Rookie minicamp at Halas Hall came and went.
For a majority of the players who participated, their NFL journeys may have come to an end following the three-day camp. For the Bears’ eight draft picks, this is just the beginning of their NFL careers.
Rookies Colston Loveland, Luther Burden III, Ozzy Trapilo, Shemar Turner, Ruben Hyppolite, Zah Frazier, Luke Newman, and Kyle Monangai will join their veteran teammates the next time they return to Halas Hall to continue building on what they experienced during their first NFL camp.
Before OTAs begin on May 20, here is one question regarding each of the Bears’ rookies.
Loveland: What are reasonable expectations for the first-round draft pick?
During rookie minicamp, Loveland was on the Bears’ practice fields, but was limited due to the shoulder surgery he had in late January to repair his AC joint. The Bears didn’t sound concerned, and Loveland is doing everything when it comes to strength and conditioning except for heavy weights.
With the expectation that Loveland will be fully healthy sooner rather than later, what should be the expectation for his rookie season? The last rookie tight end Ben Johnson had was Sam LaPorta, who went for 86 catches, 889 yards, and 10 touchdowns in 2023 as a second-rounder out of Iowa.
Even though Loveland was selected No. 10 overall, that stat line would be tough to replicate. It’s not doubting Loveland’s ability as a route runner and pass catcher, but just the sheer volume and opportunities that will likely prevent the former Michigan Wolverine from reaching those numbers.
It’s not just Cole Kmet who will take snaps and opportunities away from Loveland, but also the wide receivers and fellow rookie Burden. Johnson did use two tight ends or more on 43.6% of the snaps in Detroit last season, so Loveland will get his chances to make plays.
A stat that could be interesting to follow throughout Loveland’s rookie season is the number of receiving first downs created. LaPorta finished his rookie season with 48, the second-most on the Lions. I could see Loveland generating 40 receiving first downs and being a stable chain mover for this Bears offense.
Burden: How will Burden handle not being the first option?
This question is asked because Burden has an edge, and that’s good for this Bears offense. He is confident in his abilities and knows he should’ve been selected in the first round.
The chip on Burden’s shoulder is still there, and he said it’s staying with him forever and everybody who passed on has “gotta pay.”
Being overlooked landed the Bears a talented playmaking wide receiver. Now, Chicago has three of them in DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Burden. Like any rookie, there will be an adjustment period that naturally happens from college to the NFL.
For Burden, that likely come in the form of less targets per game, receptions and just production overall, but that wouldn’t mean Burden is having a “bad season.” There are a lot of pass catchers on this team, including tight ends Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland and running back D’Andre Swift.
Head coach Ben Johnson expressed the importance of finishing plays when a player isn’t the first option in the progression. That will be a key for not just Burden but all of the offensive players.
So far, Burden has said all the right things, including adopting the “no block, no rock” mentality, but games haven’t been played yet and it will be much different a few months from now. Burden shouldn’t shy away from his competitive nature, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there are some frustrating moments during his rookie season.
Trapilo: What happens if he doesn’t start?
After playing the last two collegiate seasons at Boston College as the starting right tackle, the Bears will have Trapilo take reps at left tackle. During rookie minicamp, that’s the one spot I saw the Bears’ second-round draft pick do individual drills at.
Trapilo shared that he practiced snaps at left tackle after practices the past two seasons at Boston College to help prepare him for the NFL, so it wasn’t exactly new for him. Trapilo also started at left tackle in his freshman year.
Braxton Jones is expected to be limited during training camp after his ankle surgery. Kiran Amegadjie, the former third-round draft pick out of Yale, experienced some low moments during his rookie season. That’s currently the competition in front of Trapilo.
Still, there could be a scenario that doesn’t have Trapilo earning the starting job, and that may not be the end of the world. Ben Johnson has expressed his belief in Jones being “right on track,” and the team still believes in Amegadjie.
The Eagles recently drafted O-linemen on Day 2 of the draft, and guys like Cam Jurgens and Tyler Steen hardly played in their rookie seasons. Jurgens is now a Pro Bowl center, and Steen will compete at the right guard position.
Maybe Trapilo begins the year as an option at swing tackle and learns from the guys ahead of him before eventually taking over the left tackle position.
