PFW 2016 07 21

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THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016 • PROFOOTBALLWEEKLY.COM

POSITION BATTLE BREAKDOWN Whose jobs are on the line as Bears prepare for new season? / 4

ARE BEARS BETTER UNDER PACE, FOX? PFW EDITOR HUB ARKUSH ANALYZES CHANGES MADE UNDER GM, COACH / 10

OFF TO CAMP

BEARS HEAD TO BOURBONNAIS WITH NEW OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR, HOPE FOR 2016

ProFootballWeekly.com • Thursday, July 21, 2016

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Training camp time for families, fun There is something very special about NFL training camps and, in particular, going camping with the Chicago Bears.

Take a ride to Bourbonnais in the next couple of weeks and you’ll see 5,000, 6,000, maybe 7,000 people come early and stay late to watch a mediocre football team, perhaps grab an autograph and figure out how the beloved will capture a Super Bowl crown this year knowing all along how unrealistic that dream is.

How many of you die-hard NFL fans have your own special memories of training camp?

I was a sophomore in college in early August 1973 when I took a ride with my dad to Rensselaer, Ind., to see my first Bears training camp at St. Joseph’s College.

It’s special to me because my dad passed away just 5½ years later when we were both still far too young, and I look back on it now as some of the rare special days we got to share.

Abe Gibron was the head coach. He was larger than life and larger than most other

FROM THE EDITOR

By HUB

ARKUSH

harkush@profootballweekly.com @Hub_Arkush

humans. It was the end of the Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers era, marked by mediocre-to-bad football teams and the performances of two of the greatest to ever play the game.

But there were no credentials to fight for, no barriers to limit our access, and very few other members of the media or fans to be seen.

We arrived on campus, my dad asked for directions to Gibron’s office, and we just walked in and visited with the head coach of the Bears. It’s

a personal memory I treasure and clearly indicative of a different time and era for the NFL. The Bears left Rensselaer after the ’74 season and stayed home in Lake Forest for training camp before taking the show back on the road to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville just prior to the 1984 season. It was the summer of ’86, following the Bears’ Super Bowl XX win, when the circus really came to town.

Through the rest of the ’80s and early ’90s, more than 100,000 fans would visit training camp each year.

Platteville became a family summer vacation destination and as much about fathers and mothers and daughters and sons as it was about football.

I’d moved into the Bears broadcast booth and would spend the entire four weeks at camp. With no websites, Facebook pages or Twitter accounts to feed, there was plenty of time to bring my sons and daughter along for extended stays at camp.

It was a family happening,

except of course, when the adults went out at night and found as many players as fans in the local bars to hang out with.

Now we have Bourbonnais, not the commitment for a fan that Platteville was, but an easy day trip from any part of the city or suburbs. The crowds are bigger and the access much less, but going to camp with the Bears is much more about families and fans than it is about football.

The truth is, we learn very little about NFL teams today in training camp, what with limited contact, shorter and fewer practices mandated by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and the top players and prospects being given fewer reps in exhibition games.

Camp is now as much a time to plan a trip, connect with family and friends, and make some memories as it is to get to know your favorite team.

• Hub Arkush is editor and general manager of Pro Football Weekly.

BY THE

NUMB3RS

90

Number of players competing for a spot on the Bears’ regular season roster heading into training camp.

53

Number of roster spots available after the Bears make final cuts following the fourth preseason game.

15

The number of years the Bears have held their training camp in Bourbonnais once camp kicks off next week.

The club moved camp to Kankakee County in 2002.

Pro Football Weekly is produced by Shaw Media, the Daily Herald Media Group and the Chicago Sun-Times in partnership with other Illinois daily newspapers.

By JAKE BARTELSON jbartelson@profootballweekly.com In preparation for Bears training camp, Pro Football Weekly looks back at a few players who were stars during camp, but their overall careers didn’t quite ignite as they had hoped.

1. WR DANE SANZENBACHER

2. RB MICHAEL FORD NFL Tenure: Three seasons (one with Bears) Career Stats: Five returns for 37 yards in 12 games (special teams) An undrafted product out of LSU,

3. AL AFALAVA NFL Tenure: Three seasons (one with Bears) Career Stats: 73 combined tackles, eight passes defensed, two sacks, one interception (29 games) Afalava came to Chicago as the Bears’ 2009 sixth-round pick – yet another attempt to solve the team’s perpetual revolving door at the safety position under then-head coach Lovie Smith.

Afalava flashed early in training camp with five tackles in the preseason opener against the Bills. A hamstring injury to Danieal Manning and Afalava’s versatility in the defensive backfield opened the door for the rookie to take a starting role early on. He held it for 13 games, finishing seventh on the team in tackles.

4. ISAIAH FREY NFL Tenure: Three seasons (two full seasons with the Bears) Career Stats: 74 tackles, two passes defensed, two forced fumbles (27 games) A 2012 sixth-round draft pick, Frey joined a roster that had a veteran cornerback group headlined by Charles Tillman, Kelvin Hayden and Tim Jennings. After an impressive preseason, Frey spent all of 2012 on the practice squad, but was in line for a roster spot the following year with the veteran corps nearing the end of their current contracts. In 2013, slot cornerback Hayden suffered a season-ending injury with a torn hamstring, so Frey’s path to a role was clear. Appearing in all 16 games and starting six, Frey produced 47 tackles and one pass defensed.

