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Reporting Day for Bears Rookies

The rookies show up at Halas Hall facing one common challenge of getting noticed by coaches but each also with a variety of other obstacles.
Gene Chamberlain|
Reporting Day for Bears Rookies
Reporting Day for Bears Rookies

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Chicago Bears

Rookies reported Saturday for Bears training camp three days prior to veterans.

It's a big contingent, with 24 players including 14 undrafted players.

They do this with the idea of refreshing what they learned about the offense, defense and special teams during OTAs, minicamp and rookie camp so they are closer to where the veterans are in system knowledge when actual practices begin on Wednesday.

These few days are hardly enough to prepare them for what they face once camp begins, but at least it's something extra.

Each player faces a different challenge with one common goal--making the roster. With the draft picks it's far less likely they'd fail.

Here are the draft picks with the obstacle they face

Draft Picks

T Darnell Wright, Tennessee, Round 1 Pick 10

Challenge: Blending in with the veteran starters in a cohesive unit and handling the bull rush. The NFL bull rush and then counter off the bull rush. They don't see this combination of the bull rush with a counter move off it very often in college but in the SEC it's more prevelant.

DT Gervon Dexter Jr., Florida, Round 2 Pick 53

Challenge: Learning real three technique for this scheme. Coaches said he had to go back to basics because his stance wasn't correct for charging into gaps after he played in a two-gap defense in college.

CB Tyrique Stevenson, Miami, Round 2, Pick 56

Challenge: Balancing coverage with gambling on interceptions. He quickly earned a reputation for route-jumping in camp. Justin Fields pointed this out. 

But in the NFL route-jumpers often make the jump off a roster to waivers. He needs to learn when not to gamble and when to gamble while covering an NFL receiver.

DT Zacch Pickens, South Carolina, Round 3 Pick 71

Challenge: The same as Dexter, but for a different reason. Pickens had exposure to three technique in a one-gap scheme like Dexter had earlier in his career, but it's much different getting off the ball fast and into the gap fast against quicker, bigger NFL offensive linemen.

RB Roschon Johnson, Texas, Round 4 Pick 115

Challenge: Patience. No one should be able to do this more than Johnson, who had to wait behind Bijan Robinson to play in college. He found ways to stand out while being patient throughout his time at Texas, whether it was treating every aspect of special teams he was given with the utmost importance or valuing every offensive rep he had like it was his last. Because of his college situation, Johnson is the one draft pick most well equipped for what they're going to face immediately while competing against veterans and thus most likely to stand out to fans. Although Wright figures as an immediate starter, it isn't as easy to be noticed on the offensive line.

WR Tyler Scott, Cincinnati, Round 4 Pick 133

Challenge: Learning all receiver positions and how to field punts. Scott is going to come in seventh on a receiver scale behind six veterans, including DJ Moore and five players who already know the offense. The quickest way he can make an impact is by knowing all the receiver positions so that whenever the chance comes to play at any position he can do it. Receivers who only know the X or the Z or the slot are going to be waiting forever for a chance to play if they're buried on the roster. As for fielding punts, he hadn't done it since high school and tehy had him doing it in practices. This isn't Friday Night Lights. Velus Jones Jr. can testify to that. Punt return is a difficult task but it starts with fielding the ball.

LB Noah Sewell, Oregon, Round 5 Pick 148

Challenge: Learning where he needs to be in the defense. Sewell was used as a pass rusher much of the time in college. Learning to protect gap integrity within this scheme is critical for a linebacker.

"With rookies, it's always know what to do first, so he knows his assignment so he can do it fast," Eberflus said. "He's getting better at it. We love his instincts. He's a very instinctual player."

When they're talking about how good his instincts are, it's certain he needs to work at the technique and assignment.

CB Terell Smith, Minnesota, Round 5  Pick 165

Challenge: Catching Up. He missed the last few weeks of OTAs with an injury not reported by the Bears. At the beginning, he showed a lot of promise as a taller, quicker player in coverage, who has a long reach. Those days away from the practice field take a bigger toll at such an early stage in the career. Once he catches up, the challenge is more familiar to him from playing the position in college but the physical skills of NFL receivers make it more difficult.

DT Travis Bell, Kennesaw State, Round 7 Pick 218

Challenge: Avoid being overwhelmed by the situation. The first player from Kennsaw State, a small D-1 program, is not used to facing players of this quality every play at practice.

S Kendall Williamson, Stanford, Round 7 Pick 258

Challenge: Speed. Wilkinson has displayed good closing speed for a rookie during OTAs, rookie camp and minicamp but he's largely done it against reserves or practice squad types. As exposure to top receivers on the roster occurs, he'll find letting players have too much chance to get past him will mean he fails at the No. 1 assignment of any safety—don't let anyone get past you.

Undrafted Free Agents

  • Bralen Trahan, S, Louisiana
  • Andre Szmyt, K, Western Michigan
  • Thyrick Pitts, WR, Delaware
  • Lorenz Metz, T, Cincinnati
  • Josh Lugg, G, Notre Dame
  • D'Anthony Jones, DT, Houston
  • Gabriel Houy, G, Pitt
  • Robert Haskins, T, USC
  • Jalen Harris, DE, Arizona
  • Aron Cruickshank, WR, Rutgers
  • Macon Clark, S, Tulane
  • Robert Burns, FB, Connecticut
  • Micah Baskerville, LB, LSU
  • Tyson Bagent, QB, Shepherd

Challenge: The challenge is the same for every one of these undrafted players, with the exception of quarterback Tyson Bagent and kicker Andre Szmyt. That's to go all out learning and performing to the extent that they catch the eye of coaches. As undrafted type, they have no leeway and they are buried too far down the depth chart to make many mistakes or to show nothing special. 

As for Bagent, the place where he most can impress coaches is in the meeting rooms as he picks up the offense and understands how to operate it against any defense as quickly as possible. It's only his first step but if he does it then he can proceed to trying to impress with his arm. With Szmyt it's simple: Make every kick and hope Cairo Santos goes into a tailspin. If the latter does happen, the Bears would probably be more likely to bring in a veteran rather than gamble on an undrafted rookie kicker but connecting on every kick at least does give them pause for thought. With a few others, gaining weight is another prerequisite before they can even worry about the challenge. Tackle Bobby Haskins could stand to add weight. Robert Burns needs more weight than 222 pounds to be a real fullback, as he converts from a 209-pound college running back. In Aron Cruickshank's case, the only way he's impressing anyone at 5-9, 165, is as a return man in preseason games. It's tough to impress on punt returns in practice but punt return is an open path to the roster.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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