Justin Fields and Passing Game Clicking

The Bears focused on two-minute drills and Justin Fields led a quick 70-yard march to a touchdown in Saturday's practice.

Justin Fields led a perfect two-minute drive to a touchdown just before the end of Saturday's practice, and a one-day break until practices resume Monday.

Not everything went as well in the practice for him as the TD drive did, which ended on a pass to Equanimeous St. Brown. The drive, itself, started with a completion to St. Brown and included a Fields scramble out of bounds, a pass over the middle to DJ Moore and a key throw near the goal line to Cole Kmet to set up the score.

Coach Matt Eberflus said they were simulating the end of the half with the possession, that started at their own 30 with 1:10 remaining. 

"We had a timeout in our back pocket and did a nice job of utilizing that, getting ourselves in position with a couple of good chuck plays which is what you need in two-minute to get into scoring position," Eberflus said. "We're searching touchdown there but we'll take a field goal in that situation and we got a touchdown. So it was good."

Funny I’ve seen Justin Fields throwing nothing dimes in practice. No running.

NFL twitter told me he was a running back that struggled to pass the ball. https://t.co/4Kj0GMXSiw

— illwill (@79illwill) July 29, 2023

Fields finished one 7-on-7 in the red zone with a scramble to a touchdown at the pylon and had a perfect pass to Robert Tonyan off bootleg fake action for another score in the same drill. He also hit DJ Moore lunging forward at the pylon for a score.

Not as good for Fields was an interception thrown to safety Adrian Colbert.

Backup QB P.J. Walker was intercepted twice for pick-6s, one by Tremaine Edmunds off a deflection and the other by Greg Stroman Jr., who is having an excellent camp so far practicing mostly with reserves.

Hmmmm

Nate Davis was replaced at right guard by Lucas Patrick and by Ja'Tyre Carter.

"Yeah, just always rotation," Eberflus said. "You know, get guys ready to go cause you know how the season is, it's long, right?" Eberflus said. "We're going to have different combinations in there, of course. It's not going to be the same five guys the whole year. We already know that, so we got to make sure we prepare our guys to get ready to do that."

Later, a press conference appearance by Carter was canceled, too. Trevis Gipson pinch-hit.

“The Justin Fields to DJ Moore thing has been lightning already!” #DaBears
pic.twitter.com/N4V07JYwtP

— Ben Devine (@Chicago_NFL) July 29, 2023

Lining Up

Safety Eddie Jackson received a veteran's day off and walked around with a clipboard coaching up the safeties. Elijah Hicks took his place. Jackson is coming off a foot injury and missed part of the off-season recovering from it, but had practiced the first three days.

"Just with him coming off the injury from last year with the rehab, we just feel it was a good rest day for him," Eberflus said. "Now we're going into three day stacks now but we'll take that day by day, week by week, and person by person and do what's best for that person."

Linebacker Dylan Cole returned to practice Saturday after missing Friday and leaving Thursday's practice briefly with a trainer.

Stepping Up

Cornerback Terell Smith continued to get extensive playing time with starters, splitting time with Tyrique Stevenson at left cornerback. Smith was the fifth-round pick from Minnesota and Stevenson the second-rounder from Miami. Smith's tip led to the interception of Fields by Edmunds on Saturday.

“Just solid, he's been really solid," Eberflus said of Smith. "He's learning the position. He's got a lot of good speed. He's got a lot of good long speed to him. He's got good size. He's smart. He knows what to do and how to do it. We're going to create competition at those spots and that's certainly one of them that we are doing that. It's good to see him in there. He did a nice job."

Tall Order

Edmunds' interception could be something the Bears see with regularity. He's 6-foot-5 but Jaquan Brisker says it seems with his long arms he's more "like 6-8." 

With a reach like that in zone coverage, it would be easy to see him repeatedly making interceptions, deflections and interceptions off deflections.

"Yeah, yeah he is a special guy," Eberflus said. "You know he has that length and range in the middle of our defense. You know Chicago Bear Mike linebackers are pretty special and he's going to be special.

"So he's on his way to doing that and he's had great practices in the spring and he's started off really well, and that was a really good play today, and he has really good ball skills. He has the length to get that done in the middle and we're excited where he is and T.J. (Edwards) and the rest of our linebackers."

Schedule

The Bears are back Monday for a 10 a.m. practice without pads, then Tuesday their first practice in pads at 10 a.m. They also practice Wednesday and then are off Thursday. It's what Eberflus calls three-day stacks now, with three days of practices to a day off. They'll practice Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 6 next week, with the last practice being the family fest workout at Soldier Field.

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