Frey’s up-and-down performance in 2013 put him on the roster bubble heading into following training camp.

A hamstring injury forced the Nevada product to miss the first three preseason games, and he was cut the week he returned. Just 24 days later, Frey returned to Halas Hall before finding himself re-joining former coach Lovie Smith in Tampa Bay for eight games.

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NFL Tenure: Four seasons (two with Bears) Career Stats: 43 receptions, 449 yards, 3 touchdowns The Bears love their undersized but productive pass catchers – Tom Waddle and Johnny Knox come to mind – and Dane Sanzenbacher attempted to be that next one when he arrived as a highly sought-after, undrafted free agent from Ohio State in 2011.

Sanzenbacher endeared himself to

the fans and Jay Cutler rather quickly with an impressive 10 catches for 107 yards in his first preseason, earning himself a roster spot out of camp. The 5-foot-11, shifty route runner displayed nice production his rookie season to the tune of 27 catches and three touchdowns while appearing in 16 games in 2011.

The honeymoon wouldn’t carry over into the following season, however. Active for just five games, he was released midseason. Sanzenbacher caught on with the Bengals, where he played through 2014, totaling 15 catches from 2013-14.

Due to inconsistencies on the field, Afalava became a victim to roster cuts the following offseason. Afalava later found work with the Colts in 2010 and the Titans in 2012

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | Thursday, July 21, 2016 •

Training camp stars, regular season busts

Ford possessed blazing speed and ideal return skills evidenced by his 27.5-yard average on kickoffs his junior and final season.

In the 2013 preseason, his 149 rushing yards and two touchdowns plus a 100yard kickoff return impressed enough that he made the team as the Bears’ third back behind Matt Forte and Michael Bush, as well as a special teams contributor. During the season, Ford returned five kicks for 37 yards. Ford did enough to stick around for most of the following preseason, but was cut in August 2014.

BATTLES IN

ProFootballWeekly.com • Thursday, July 21, 2016

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BOURBONNAIS

PFW takes an in-depth look at some of the positions that still are unsettled going into the Bears’ 2016 training camp By

KEVIN FISHBAIN

Cody Whitehair

Ted Larsen

kfishbain@profootballweekly.com @kfishbain

In the sweltering Bourbonnais heat, 90 players will be competing for 53 roster spots for the 2016 Bears.

In Year Two for Ryan Pace and John Fox, there are only two clear starting positions up for grabs heading into training camp, but there are plenty of other roster battles on both sides of the ball we’ll be monitoring closely. Here’s a primer of the key competitions to watch at Olivet Nazarene University:

Left guard / Center

Cody Whitehair vs. Ted Larsen vs.

Hroniss Grasu

When Manny Ramirez retired, that paved the way for center to be Hroniss Grasu’s job to lose, seemingly creating a two-man battle to start to his left. However, John Fox and offensive line coach Dave Magazu have always said they will start the best five players on the offensive line, so we’ll consider this a three-man race for two spots. Larsen missed minicamp with an undisclosed injury, giving the second-round rookie Whitehair an opportunity to get valuable reps with the first team. Pace raved about Whitehair’s strong hands and ability in space, something that is key for the Bears’ offense.

Obviously, the Bears liked what they saw in Larsen to sign him and give him a $1.65 million contract, not just the veteran’s minimum. He started 26 games for the Cardinals the past two seasons and has 57 career starts, 10 of those coming at center, and has the clear experience edge. Grasu added weight for Year Two and has the athleticism for center, now he’ll need to continue to ascend at camp to hold the center job.

AP file photos

The Bears expect a Year Two jump from Amos, but it’ll certainly be a young duo.

Jones-Quartey made some plays on the ball when given the opportunity last season and the staff likes his aggressiveness. Bush, a fourth-round pick, has outstanding athleticism but may need some time to develop and learn how to diagnose NFL offenses. We also can’t ignore veteran Chris Prosinski, who had five starts last season, and former Bronco Omar Bolden. But Jones-Quartey and Bush are likely the top competitors for this spot.

tion could be the final receiver to make the roster … or the best receiver who can also help in the return game might be the final wideout to make the cut.

There’s something to like about each option – Mariani has return experience, punts and kickoffs, and had 22 catches last season, most of them coming on third down. Bellamy isn’t a returner, but he is important for the coverage units, and he had 19 receptions in 2015. Thompson showed his speed on kickoff returns last season and two receptions that went for 81 yards. MerSafety edith had 11 receptions and possessHarold Jones-Quartey vs. Deon Bush es good size. Braverman is the draft It wouldn’t be a summer in Bourbon- No. 4/5 Wide receiver/ pick who can play in the slot and on nais without question marks at safety. kick returner returns, coming from Western MichAdrian Amos, who led the defense in Marc Mariani vs. Josh Bellamy vs. igan where he put up 1,367 receiving total snaps played last season, is set as Deonte Thompson vs. yards last season. Marquess Wilson’s one starter, with an opening next to him Cameron Meredith vs. Daniel Braverman at the back end of the Bears’ defense.

The winner of the return competi- foot injury opens up another spot here,

too. Thompson may be the best kickoff returner of the bunch, with Mariani having an edge on punt returns.

