saga from a year ago where he didn’t practice due to his back injury that in turn led to back surgery. Jenkins worked yesterday with the second team rotating between right and left tackle, taking reps at both.
Then about midway through practice free agent signing and starting center Lucas Patrick went down with an injury. Patrick walked off under his own power, but then to make things easier went into the team facility on a cart. The Chicago Bears did not provide any updates after practice on Patrick’s status, but it’s not an injury you want to disrupt the flow of the offense if it’s serious.
In Patrick’s place rookie Doug Kramer the kid from the University of Illinois checked in at center with the starters for the time being. The rest of the offensive line saw Riley Reiff splitting time with Braxton Jones at left tackle, Sam Mustipher working exclusively at right guard and Larry Borom still working with the ones at right tackle.
Eddie Jackson spoke at length at the podium today about working with the two rookies, Jaquan Brisker and Kyler Gordon.
Eddie Jackson said he's had rookie safety Jaqaun Brisker over to his home this offseason to watch film/answer questions. It's something he offered up to his teammate early on, and Brisker took him up on it immediately. Jackson said the players who did the same for him as a rookie
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) July 28, 2022
Jackson also spoke highly of Kyler Gordon. Gordon is working almost exclusively in the slot at the start of training camp. This is important to note because a lot of the best receivers in the NFL work in the slot because the slot gives them the most freedom to work the open field. All of the talk about Gordon being the boundary corner back opposite Jaylon Johnson misses the importance of knowing you have to have a guy who can cover that receiver in the middle of the field almost man to man.
Eddie Jackson said of Kyler Gordon: "He's a freak athlete. … You got a guy like that, you know he's going to be special."
— Chris Emma (@CEmma670) July 28, 2022
The Chicago Bears will return to the practice field for practice on Friday at Halas Hall.
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