The Chicago Bears accomplished their third observe of coaching camp Friday in Lake Forest with loads of notable moments occurring on the sector and within the information conferences afterward. Here are three issues we discovered from the proceedings.
1. Jaquan Brisker’s instincts and ball abilities proceed to indicate up.
When fellow rookie defensive again Kyler Gordon intercepted a move from Justin Fields within the pink zone on the primary crew rep of observe, Brisker made a psychological word. “Yeah,” Brisker mentioned with a large smile, “I pay attention. Once he got that first one I was like, ‘I gotta get one now. I gotta get one.’ ”
Brisker later made a red-zone decide of his personal, disguising his protection after which making a decisive break on a Fields move to tight finish Cole Kmet close to the aim line.
“Cole crossed my face,” Brisker mentioned. “So I just took my eyes to his hips. And then once I saw him getting ready to catch the ball I jumped in front of it. Made sure I caught the ball and just took it upfield.”
With full momentum, Brisker was gone up the left sideline.
“I felt like I was back in high school,” he mentioned. “I just wanted to get that ball back in my hands.”
After a formidable spring, Brisker continues to earn the arrogance of his coaches together with his really feel for the sport and knack for making performs. Bears coach Matt Eberflus has made it clear Brisker is in line to be a Week 1 starter and has belief that the security’s observe manufacturing will carry over into video games.
“You can just see it,” Eberflus mentioned. “I’m a man who appears to be like at ‘gear change,’ the place he can actually pace up, after which (exhibit) physique management after he does that to make performs. He has that.
“You have to be able to do that in the open part of the field. Some guys are fast but they don’t know how to control their body to make the plays. He has that great body control.”
2. Running again David Montgomery is anticipating his first youngster in January.
Montgomery volunteered that data Friday, citing it as an added motivation for him to proceed pushing to get essentially the most out of himself throughout his NFL journey. Serious and ultradriven since nicely earlier than he was drafted, Montgomery’s tone-setting work ethic now has added incentive.
“I’m excited to be a dad,” he mentioned. “So it’s just being sure I’m the best version of myself for my girl and also being prepared to be the best father I can be too.”
Montgomery is getting into the ultimate yr of his rookie contract and coming off a 2021 season through which he contributed 1,150 yards from scrimmage with seven touchdowns. A left knee sprain value him 4 video games in October, and his yards-per-carry common dipped from 4.3 in 2020 to three.8 final season. Still, Montgomery figures to play a significant position within the offense and is making ready like he at all times has, hardly affected by the brand new teaching employees’s continued reward of his professionalism.
“It’s definitely good that someone recognizes it,” Montgomery mentioned. “At the same time it’s just (about) being a pro and it’s just what I’m supposed to do. You don’t get treats or coupons for being a pro. It’s either you’re a pro or you’re out of the NFL. I think I want to pick being a pro.”
Montgomery mentioned Eberflus’ fixed emphasis on hustle and depth has been welcome however that, personally, he has different means to sidestep complacency as nicely.
“I remember that I didn’t have many (scholarship) offers coming out of high school,” he mentioned. “I remember that we didn’t have any money when I was younger. I remember that when I got to college I wasn’t supposed to play as a freshman. And I remember when I was coming out in the draft I got passed up a bunch of times.”
As for any issues about incomes his second contract?
“I’m a firm believer that God’s going to take care of whatever he’s supposed to take care of,” Montgomery mentioned.
3. Eberflus has little intention of publicly sharing data concerning accidents.
Eberflus acknowledged that heart Lucas Patrick can be out indefinitely with what he would solely say is a proper hand harm. Patrick is anticipated to want surgical procedure, sources advised the Tribune.
That’s an early glimpse into how the coach plans to deal with harm data — together with his foot on the fuel within the categorical lanes of the Evasive Highway.
Offensive deal with Teven Jenkins, for instance, missed his second consecutive observe Friday, and Eberflus wouldn’t say whether or not the absence was harm or sickness associated or one thing else altogether.
“He’s working through something with the trainers,” Eberflus mentioned.
Eberflus was equally elusive about cornerback Thomas Graham, who has but to be on the observe area this week. “He falls in that same category,” Eberflus mentioned. “We’re not going to comment on the injury or anything like that.”
Pressed for reasoning behind that strategy, Eberflus cited “competitive advantage.”
“I don’t want people in our division and I don’t want people in the league looking at our roster saying, ‘Hey, they’re going to do this and do that’ with injuries,” he mentioned. “If you don’t have to disclose an injury right now … why would you? To me that’s in-house business.”
In the case of Jenkins, Eberflus was reminded that the second-year offensive deal with missed all of coaching camp and the primary 11 video games of final season after struggling a again harm that required surgical procedure. So two absences within the first three days of camp elevates the priority for some followers.
“I understand the levels of concern,” Eberflus mentioned. “I get that. That doesn’t make me disclose information, though.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com