Braverman will get his chances, and Eddie Royal can return punts, too, along with undrafted rookies Kieren Duncan and Derek Keaton.

No. 2 tight end

Khari Lee vs. Tony Moeaki vs.

Rob Housler vs. Ben Braunecker

Even when the Bears had Martellus Bennett, they struggled to find a consistent backup for him until Zach Miller finally stayed healthy in 2015.

Miller’s breakout season earned him not only a new contract but the starter’s label. However, his injury history can’t be ignored, putting greater importance on his backup. Lee knows the offense the best after last season and is

Lamarr Houston

Jonathan Bullard vs. Mitch Unrein

The Bears figure to rotate their defensive linemen often, so we hesitate to call this a battle for a starting job.

Eddie Goldman and Akiem Hicks are set to get the most snaps up front. Unrein returned on a two-year deal after making impact plays last season and

ProFootballWeekly.com

Defensive end

5 PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | Thursday, July 21, 2016 •

a block-first tight end. Moeaki put up big numbers early in his career in Kansas City before injuries struck.

Housler has intriguing athleticism.

Braunecker does, too, as evidenced at the Combine, but he will be making the transition from Ivy League to the NFL.

Leonard Floyd

AP file photos

showing his value as a goal-line fullback. Bullard is the third-round pick who possesses quickness off the snap to get into the backfield. Eventually, we expect Bullard to be getting more snaps as the draft pick, but how long will that take? Unrein has the experience and understanding of Vic Fangio’s schemes to have the upper hand at the onset.

with fifth-round pick Jordan Howard.

The two inside runners will battle to be Jeremy Langford’s top complement. Howard is the draft pick of this regime with great size, but Carey really impressed the staff down the stretch in 2015 and has the experience on his side. ... OLB : Expect plenty of rotation on the edge, but some player is going to be the odd man out. Pernell McPhee’s veresatility to play inside helps open up more opportuniites, and Lamarr Houston can put a

2016

Other battles to watch...

No. 2 RB : Ka’Deem Carey will be once again in a competition, this time

hand in the dirt, too, but Fangio will have the tall task of finding the best options between Houston, last year’s sacks leader, Willie Young, who came on strong late last season, and Leonard Floyd, the top pick and the future for the Bears when it comes to the edge. ... No. 3 QB: Will the Bears carry three quarterbacks on the roster? If so, David Fales will have to fight off former Browns QB Connor Shaw to make the team. ... Long snapper: Why not? The Bears have two veterans vying for the job, Aaron Brewer and Patrick Scales. Brewer has the early edge with his experience coming over from Denver this past offseason.

ProFootballWeekly.com • Thursday, July 21, 2016

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Keep an eye on these unheralded players

By KEVIN FISHBAIN kfishbain@profootballweekly.com HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’ will (probably) never chronicle Bears training camp, but if it did, it would find a longshot or two, a player fighting to make the roster against all odds. Every year, NFL teams sign a handful of undrafted rookies or veteran cast-offs to their 53man roster.

Bears fans have most likely already heard about undrafted rookie tight end Ben Braunecker, the former Harvard football player who studied infectious diseases in college. The “brainiac” of the tight ends room, as Zach Miller dubbed him, happened to shine at the Combine with his athleticism and could definitely make the roster.

Braunecker is the biggest of the nonames, but for those heading to Bourbonnais looking for a player to watch, here are five other unknown players hoping to make a mark in training camp and find their name on the final roster.

a 4.25 40-yard dash at his Pro Day, and then a 4.32 electronically timed 40 at a regional combine. The 5-11 rookie is the ultimate longshot as a player who made the team during a rookie minicamp tryout, but the Bears want to increase team speed. Duncan will be involved in a crowded competition at returner. That kind of speed will definitely grab the attention of Bourbonnais visitors.

he could be a factor in a wide-open competition to be a backup tackle.

John Kling

2. DE Marquis Jackson – The 26-yearold has never played in an NFL game, but tried out for the Bears in the spring and made the team after minicamp. If he looks familiar, it’s because he’s Malik Jackson’s brother.

Malik signed a massive deal to join the Jaguars in March, and John Fox coached Malik in Denver. Marquis Jackson has an uphill battle at a position full of veterans on the defensive line, but the coaches at least know he AP file photo has good bloodlines. Now we’ll see if he can make an impact at training 320 pounds. In camp, in the trenches, camp. we’ll see if Kling can manage his pad level and use his frame to keep pass 1. WR Kieren Duncan – An undrafted 3. OT John Kling – It’ll be hard to rushers at bay. If he can take advanplayer out of Colorado State-Pueblo, miss Kling, the undrafted rookie out tage of his size instead of letting it be a Duncan made national headlines with of Buffalo who stands a towering 6-7, detriment against speed edge rushers,

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4. FB Paul Lasike – Will the Bears have a fullback this season? If they keep one on the roster, it’s a good chance it’ll be Lasike, a New Zealand native and former rugby player who didn’t play football until his sophomore year at BYU. The coaching staff likes Lasike’s athleticism, and he certainly can pack a pop thanks to his rugby experience. Keep an eye in camp to see how much Lasike is in the backfield, and maybe the dinosaur position will be filled on this year’s Bears squad.

