Deon Bush Believes He Has Fighting Chance to Start

Often left on the outside looking in, Deon Bush was told he could compete for a starting position this camp but Tashaun Gipson's experience seems to be a trump card

Safety Deon Bush believes he's never had the chance to show the Bears what he can do until now.

He probably went a little beyond what's necessary earlier in the week.

Bush started the only real fracas in camp by tackling Jimmy Graham to the ground during a "thud-up" period when players don't actually tackle but simulate it.

While all hell broke loose then on the field with defensive and offensive players spilling onto the field, it probably was never as serious as that. After all, these two have long football ties through the same college program.

"Obviously we're supposed to stand and stay up in that period man," Bush said. "So like all of this was Tjust a little bit of emotions came in with it. But me and Jimmy man, we're U family. We're brothers man."

The two former Miami players both spent plenty of time on the Greentree practice fields at Miami, but in different eras.

"We worked out together and trained together the last three years," Bush said. "Not this year. But the years before, me and Jimmy trained together. And it's highly competitive. It kind of reminded me of kind of like Greentree back in Miami with how we just compete like that in the Miami Nation."

Bush hopes he's competing at such a high level with safety Tashaun Gipson, as well.

"You know, man, it's been fun," Bush said. "We comin' in here having the opportunity to come in here and go to work every day.

"Really the first time I'm able to actually really compete. This has been exciting. This has been exciting for me. Just to have this opportunity, just a blessing to me."

Bush has no career interceptions and he's up against it by trying to compete against Gipson, who has 23 picks and has been a starter for a Jacksonville team in the AFC championship game.

When Bush came into the league in 2016 he had an opportunity, but Adrian Amos and Harold Jones-Quartey wound up starting. Then Eddie Jackson came into the league and Bush remained in the background. When Amos split for Green Bay, Bush seemed the obvious beneficiary.

Instead they signed Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. So adding Gipson and his 23 career interceptions might make this "competitive situation" seem like a gesture to placate Bush but he's treating it like anything but this.

"I kind of approach this year like every other year, man," Bush said. "I worked hard this whole offseason. I knew the opportunity I was going have this upcoming training camp, and I just prepared, like, you know, I was trying to be the guy.

"This competition is just making all of us better, I believe."

Gipson stopped just short of saying the job is his to lose, which it would appear to be considering the lack of starting experience Bush has.

"I don't look at it just, it's me vs. Deon," Gipson said. "I'm just going out there perfecting my craft and doing what I can do, showing the staff my skillset and how well I can mesh into this defense.

"And hopefully when it’s all said and done, I do enough. I make no bones about it. I understand my talents and the things I can bring to the game and being able to do within this defense. However the chips fall, they will."

Experience matters.  

Safeties coach Sean Desai commended Bush for battling, as well. However, he had to admit the benefits of having an experienced safety to maintain control in the secondary and this is especially true after they lost an experienced cornerback in Prince Amukamara and might replace him with rookie Jaylon Johnson.

"I think any group has always benefited by when you get an experienced vet that comes in," safeties coach Sean Desai said. "Tashaun's been a part of a few different programs, been a part of a few different systems, and he's the consummate pro in terms of his approach every day.

"He's early, he's on time and he's paying attention. He's taking notes. He's communicating. All the things you want in someone who’s got their stripes on the wall in terms of earning their way in this league, he's got. So any time you get a pro like that in the room, it helps everybody that's in the room."

It would appear Bush is merely fighting the good fight again, but at least he's fighting.

There's no doubt about this after the skirmish earlier this week.

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