The Chicago Bears have only been at training camp for about a week, and we are just now getting into the time when the pads are coming on. Still, the first day gives us the initial judgment, and from there we can track progress.
After the early portions of training camp, these are the three storylines that are taking over the training camp.
3. Roquan Smith situation
The question before training camp was whether Robert Quinn would show up, and if he did would he sit out as a hold-in? The answer to his situation was resolved quickly when Quinn said that he only missed time to keep his body fresh to go all-in for training camp.
Quinn showed up and practiced the first day. Then, the underlying issue came about when Roquan Smith was reported to hold out as he awaited a new contract.
Instead of seeing the hold-in come to fruition, the Chicago Bears place Smith on the Physically Unable to Perform list. This could be a technique to avoid the hold-in discussion, but it also involved Smith failing a physical, so it makes it even bigger of a question to look into.
The thought has been that Smith will get extended, but initial reports before camp were that he was disappointed in the Bears’ initial offer. This is a development that will continue in the next couple of weeks.
2. Offensive Line movement
The offensive line was the biggest storyline entering training camp and it has not disappointed. Essentially every player has had some sort of significant news to digest.
Of course, the biggest is Teven Jenkins missing time, not seeing any first-team reps at this point, and Lucas Patrick going down for potentially all of camp. The Patrick injury may not be serious, but the week one offensive line likely will take zero practice snaps together before week one.
Doug Kramer has been getting extra first-team work because of this, but Sam Mustipher also saw work with the first-team center, as well as first-team right guard.
Mustipher may not start at either, but seeing work at both shows he will probably make the roster. Finally, the additions of Riley Reiff and Michael Scofield. Both of them took a few days to get worked into the mix, but both saw significant work with the first team, and the thought is that they will step into starting snaps when pads come on.
Things are shaky, and they will have plenty of rotations in practice, but at the same time a starting five of Riley Reiff, Cody Whitehair, Lucas Patrick, Michael Schofield, and Larry Borom is coming into focus.
1. Rookies hit the ground running
Another question just last week was whether Jaquan Brisker would get signed before training camp started. The answer was yes, and from the first day of training camp, he was getting starters snaps.
Kyler Gordon was already signed, and he has not only jumped in as a starter, but he was also working on the outside, and in the slot as a starter.
Braxton Jones held down starting work until Riley Reiff was ready. Zach Thomas got first teamwork at left guard when Cody Whitehair took a day off, Ja’Tyre Carter started at right guard when Mustipher moved to center, and Kramer started at center with Patrick injured.
Dominique Robinson has mostly worked second team, but has had glowing reviews, and lastly is Elijah Hicks who missed OTAs, but has been able to get onto the training camp field.
The rookies on the offensive line are not expected to start, but they are getting valuable work. In the secondary, they have two day-one starters.