5. OLB Roy Robertson-Harris – Maybe the most heralded undrafted rookie, Robertson-Harris has great length at 6-foot-7 and had mid-round draft grades from some draft analysts. The former UTEP player had 7.5 tackles for loss last season for the Miners.

He’s at a position with lots of veterans, but if Robertson-Harris can show the ability to track down the quarterback consistently and make a mark on special teams, the Bears may have to find a roster spot for him.

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READ OPTIONS Temper expectations for top pick Leonard Floyd

By ADAM

L. JAHNS

ajahns@suntimes.com @adamjahns

Leonard Floyd will wow at times.

The Bears rookie outside linebacker’s speed will overwhelm slower competition. His fast first step will fluster opponents. His long arms will ward off left tackles.

And then there will be times when Floyd will be put promptly and forcefully on his behind by larger, stronger tackles, who also are extremely athletic.

That will be life for Floyd in Year One of what the Bears hope will be a long, productive NFL career. And that’s OK. It’s OK to be enthralled by any success he has as a rookie. And it’s also OK to be discouraged by his failures.

It’s a narrative that would be the same for any rookie, right?

The difference with Floyd is that

there’s been plenty of hubbub made over his slim build and his limited production in college. He’s officially listed at 6-4 and 244 pounds. The Bears also Leonard traded up to acquire Floyd him with the No. 9 pick.

But remember this: Floyd’s size doesn’t matter much to the Bears.

Yes, the team would like him to increase his strength and add more bulk, but that’s true for all their young players on the roster.

Floyd’s speed is what matters most to the Bears. They believe that it’s elite for a pass rusher. It’s what defensive coordinator Vic Fangio believed was missing from his group of rushers, especially in today’s NFL, where quarterbacks reign supreme and their quick releases and reads are commonplace.

“We wanted speed,” Fangio said in May. “Our team speed up front last year was below average. To add

somebody with some speed as part of his toolbox is something we were intrigued by.”

The Bears will do everything they can to enhance Floyd’s speed and quickness, not diminish those attributes by adding too much weight.

“He is what he is,” Fangio said.

Fangio, meanwhile, is the No. 1 reason to believe that Floyd will rattle opponents more than get pancaked by them.

Floyd figures to begin his career as a situational rusher, and Fangio will look for the best situations for him to succeed, whether it’s against a slow-footed tackle, an overmatched tight end or another favorable matchup.

It won’t always work – expectations should be tempered for Floyd – but Fangio’s brilliance and schemes should provide fans with some confidence.

“You make your adjustments the more you learn about the player,” Fangio said. “What his strengths and weaknesses are, what he can and

can’t learn. You start getting a vision of how he’ll fit in for this season’s team along with a long-term vision.

It’ll be an ongoing process.” vvv

Random offseason thoughts: What position is the Bears’ thinnest heading into training camp? Tight end or safety. Take your pick … When veteran Ted Larsen returns from injury, it will be second-year center Hroniss Grasu and not rookie guard Cody Whitehair who feels more pressure to hold on to his current starting spot. … If you have an early fantasy draft, don’t take running back Jeremy Langford in the first three rounds. He’s the starter, but plenty of questions remain about how the Bears’ backfield will shake out. …

One player to keenly watch at camp is seventh-round pick Daniel Braverman. The Bears don’t have another true slot receiver on the roster. He was one of the stars of the offseason program.

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OPINION

By BOB

LeGERE

rlegere@dailyherald.com @BobLeGere

West Virginia inside linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski, the Bears’ first of three fourth-round picks (113th overall), faces an uphill battle for playing time in the base defense behind starters Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman.

But the 6-2, 243-pounder is a natural special-teamer because of his blue-collar style, which he describes as, “Just a guy who comes to work every day, no matter the circumstances. If you’re not trying to get better, you’re not really doing anything. You should always be working to improve something.”

It wouldn’t shock Bears observers if fourth-rounder Deon Bush, the 124th

overall selection, wound up as one of the starting safeties.

Last year’s fifth-round pick, Adrian Amos, started all 16 games at safety as a rookie and led the team in tackles.

With the release of veteran Antrel Rolle, the other safety spot is wide open, and Bush brings a menacing, physical element that the Bears’ secondary lacked last season.

Deiondre’ Hall, the Bears’ third fourth-round pick (127th overall), split his time between cornerback and safety at Northern Iowa. If he can make up for mediocre speed (4.64) with ideal height (6-foot-1½) and arm length (34 3/8 inches), Hall could be a weapon at cornerback against the league’s growing number of big wide receivers.

“Length is only good if you can stay close to the guy and then, when the ball comes, the length becomes an advantage,” Fangio said. “If [wide receivers] are running away from you, the length is of no use. We’ve got to find out and see how well he moves, how well he can cover.”

Fifth-round running back Jordan Howard seems tailor-made to be the short-yardage specialist, at the very least, in what figures to be a Bears running attack by committee.

The 6-0, 230-pounder has more size and power than backfield mates Jeremy

Langford, Ka’Deem Carey and Jacquizz Rodgers. The offense hopes to utilize multiple running backs, asking each to do what he does best.

“He’s a change-of-pace back,” offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains said of Howard. “We’ll find out what Howard does well, and we’ll play to that.”

