Training Camp Report 7/30/18

[Mikefive]

I arrived at camp about 8:05. No line today. I jogged toward the Info Booth to get my roster card, then hustled back to the NE field where stretching was ongoing. As yesterday, a few guys were catching punts from the jugs machine while everybody else went through the group stretching paces. Curiously, Kyle Fuller was with neither group, doing his own stretching routine on his own.

Because I was a little late, I didn't get the best seat in the bleachers. There was some big field facing sign that obstructed my view toward the left half of the field. I hoped that they'd play on the right half all the time, but no such luck.

Note that this practice was helmets and no pads. We did get a bit more STs practice today at the tail end of practice.

One thing I did see that may have happened before and I just didn't notice... When the #1s were in nickel, they often took out Bullard/RRH and just went with 2 D linemen. Quite interesting that you'd use the bigger, blobbier Goldman instead of a guy who could shoot a gap to create pressure.

Players of note...

Mitch Trubisky
Had a rougher day today than Friday. First pass of practice was a dumpoff to the RB which John Timu stepped in front and took to the house was the first of 2 Biscuit throws to the dark shirts. Saw a lot more passes that were not so accurate and not hitting guys in stride that I saw on Friday.

Hroniss Grasu
...was not present at practice. Another guy and I looked hard and never found him.

James Daniels
Did not practice today.

Jack Allen #74
Who is Jack Allen you ask? Between 7/26--the last updated date of my Friday roster card--and the roster card I got today--last updated 7/29--#74 changed from a DL guy to Jack Allen, who was doing a ton of backup snaps. And doing them pretty poorly. However, Mr. Allen was directly involved in the most entertaining play of the day, snapping it way WAY over the head of Mike Glennonish Tyler Bray and directly to Matt Nagy, who caught it, surveyed the field and threw a 35-yard dart to one of the backup WRs, evoking applause all around. Perhaps it was scripted. Hard to know.

Kyle Long
Did not practice today.

Kylie Fitts
Did not see him at all today.

Roquan Smith
You all know the holdout continues. To no one's surprise I imagine, Ryan Pace did a radio interview, was asked about it and said zero.

WRs

Bennie Fowler
I bring him up first as he executed the runner up for wildest play of the day. Fowler runs about 10 yards up field out of the slot and cuts it outside. As he goes up for the high throw, the defender smacks him pretty good, knocking Fowler onto his back as the defender tumbles away. The contact caused the ball to pop about 10' into the air and come down right into Fowler's chest to complete the catch. Definitely one for the lucky play highlight reel.

Marlon Brown
I forgot to mention him yesterday. He's another guy with really long hair who is listed at 6'5" and like Fowler, looks the part of an NFL 5-year vet.

Tanner Gentry
Gentry is 2 for 2 productive practices that I watched. Perhaps it helped that these weren't tackling practices, but this guy strikes me as a journeyman kind of kid who could end up being somebody's Danny Amendola one day. Just not for the Bears.

Javon Wims had a better day today. I still think he's a practice squad guy. With Robinson, White, Gabriel, Miller and seemingly Bellamy solid locks to make it, there's quite a competition for the last spot.

Allen Robinson
...looked great today. Even better than Friday.

Taylor Gabriel
Looked solid again, but he should in shells.

Anthony Miller
Got a bit more action today and looked good. Had a long completion to my left that I couldn't see well, but heard the oohs from those who did. As he walked back after that, he and Prince--the victim--had plenty to say to each other about it. Then a couple snaps later, those same 2 matched up again and Miller beat him on a 10-yard out. Prince made a good effort, but was a bit short of making the play and he was unhappy about it. Miller's play looks the part, although he's just average sized. It's good that there's no pushing shoving or yelling, just controlled trash talk.

TEs

Trey Burton
I've kinda decided that this guy really belongs in the WR group, not the TEs. I don't think I mentioned this in Friday's report, but I saw him standing next to Ben Braunecker who wasn't wearing shoulder pads and was still bigger than Burton--with shoulder pads. Nobody thinks he's a good blocker. But he's a very efficient receiver. I watched him closely some today and he really runs very square routes that create separation. He catches the ball smoothly and reliably. I don't think he's the athlete to be dominant. But he'll be productive for sure. My opinion of him has gone up a little bit after seeing him for 2 days.

Adam Shaheen
Two days and I've seen the same thing. This guy is going to be difficult to stop in the end zone. Today again he caught a number of simple, unspectacular box out pitch and catch TDs. He also went up with Callahan for a ball and plucked a jump ball throw out of the sky, which generated some noisy crowd appreciation. It will be really curious to see how he does in games and how teams try to adjust to him.

On one occasion, Shaheen catches a short throw and ends up going down. Cre'von LeBlanc offers him a hand up and had to give it the outrageous body lean to get Shaheen off the ground. Quite amusing.

Dion Sims
I'm guessing is the best #3 TE in the league. Nothing flashy. But can do the job in either phase.

Colin Thompson #82
A 6'4" 257# guy who was with the Giants last year. He had a nice TD catch today on a seam route from about 25 yards out IIRC. I won't say that he's this diamond who nobody knows about. But he seems reasonably competent in the pass game. And as much as we use TEs sometimes 3 at a time, in case of an injury this looks like the next guy up.

That's about it. Unfortunate that it was just shells. But that's how the cookie crumbles sometimes.

[ramentaschen]

Nice write up, thanks for doing this.

[UOK]

Keep up the fine journalism.

[Umbali]

thank you! i love these posts!

[docc]

Great..especially for us thousands of miles away..

Thanks//!