The Chicago Bears close out training camp and the preseason this week. They will cap the latter with a visit to the Kansas City Chiefs, who will sit their starters. The Bears will sit “most” of their starters, per head coach Matt Eberflus after Tuesday’s practice.
It was difficult to tell which if any of the team’s starters would be playing judging from who took part in team drills and walkthroughs on Wednesday. The Bears are still nursing some key injuries.
Bears defensive coordinator Eric Washington and quarterbacks Brett Rypien and Tyson Bagent spoke after practice.
Bears Training Camp Notes: Shane Waldron The Teacher
Brett Rypien: Shane Waldron’s an ?Unbelievable Teacher’
Rypien was a big storyline after the Hall of Fame Game and the premiere episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks.” He was also brought in to help translate offensive coordinator Shane Waldron’s offense to the rest of the quarterback room. The install has seen a steady progression with far fewer of the hiccups heard over the past two training camps.
It has a lot to do with Waldron. Rypien was asked which part of the scheme has proven trickiest to master in his experience.
“Shane’s an unbelievable teacher and can really explain concepts well,” Rypien told Clocker Sports on Wednesday. “Not only to the quarterback room but as a whole when he’s going through concepts in front of the offense. He really paints a picture really, really well for everybody to kind of know what the quarterback’s looking for and then how that fits in with everyone else in terms of the timing and rhythm of the play. Yeah, I think he does a great job.”
Rypien is one of the players who figures to see ample playing time on Thursday. He could have to prove he belongs on the roster.
What once seemed like a potential battle for the backup QB job has not come to fruition.
The Bears could keep three quarterbacks. That seems unlikely, though, as does keeping two on the practice squad. Again, it will be up to Rypien to make that decision tough on Eberflus, the coaching staff, and general manager Ryan Poles. Rypien has completed 71.4% of his passes for 229 yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions.
After 15 pass attempts in the Hall of Fame Game, Rypien has six total attempts in two weeks.
Tyson Bagent is ‘Full Steam Ahead’
Bagent (and his father) was a star of the third episode of “Hard Knocks.” The second-year former undrafted free agent also bolstered his claim to the QB2 role versus the Cincinnati Bengals. Bagent went 7-for-8 for 87 yards and two touchdowns, both to wide receiver Dante Pettis, versus the Bengals.
He has completed 73.7% of his passes for 150 yards and those two scores this preseason. Asked about his biggest area of growth on the field, Bagent noted the details.
“I think just overall knowledge of the game and what’s going on,” Bagent told Clocker Sports on Wednesday. “And then the situational football has been another huge one for me. I think last year just as a rookie, just scrambling to kind of get the playbook down and kind of taking any situational information kind of in one year out the other just because I’m full steam ahead trying to just understand what we’re trying to do on this play.
“I think now that I’ve got the full picture drawn up in my head, I know what the plays are, I know what formation we’re running certain things out of. I’ve been able to kind of expand my mind into the situational aspect of football, which has been which has just made the whole thing smoother and more comfortable for me.”
Bagent gained a buzz earlier in training camp for his description of how hard he pushed himself to work over the offseason.
He was even more candid on Tuesday about how the grind put excessive pressure on him, saying he would not come out of his room until he had mastered the day’s lesson. He said the game has “100%” slowed down for him in Year 2 and punctuated his confidence.
“I am one of those guys that can play the game at a high level,” Bagent said. “That’s kind of the only thing I hope every time I’m out there, is that just everybody can see that I have full control of everything going on. I know where my answers are and, yeah, I can just play at that kind of level.”
His roster spot seems secure this year, but we will have to wait for cut day (August 27) to know.
Eric Washington Commends Bears’ Backups
Washington touted the progress the team has made since reporting for training camp on July 19, saying that he is looking forward to closing out the period.
He also took a moment to recognize the resolve the players on the roster bubble have shown.
“Looking forward to going over here and wrapping up the preseason and watching the people who are going to be competing for positions on the team and roster positions go out and do their absolute best,” Washington said in his open on Wednesday. “The guys that are going to be competing, I just cannot speak enough about the character the mental toughness of the people who going to be on that field tomorrow night.
“When you come into a situation like this, you see the players on film. But when you have a chance to work with these men, you really get a sense of who they are and why they’re in the position to achieve and accomplish their goals. So I’m excited to watch that to help them and to wrap up the preseason.”
The players will be at the team facilities for practice during the week “off” ahead of the season opener versus the Tennessee Titans on September 8.
That will be the last time many players on the 90-man roster take the practice field for the Bears.
Bears Training Camp Wrapping Up
This was Clocker Sports’ third year on the ground for Bears training camp. Aside from the amount and quality of the talent on the roster, there are a few noticeable differences in how things went.
The most notable was probably just the smoothness with which the offense was installed and any operational issues worked out.
Fans will remember the many press conferences about the lack of offensive progress in 2023.
There has also seemingly been a greater emphasis on simulating the reality of a game in practice. Sacks and other miscues have been treated as they would in a game rather than things that happened during the attempted execution of a play more frequently.
Of course, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Injuries were an unfortunate part of camp this year just as it was in 2023.
The Bears have also treated preseason reps very similarly.
Eberflus has espoused his faith in the team’s practices. Players have noted the sessions are intense compared to other organizations. Eberflus also propped up the joint sessions when asked about the scant deployment of the team’s starters in the preseason during his tenure.
Bears injury Roundup
The injury woes have continued, even with most of the starters back in action on the practice field. Starting safety Kevin Byard was joined by Keenan Allen and Zacch Pickens as non-participants. Pickens exited Monday’s session with the training staff. Washington was asked about Pickens’ availability but said he did not have much to offer for clarity.
Pickens’ issue looms large with questionable depth on the defensive interior.
Ryan Bates also joined Pettis and fellow reserves Collin Johnson, Freddie Swain, Leon Jones, Jacob Martin, and Theo Benedet in doing side work.