If the Bears go with a two-back approach, as Fox has preferred in the past, Howard could be the No. 2 to Langford’s No. 1.

Sixth-round pick DeAndre Houston-Carson is another rookie with experience at safety and cornerback but is projected at safety in the NFL. At 6-1 and 201 pounds, he’s almost as tall as fellow rookie DB Hall and a step faster in the 40 (4.54).

Western Michigan wide receiver Daniel Braverman stood out more in offseason practices than most seventh-round picks because of the quickness and acceleration he flashed after making catches underneath coverage.

The fractured foot suffered in minicamp by veteran wide receiver Marquess Wilson could provide more training camp reps for the 5-10, 177-pound slot receiver.

On a team still in rebuilding mode with just 11 victories in two years, there should be plenty of opportunities for most of the nine draft picks to find roles.

ProFootballWeekly.com

First-rounder Leonard Floyd won’t be the only Bears draft pick worth watching when training camp begins next week.

The nine-man draft class, the Bears’ largest since 2009, should produce several other players who will make an impact sooner rather than later.

Second-round offensive lineman Cody Whitehair finished the midJune minicamp at left guard with the first team because of an injury to veteran Ted Larsen. With the still-puzzling release of Matt Slauson and the retirement of Manny Ramirez, the 6-4, 301-pound Whitehair has an opportunity to remain a starter on an offensive line in transition.

Third-round defensive end Jonathan Bullard is expected to be in the mix at right end. Mitch Unrein is the presumptive starter, but expectations are that several players will be used in the D-line rotation, including Bullard.

The 6-3, 285-pounder from Florida was a better run defender for the Gators, but he had 6½ sacks as a senior, and the Bears believe he has the tools to be a pass-rush presence.

“He’s got some quickness,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. “Based on the tape, he’s a guy that we’re looking to hopefully make some contributions early.”

9 PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | Thursday, July 21, 2016 •

Big rookie class to bring intrigue to training camp

ProFootballWeekly.com • Thursday, July 21, 2016

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10

Are Bears better under Pace and Fox? In first 18 months, GM, coach deliver dramatic change

By HUB ARKUSH Harkush@ProFootballWeekly.com As the Chicago Bears head to Bourbonnais to begin preparation for the 2016 NFL season, Ryan Pace and John Fox will have completed one full regular season and two offseasons of player evaluations and acquisitions as general manager and head coach. The team that hits the practice fields at Olivet Nazarene University on July 28 will barely resemble the club they inherited just 18½ months ago.

Are these Bears better than that 2014 club Pace and Fox were left? That remains to be seen. But there is certainly no question they are different.

Of the 24 players who started the Bears 13-9 loss to the Minnesota Vikings that ended the 2014 season and the Bears careers of Phil Emery and Marc Trestman, only 14 finished 2015 with the Bears. That includes placekicker Robbie Gould, punter Patrick O’Donnell and Ryan Mundy, who spent the year on injured reserve.

More significantly, only seven of the 24 starters in 2014 – Marquess Wilson, Alshon Jeffery, Jay Cutler, Kyle Long , Kyle Fuller, Gould and O’Donnell – will be with the team at the start of training camp this year. Backups Sherrick McManis, Marc Mariani, Will Sutton, Ego Ferguson, Ka’Deem Carey, Charles Leno, Jr. and David Fales also remain from the 2014 team.

Having inherited just a handful of useful players, there is no question Pace was tasked with a total rebuild to bring the Bears’ talent level to a point where Fox could actually be expected to compete. Before that could even begin, Trestman had left the locker room in such disarray that a complete culture change was also going to have to take place.

And then there was the matter of the huge contract Emery had unnecessarily gifted to Jay Cutler. Was Cutler possibly worth the money he had been guaranteed and, if so, how could Fox get that value out of him?

While Pace set about evaluating his talent and deciding whom to keep, whom to cut loose and how to replace them, the first critical moves belonged to Fox, assembling a coaching staff that would work through a rebuild and eventually compete.

Fox’s two most important hires, of-

H. Rick Bamman - hbamman@shawmedia.com

As GM Ryan Pace and Coach John Fox enter their second training camp together, expectations are building for a much-improved Bears team. fensive coordinator Adam Gase and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, were home runs, so much so that Gase already has moved on to be head coach of the Dolphins.

There is great anticipation around the league today about what Fangio will do with his retooled roster and little question Fox gets high marks for his defensive staff, which also includes highly respected secondary coach Ed Donatell.

While Cutler appeared to take a step forward last season, the offense didn’t – in large part due to a scourge of injuries at wide receiver and tight end. The choice of quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains to succeed Gase is an unknown more than anything else.

Fox has earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to hiring coaches, but whether Loggains is the answer and can continue the development of Cutler is a question mark that remains going into this season.

For culture change, Pace’s first move following the assembling of a

quality veteran coaching staff was to pretty much give Brandon Marshall to the New York Jets and decide not to re-sign veteran stalwarts Lance Briggs and Charles “Peanut” Tillman.

The Tillman move was about injuries and age as no one wanted to see the popular corner go, but Briggs had been unhappy since Lovie Smith was fired and not shy about letting it be known.