Turner: Will he get a chance to play on the edge?
Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen didn’t sugarcoat where Turner will start his NFL career: 3 technique and nose tackle.
After Turner can grasp the nuances of those positions in this Bears defense, then the team will “worry about trying to see that flexibility,” according to Allen.
The Bears added depth in the interior defensive line by adding Grady Jarrett. Gervon Dexter enters Year 3, and Andrew Billings should be back to full health from his torn pectoral muscle. Zacch Pickens was selected in the third round in 2023, but hasn’t found his footing thus far in the league.
There are options on the interior of the line, but the edge still has serious questions behind Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo (who still has to prove himself). Maybe due to the uncertainty behind the top two edge rushers, this could create unique opportunities to place the second-round draft pick out of Texas A&M at that position when he doesn’t line up inside.
How Allen works with defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett to deploy the D-linemen in waves will be something to watch for throughout OTAs and training camp.
Hyppolite: Can Hyppolite’s speed earn him playing time as the SAM?
Ben Johnson made it known that there is an open competition at the strong-side linebacker position. T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds will learn Mike and Will, but the SAM is up for grabs.
This could provide an opportunity for Hyppolite to earn some playing time on defense. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen highlighted Hyppolite’s speed as a strength since the linebackers will be asked to match up with tight ends, running backs, and even receivers, at times.
Hyppolite ran a 4.42 40-yard dash at his Pro Day and that could separate him from the competition that includes Amen Ogbongbemiga, Noah Sewell, Swayze Bozeman, Carl Jones Jr. and undrafted rookie Power Echols.
Frazier: How his length will impact wide receivers on the line of scrimmage?
You notice Frazier immediately when he is on the field. There just aren’t a lot of corners who have a frame like his (6-foot-3, 186 pounds). But his length should play into his advantage when he is asked to play press on the boundary, which Dennis Allen will ask of his corners.
In rookie minicamp, there weren’t many opportunities to play with that physicality and the players weren’t in shoulder pads.
So, naturally, I want to see how Frazier does against this Bears’ wide receiver room when he can get his hands on guys at the line of scrimmage. Seeing how Frazier moves and reacts to double-move routes is also something I’m curious to watch up close with Frazier.
OTAs and training camp will provide some answers as Frazier prepares for the next steps in his rookie season.
Newman: Is position versatility enough to earn a roster spot?
For the former Michigan State interior offensive lineman, Newman’s position flexibility gives him value. He played left tackle at Holy Cross before moving to left guard at Michigan State. During his media availability last week, Newman highlighted that left guard and center have been his primary focus, and he is open to learning right guard.
But will that ability to play on multiple spots on the line be enough to make the team? Behind Joe Thueny at left guard are Bill Murray and Jordan McFadden. The center position is headlined by Drew Dalman and then Doug Kramer, Chris Glaser, and Ricky Stromberg.
There are plenty of players ahead of Newman, who has one season at left guard in his last three college seasons. Prior to Newman being selected No. 195th in the sixth round, general manager Ryan Poles took a chance on Zachary Thomas in the sixth round in 2022 (No. 186). Thomas was waived in August and was re-signed to the practice squad. In November of his rookie season, the Rams signed Thomas to their practice squad.
Newman will have to prove his worth in order to stay on the Bears’ roster.
Monangai: Will he finish as the No. 2 ball carrier?
It’s not often a seventh-round draft pick would be in contention to be the second-leading rusher on a team. However, Mongangai might have an opportunity to earn that role.
D’Andre Swift is the lead back, and Poles identified Roschon Johnson as providing a “physical role” for this Bears team, but does that mean goal line carries and short yardage situations? We’ll have to wait until the regular season to find that out.
Monangai ran for the second-most rushing yards in the Big Ten last year with 1,279 yards and also added 13 scores on the ground. He didn’t get many opportunities as a pass catcher, only securing 14 passes for 75 yards and one touchdown, but he mentioned it wasn’t his role at Rutgers and is a focus for him as he enters his rookie season.
If Monangai can prove to the coaching staff that they can trust him to effectively run the ball while adding some upside as a receiver, then he will see the field. Right now, the running back room behind Swift is wide open and will remain that way unless a veteran is acquired.