Bears Training Camp 2018

[chitownsports4ever]

The Chicago Bears kick off 2018 training camp with veterans reporting to Bourbonnais on Thursday followed by the team's first practice on Friday, July 21.

It's been an incredible offseason of change for a Bears team that needed it as badly as any franchise in the NFL. From the coaching staff to the skill players on offense, there's a slew of new names that will be trusted to get Chicago back on the winning track.

Recap of key offseason Changes:

Coaching Staff:
Head Coach: Matt Nagy
Offensive coordinator: Mark Helfrich
Running backs: Charles London
Wide receivers: Mike Furrey
Quarterbacks: Dave Ragone
Offensive line: Harry Hiestand
Assistant offensive line: Donovan Raiola
Tight ends: Kevin Gilbride
Offensive quality control: Mike Snyder
Offensive quality control: Brian Ginn
Offensive assistant: Shane Toub

*Defensive coaching staff has remained intact.

Free agency additions:
Allen Robinson (WR, No. 12)
Taylor Gabriel (WR, No. 18)
Trey Burton (TE, No. 88);
Aaron Lynch (OLB, No. 99)
Chase Daniel (QB, No. 4)
Tyler Bray (QB, No. 9)
Bennie Fowler (WR, No. 13)
Marlon Brown (WR, No. 81)
Cody Parkey (K, No. 1)

Draft picks:
Round 1: Roquan Smith (LB, No. 58)
Round 2: James Daniels (OC, No. 68)
Round 2: Anthony Miller (WR, No. 17)
Round 4: Joel Iyiegbuniwe (LB, No. 45)
Round 5: Bilal Nichols (DT, No. 98)
Round 6: Kylie Fitts (OLB, No. 49)
Round 7: Javon Wims (WR, RD 7, No. 83)

Undrafted free agent stock watch:
Andrew Trumbetti, DE Notre Dame (No. 48)
Michael Joseph, CB, Dubuque (No. 21)
Nick Orr, DB, TCU (No. 46)
Ryan Winslow, P, Pitt (No. 6)
Kevin Toliver, CB, LSU (No. 33)
Ryan Nall, RB, Oregon State (No. 35)
Dejon Allen, OL, Hawaii (No. 62)
Cavon Walker, DL, Maryland (No. 78)
Bunmi Rotimi, DE, Old Dominion (No. 74)
Rashard Fant, CB, Indiana (No. 29)
Matt Fleming, WR, Benedictine (No. 2)
John Franklin, III, DB, Florida Atlantic (No. 43)

To see the complete Chicago Bears roster, click here.

Training camp battles to watch:
WR: Kevin White vs. Anthony Miller

OLB: Aaron Lynch vs. Kylie Fitts and Sam Acho

TE: Adam Shaheen vs. Dion Sims

DE: Jonathan Bullard vs. Roy Robertson-Harris and Bilal Nichols

ILB: Roquan Smith vs. Nick Kwiatkoski
https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bears/chicago-bears-2018-training-camp-primer

[chitownsports4ever]

No Roquan Smith yet in camp

A couple of interesting pieces

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000939982/article/five-reasons-why-the-bears-will-make-the-2018-nfl-playoffs?campaign=tw-nf-sf193517310-sf193517310&sf193517310=1

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000939721/article/making-the-leap-matt-nagyled-bears-offense-prompts-intrigue?campaign=tw-nf-sf193639909-sf193639909&sf193639909=1

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[Susan]

Man, I'm so pumped about this franchise right now. I think the WR/RB core can be one of the top in the NFL if Robinson is healthy. Can't wait to see them with a cutting edge offense to go along with our Fangio defense.

[RedBulls23]

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BOOM! The pretty boy assassin is coming for this division.

[chitownsports4ever]

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[Susan]

I forgot that we've got Shaheen on this roster.

Between Robinson, Cohen, Miller, Burton, Howard, Gabriel and Shaheen there's some serious depth and talent at our playmaking positions. I can't think of another time in my life where the Bears were this deep and then you throw in Kevin White finally relearning how to run again and you've got the makings of a crazy offense.

The only real major obvious weakness I see from our team is the pass rush. Our O-line should be very good, we've got AMPLE playmakers, a good d-line/inside LB core, our secondary has two very good players in Amos/Jackson. If Floyd and Trubisky can live up to their potential this is going to be a very fun ride.

The Lovie era Bears did Jay no favors in his development. It's beautiful to watch a franchise understand the NFL game and correctly build up a QB.

[Chi town]

If we aren’t putting up 28+ per game something is wrong.

Can’t wait to see Money Mitch light it up

[RedBulls23]

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[RedBulls23]

If we aren’t putting up 28+ per game something is wrong.

Can’t wait to see Money Mitch light it up

I think people should temper their expectations for the start of the season. Imo, the first 4-5 games should be a work in progress.

[RedBulls23]

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But maybe that latter was then and this training camp is now.

The defensive pressure has, by chance or by choice, sent Trubisky passes toward Howard. The third-year tailback has responded with both efficient pass-catching and occasionally light acrobatic work, turning off-target throws into positive plays.

The results qualify as a significant positive from early camp. Howard is getting a clean-slate start from Nagy and running backs coach Charles London, and the hope is for a three-down back in the Hunt/Forte mold, which Howard can only be if he is an effective third-down option. His head coach thinks he is.

“Obviously, there’s this façade out there, there’s this notion that (Howard) is just a first- and second-down back, and I don’t believe that,” Nagy said. “Jordan can play all three downs. We’re going to do that. We’re going to use him. And we’re going to use other guys on first and second down when we need to.

“For us, it’s important for Jordan to know and for everybody on our offense to know that he’s a big part of this. This kid’s had a very successful career so far. We’re crazy as coaches and as offensive coaches if we don’t understand it and if we don’t use that to our advantage.”

If Howard can become a good receiver, imo then he will be an elite back. This would be huge for the Bears offense.

[Susan]

https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/07/23/nfl-training-camps-matt-nagy-ryan-pace-chicago-bears-baltimore-ravens-darrelle-revis-tony-sparano

Really love the fact that the Bears are at the forefront of innovation right now on the offensive side of the ball. Nagy and Helfrich are two very bright minds and they've been given a slew of weapons.

I can't wait to see what they do with Howard/Cohen and I even think the UDFA RB from Orgeon State Ryan Nall can come in and contribute.

Crazy to see that they have this many weapons: Robinson, Miller, Gabriel, Burton, Howard, Cohen, Shaheen and freaking Kevin White all to swap in and out along with a young QB and a good offensive line. Long gone are the days of Forte, Cutler, trash WRs, no TEs and a bad offensive line all coached by a new OC every other year.

[chitownsports4ever]

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[RedBulls23]

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[heir_jordan22]

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Who's the clown who came and boxed out Olin while he was talking to Whitehair?

[Axxo]

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Great to hear an old school guy like Olin feels this way. Anxious to see how it translates.

[RedBulls23]

Hopefully Roquans deal gets done soon. It's worrisome that he has the same agent as Joey Bosa.

[RedBulls23]

Hopefully Roquans deal gets done soon. It's worrisome that he has the same agent as Joey Bosa.

So it sounds like it has to do with the new helmet to helmet contact rules potentially affecting signing bonus. The Bears need to just work it out, because it doesn't make sense to play chicken at this point when he needs to get out there with the team.

[transplant]

Making my annual pilgrimage to Bears camp on Monday. I'm stoked...haven't been this excited about a Bears team in years. In all sports, for me the most exciting time is when a team is just beginning to come into its own...when it's not there yet, but you can kinda see it coming together. I'm hoping that this is what I see. I'll report back next week.

Go Bears!