Marshall was a suffocating distraction wherever he went and in whatever he did – in Denver and Miami as well as Chicago – and his exit was a breath of fresh air.

By the time we got to training camp to begin the 2015 season, the one thing we heard more than anything else from veteran players was how much better the environment, attitude and camaraderie of the team was.

That attitude remained consistent throughout the 2015 season, earning Pace and Fox a job well done for culture change.

Pace entered 2015’s free agency period looking for both quality and quanti-

ty, granting significant deals to Pernell McPhee, Eddie Royal, Antrel Rolle, and Alan Ball, and lesser prove-it deals to a host of young veterans, including Tracy Porter, Vladimir Ducasse, Jarvis Jenkins, Mason Foster, Ray McDonald, Sam Acho, Will Montgomery and Bear Pascoe.

He gets a C-, perhaps a C at best, as only Porter paid significant dividends.

McPhee showed flashes of greatness, but was banged up a good part of the season, and it remains to be seen whether he can be the difference-maker the Bears envision.

Royal also was banged up and ineffective, and Acho is the only other one who will be back this year.

As a rule, you should never evaluate an NFL Draft in less than two or three seasons, but Pace’s first draft gets high marks for productiveness.

Of the six picks Pace had in 2015, the seventh overall pick, Kevin White, was lost for the year due to injury – clearly not something we can fault Pace for.

But four of his other five picks – Eddie

14th, 22nd, 4th and 20th in those categories, respectively, in 2015.

Looking to take the next step this season, Pace approached free agency with a different philosophy, signing just six free agents of note: Danny Trevathan, Bobby Massie, Jerrell Freeman, Akiem Hicks, Ted Larsen and Omar Bolden. All but Larsen and Bolden appear to be significant upgrades in the starting lineup at their positions.

Hicks is a projection until he does it on the field, but there is little debate that Trevathan and Freeman are huge upgrades in the middle of the defense. Massie’s presence at right tackle, allowing Kyle Long to move back inside to guard, should upgrade both those positions as well.

The 2016 draft is an unknown at this point. The decision to move on from veteran Pro Bowlers Matt Forte and Martellus Bennett without bringing in any veterans to replace them or any certainty about the young talent behind them is a big gamble.

At the end of the day, Fox is a known quantity and he has created his own expectations. In his second

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season in Carolina, the Panthers Jeremy Langford went from 7-9 to 11-5 and a loss to the Patriots in the Super Bowl. In his second season in Denver, the Broncos went from 8-8 to 13-3 (although it must be noted here adding Peyton Manning in free agency to replace Tim Tebow didn’t hurt) and a loss in their first playoff game to the eventual Super Bowl champion Ravens.

Are Fox’s 2016 Bears a 10-6 team or better?

As for Pace, he has exhibited a clear plan to get younger, faster and more athletic as quickly as possible.

He also is clearly not afraid to make the tough calls, i.e. sticking with Cutler and axing Marshall, Briggs, Tillman, Forte and Bennett. All but Briggs remained in the league and was or are part of somebody else’s plan.

There is some genuine excitement about Pace’s 2016 defense and some real concern about this season’s offense.

What there is not is any of the gloom, doom or outright embarrassment that enveloped the team he took over.

Pace is off to a good start, but he has much work left to do.

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Goldman, Jeremy Langford and Adrian Amos – all became starters as rookies and are starters on the 2016 depth chart entering camp.

Goldman looks like he could be special, and if White becomes the player the Bears hope, Pace’s first draft could prove to be a special class.

That didn’t necessarily lead to improved results on the field, however. During the 2015 season, the Bears were still a bad football team, just one game better at 6-10 than the 2014 5-11 disaster.

Offensively, the Bears were 21st in total offense and 23rd in scoring in both 2014 and 2015 – no change.

How ironic is it that Trestman got fired for that performance and Adam Gase parlayed it into a head coaching job?

The ’15 Bears did improve from 27th in rushing in 2014 to 11th in 2015, but they also went backwards throwing the ball, 15th in 2014 and 23rd last season.

They were significantly better on defense under Pace, Fox and Fangio, improving from 30th in total defense, 17th vs. the run, 30th vs. the pass and 31st in points allowed to

11 PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | Thursday, July 21, 2016 •

Defense excites, offense concerns entering ’16 camp

Make a day of it and experience Bourbonnais

By KYLE NABORS knabors@daily-journal.com

Brickstone, which is on pace to sell 60,000 cases this year, is currently brewing eight craft beers and has plans to expand its operation this fall.

You can also head over to Grapes and Hops in downtown Kankakee. In addition to craft beer, the shop also offers wine and whiskey tastings.

Kankakee River State Park

Looking to make a day out of your trip to Bourbonnais for Chicago Bears training camp?

There are plenty of options to keep you busy, if that’s the case. From outdoor events, to food and drink, to a bit of history, you can find something for everyone around the Kankakee River valley.

With that in mind, let’s look at five things to do after the Bears wrap up practice.

4. Perry Farm

1. Kankakee River State Park Located just north of Bourbonnais, the park runs for 11 miles along the Kankakee River with plenty of outdoor activities to partake in.

There’s easily a day’s worth of exploring between the bike paths that run along the river and the countless hiking trails that run through the woods and along the area’s creeks.

Any spot on the trails make for a great chance to get some fishing in.

