Bears Offseason Surprises

It all started a month ago, back before Jaylon Johnson reported for work, before Chase Claypool couldn't work and before Justin Jones started calling Green Bay Packers fans names.

The Bears offseason work lasted four weeks and produced surprises even without pads on or hitting.

It also produced plenty of energy and excitement for the team overall, much of it generated by the new players brought to Halas Hall.

"When you bring guys in that are playmakers, guys get really excited about that when you bring them into the building," Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. "So you can feel that a little bit."

Eberflus saw plenty of good work done by players who buy in, at least initally, to the program.

"We're gonna bring in guys that are good guys that like to work hard, that love football, that they're tough and they're Chicago-Bear-type guys, for sure," he said. "We're gonna do that. We're never gonna bring in someone who's not that way. It's refreshing to see that."

Okay, Bobby 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/iYvFtUbpqj
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) June 15, 2023

Here were the biggest surprises from that month of work, both positive and negative.

1. The DJ and Justin Connection

It's not that Justin Fields and DJ Moore built a rapport in the passing game, but that they seemed to do it so quickly.

"Really, early on we communicated on how we want each route ran and stuff like that," Fields said. "Of course he has a lot of experience. He's been in the league for a good period of time now. He's played a lot of football so he knows different coverages really well. That's one thing that I was kind of impressed about, like, with the offense coming in and just understanding, seeing coverages really well on short routes and stuff like that. He's been great. And you know, the chemistry has really picked up."

Eberflus saw something very similar in Moore's abilities to work with Fields.

"It's pretty rare when you've got a guy that can run the route, have the route discipline that he has and the FBI (football intelligence) that he has, and then also that speed and talent that he has. So we're excited about where he is right now," Eberflus said.

QB1 rockin' the mic 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/g1cBtcYX8G
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) June 14, 2023

2. Tyrique Stevenson's Rapid Ascension

As a second-round pick, it would have been surprising if second-round cornerback Tyrique Stevenson eventually didn't win the starting right cornerback spot. However, to come in and immediately get most of the reps with the first team at left cornerback showed it's only a matter of making it official once camp opens. Stevenson's physical traits and technique have the coaches convinced of his ability.

"We love where he is in terms of his length, his competitiveness and we know he tackles," Eberflus said. "We know he likes to hit. That's why he's here.

"Corners need to tackle. They need to really be a physical force out there and he's gonna do that. And we're excited about that, getting the pads on. So I think he'll take even a step up more when we get the pads on. We get to see him get used to those pads."

3. Day 3 Impact Guys

This is rather stunning. Day 3 players in the draft might eventually earn spots in lineups or win roles of different types but making impacts right away isn't entirely common. Yet, there were wide receiver Tyler Scott and linebacker Noah Sewell working extensively because of injury situations with starters and making the most of it.

FORMER EAGLE DRAWS PARALLEL BETWEEN JUSTIN FIELDS AND JALEN HURTS

Sewell took advantage of Jack Sanborn's absence and made plays, even if it seems he still has a way to go at learning his responsibilities within the scheme.

"He's a really strong player," linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi said. "He's got strong hands. Good tackler. So I think he's got a lot of upside. And he's still trying to figure it out. He's a rookie. There's a lot of information coming at him pretty quickly here during these OTAs, but he's handled it well.'

Scott flashed moves, hands and route running regularly throughout the chances he had with Chase Claypool and Darnell Mooney away.

"His speed shows up, his suddenness shows up, and his moves and run after the catch show up," receivers coach Tyke Tolbert said. "He can catch a ball, make a guy miss, turn around, get going really fast, like zero to 60.

"Obviously he has deep speed. And his knowledge, he doesn't make the same mistake twice."

Coaches say not to read much into who lines up where in the OTAS, but years of seeing offseason work with various regimes have made it clear if young players are lining up at a position repeatedly and also producing in their first practices, there's more to it than just giving them some reps with the first group for the sake of experience.

4. The Injury Absences

Teams have injuries. It happens. But to have Darnell Mooney and Jack Sanborn miss all of the offseason work and to have Chase Claypool miss all but one week definitely was a blow to what the team hoped to achieve in the offseason.

Mooney had ankle surgery and a tightrope procedure, which is done to strengthen the ankle. So it's understandable they wanted to be careful with him. However, Sanborn's injury is a surprise. It was characterized last December as an injury that caused him to go on injured reserve simply because there wasn't enough time left in the regular season to get him back on the field.

Apparently it was more severe. It's seven months later and no Sanborn.

The Claypool unspecified injury situation cost him three weeks of work when he didn't have three weeks to give, and it hasn't really been explained in depth by the Bears.

Claypool can't afford absences considering how little he contributed last year after they traded for him, and because his contract is up after this season.

5. Still No Edge Rusher

It's surprising—even stunning—that they haven't added an edge rusher from those still remaining in free agency, or by trading for someone. Eberflus has been saying for weeks it's possible soon they will add someone. GM Ryan Poles even said something along these lines just before OTAs started.

"You know I think that is one position we are looking at and potentially we could get that done," Eberflus said last week.

It's been said before, and they're still without the pass-rushing edge.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven