The Chicago Bears began their first training camp practice at Halas Hall, showcasing a strong defense that set the tone early on. Veteran linebacker Tremaine Edmunds intercepted a pass over the middle in 11-on-11 drills, which was described as “awesome” by fellow linebacker T.J. Edwards.
Edmunds returns for his third season with the Bears and eighth in the NFL, having started all 32 games he’s played and recorded 223 tackles, eight tackles-for-loss, 1.0 sack, five interceptions, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery since arriving in Chicago in 2022.
First-year defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has high expectations for Edmunds, citing his size, range, speed, and length as key assets. Allen is excited to see what Edmunds can do, stating that the defense’s tone was set early on.
In other developments, undrafted rookie receiver JP Richardson made a diving one-handed catch of a pass from Tyson Bagent deep down the right sideline, while running back Roschon Johnson also caught a swing pass out of the backfield. Caleb Williams connected with tight end Cole Kmet on back-to-back plays in a 7-on-7 drill.
The offense began individual drills after players finished stretching, while the defense headed to an adjacent field to do up-downs – an exercise that consists of transitioning from standing to a push-up position. The goal is to build the culture of what type of defense the Bears will be, as Allen noted that it’s “a way to mentally train players to be tough and push through adversity.”
Edwards recalled doing up-downs in middle school, describing it as an experience that reminded him of his younger days. Despite the challenges ahead, Edwards expressed confidence in the team’s ability to overcome obstacles.
The Bears will continue to focus on making incremental progress throughout training camp, with Allen emphasizing the importance of focusing on one day at a time. The coach acknowledged that training camp can be grueling, but he is pleased with the retention from spring practices and looks forward to seeing his players improve each day.
Source: https://www.chicagobears.com/news/chicago-bears-training-camp-practice-report-july-23