And if you’re looking to take in multiple days of training camp, you can become one of the many fans that take advantage of the park’s campgrounds.

Kanakakee Daily Journal file photo

2. Skydive Greater

minutes from training camp.

Always wanted to jump out of a perfectly good plane? Well, you’re in luck.

Greater Kankakee Airport is home to Skydive Greater, which provides thrill seekers the opportunity to perform a tandem jump with their instructor from 12,500 feet above Kankakee County.

Reservations are available seven days a week and the airport is located just off Interstate 57 – approximately 20

3. Sample the local cuisine and adult beverages Head over to Brickstone Brewery in Bourbonnais for a bite to eat and to sample their selection of craft beers.

The restaurant and rapidly expanding brewery is celebrating its 10th anniversary in August and is annually one of the players’ and coaches’ top spots to grab dinner.

This one is perfect for the kids.

Located just a few blocks south of Olivet Nazarene University, Perry Farm provides more bike paths and hiking trails but also Exploration Station.

The children’s museum is full of interactive exhibits where kids can learn to fly a plane or defend a medieval castle.

The park also hosts special events for children throughout training camp.

5. B. Harley Bradley House

Tucked away along the Kankakee River just south of downtown Kankakee, you’ll find one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs.

One-hour tours are available of the home, which is considered Wright’s first design of Prairie Style.

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NFC NORTH REPORT ARTHUR ARKUSH

aarkush@chicagofootball.com @ArthurArkush

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | Thursday, July 21, 2016 •

By

13

of Peterson and the defense, and powering the 31st-ranked passing offense to respectability.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

Ray Nitschke Field – Green Bay, WI. Rookies and veterans arrive July 25.

Juiciest story line: Third-year QB Teddy Bridgewater is 17-11 as the starter and just helped guide the Vikings to their first division title since 2009.

Yet, even as the leader of a run-centric offense, a n d d e s p i t e P e y t o n Teddy Manning’s Broncos just Bridgewater winning a Super Bowl with ‘D,’ Bridgewater’s Vikings are unlikely to garner the respect they deserve until he forces opponents to respect an offensive dimension in Minnesota beyond Adrian Peterson. Derek Carr and Blake Bortles are getting all the Year Three QB buzz; can Bridgewater force his way into the conversation?

Juiciest story line: He might not be close with his real brother, Bachelorette star Jordan Rodgers, but the return of Aaron Rodgers’ brother from another mother, Aaron Jordy Nelson, is expectRodgers ed to revitalize the NFL’s No. 15 scoring unit. Add in veteran newcomer TE Jared Cook, second-round swing tackle Jason Spriggs, a trio of young receiving talents with a lot to prove, and all the makings of an offense ready to re-establish its historic 2014 form are here.

Burning questions: Can Kenny Clark make as sizable a defensive impact as his predecessor and Green Bay’s last first-round nose guard, B.J. Raji, for the NFL’s No. 21 run ‘D?’ … Is the ILB position settled with Clay Matthews heading back outside and only fourth-rounder Blake Martinez joining Jake Ryan Kenny and Sam Barrington? ...

Clark Can Cook make a similar free-agent splash to Julius Peppers two years ago, providing speed and post-catch electricity to a TE group lacking those qualities since Jermichael Finley left?

Burning questions: Speaking of the 31-year-old reigning rushing champion, is there any reason – besides age – to think Peterson can’t repeat as the NFL’s best runner? … Can perhaps the NFL’s top ‘D,’ with difference-makers at Adrian every level, take the football away more frePeterson quently (22 takeaways in 2015)? … How will PK Blair Walsh respond in his next pressure moment after hooking a 27-yard FG attempt that likely would’ve proBattle to watch: Suffice to say, Dapelled his team to its first postseason vante Adams will be pushed for his victory since 2009?

No. 3 WR role. The group again looks deep – on paper. Postseason star Jeff Battle to watch: It’ll be fascinating to Janis, Jared Abbrederis, who’s techsee if veterans such as Terence New- nically sound but physically frail, exman and Chad Greenway can hold off citing sophomore Ty Montgomery and Trae Waynes and Emmanuel Lamur, rookie blazer Trevor Davis are vying to respectively, but the loser of the right enter the mix. tackle competition between former Bengal Andre Smith and Phil Loadholt Fearless prediction: With one of the could miss the cut altogether. league’s most experienced offensive lines and best deep threats both being Fearless prediction: First-round rook- healthy again, Eddie Lacy goes from ie and Crete-Monee graduate Laquon having a self-destructive appetite to Treadwell proves to be the perfect cat- again having an appetite for destrucalyst for Bridgewater and the interme- tion en route to his first rushing title diate passing game, lightening the load and lucrative second NFL contract.

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Minnesota State University – Mankato, MN. Rookies and veterans arrive July 28.

Matthew Stafford hands off to Theo Riddick AP file photo

one of the NFL’s more dynamic linebackers after a balky hip limited him to 17 snaps in 2015? … Does inserting top pick Taylor Decker on the blind side, kicking Riley Reiff across to the right DETROIT LIONS potentially starting third-round C Lions facility – Allen Park, MI. Rookies and Graham Glasgow create too many movarrive July 23, veterans July 28. ing parts for needed O-line stability?…

Will Ebron, Theo Riddick, Golden Tate Juiciest story line: It’s rare to lose two and new arrival Marvin Jones combine franchise players in consecutive offsea- to provide enough production and opsons, but that’s the burden Detroit bears tions to replace Megatron? after Calvin Johnson’s retirement at age 30 and Ndamukong Suh’s exit last Battle to watch: Opposite sturdy Glovyear. The question, then, after strug- er Quin, veteran newcomers Rafael gling early to replace Suh a season ago Bush and Tavon Wilson will compete is whether QB Matthew Stafford can at strong safety, where Isa Abdul-Qudmaintain his blistering momentum (19 dus’s speed and physicality were underTDs: two INTs over final eight games in rated assets.

2015) without the NFL’s most productive wideout from 2007-2015. Ironically, it’ll Fearless prediction: Detroit’s frontlikely require ex-general manager Mar- line talent is solid, but rookie GM Bob tin Mayhew’s last premium skill posi- Quinn has emphasized building the tion draft picks, Eric Ebron and Ameer club’s depth from Day One. That doesn’t Abdullah, playing prominent roles. happen overnight, and Jim Caldwell’s Lions get worse before they get better, Burning questions: Can DeAndre Levy, falling into the NFC North basement who signed a deal worth $20 million and ceasing to be Caldwell’s Lions guaranteed last August, return to being come January.

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14

KEVIN FISHBAIN

PATRICK FINLEY

Can this Bears team make the playoffs?

With the Bears commuting down to Bourbonnais for training camp next week, Pro Football Weekly’s Kevin Fishbain and Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times try to answer the question on every fan’s mind this summer: how good are the 2016 Bears?

r a B

FINLEY: Wild card playoffs – if things go well. John Fox went 13-3 in his second year with the Broncos – thanks, new quarterback Peyton Manning! – and reached the freakin’ Super Bowl with his second Panthers team. Making the playoffs would be a good accomplishment for a franchise that has won only 11 games in its last 34 tries.

Fox knows he has better players on defense this year – they’ve improved at four positions, at least – but the offense has more question marks than at any point since the Lovie era. What will you be watching on that side of the ball at scenic Olivet Nazerene University? And why are you eating hot dogs when the Good Lord invented bratwurst? (I guess Germans did, but my point stands).

FISHBAIN: Oh, I definitely had more

FINLEY: But how often has a team dealt its Pro Bowl tight end and then done nothing to replace him? After trading Bennett, the Bears added two undrafted free agents, converted defensive end Greg Scruggs to tight end and signed Tony Moeaki, who has all of 11 catches since the end of the 2012 season. None are long-term answers; shoot, they could all get cut in August.

Miller returns, yes, but his blocking is suspect. I think that’s the Bears’ most glaring hole entering training camp – a tight end who can both block and catch. Can you think of any others, Kevin?

FINLEY: The man’s only played in two playoff games, Fish, and that hasn’t always been his fault. (See Conte, Chris.) Each of Cutler’s top six receivers, in terms of catches, missed at least one game last year; combined, they sat for 28. And that’s not counting Kevin White, who never got out of the offseason program. A regression to the mean has Cutler throwing to Alshon Jeffery, not Marc Mariani, on third down this year. Combine that with a competent defense and a manageable schedule, and the Bears could certainly sneak into the last playoff spot – and lose. For a franchise that has reached the postseason only once since the Super Bowl season 10 years ago, that’s actually considered progress.

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FISHBAIN: I don’t know about you, Patrick, but I’ve spent my summer being inundated with the following questions at barbecues: “What do you think the Bears’ record will be? Will they make the playoffs? How many wins?” I usually tell them to tweet Hub Arkush and ask him and then go back to my hot dog, but it’s summer and all 32 fan bases – or maybe 31, sorry Cleveland – have some optimism.

You’ve detailed John Fox’s successes in Year Two, the defense has some big improvements and the offense gets Kevin White back. So, Pat, what do you think this early in the game,

playoffs?

FISHBAIN: Is there anything more predictable in Chicago than safety questions for the Bears? Adrian Amos and ... Harold Jones-Quartey?

Deon Bush? They’re more athletic in the back end, but very young and inexperienced. The secondary is an underrated area of concern, and I’ll throw the offensive line in there, too.

We know of one Pro Bowler, but who’s comfortable about the center spot?

Who’s starting at left guard? How good will the tackles be? And we haven’t even discussed the quarterback who has one playoff win in Chicago.

Can he get another this winter?

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | Thursday, July 21, 2016 •

TAKE TWO

bratwursts than hot dogs this summer, don’t worry. The offense has the quarterback returning, a top-10 pick at wide receiver, an upper-echelon receiver and a Pro Bowl guard ... yet it’s that offense that is holding back any predicted wins number. Matt Forte to Jeremy Langford, Martellus Bennett to Zach Miller, are those transitions going to set back the group? Is the Kevin White-Alshon Jeffery show enough to make the offense better than last year? It’s going to be hard to not focus on White when we’re in Bourbonnais, but I think I’ll have to focus more on the position groups that lost Pro Bowlers, RB and TE. Then again, how often has a team’s win count been dictated by its tight end?

ProFootballWeekly.com • Thursday, July 21, 2016

| PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY

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