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Scouting Out the Second Bears Padded Practice: Devin Bush Delivers a Jolt

What happened in the second Bears padded practice, including how they got physical and how Devin Bush answered a late offensive bid in two-minute drill.
Gene Chamberlain|
Luther Burden runs through drills in the early part of Bears practice.
Luther Burden runs through drills in the early part of Bears practice. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

What could have been Caleb Williams' worst practice of Bears camp ended in a scare for Luther Burden, but it might not have been bad news for everyone when the final two-minute drill failed to reach the end zone.

At least it showed positive results for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.

The Bears covered the pass well with a pair of interceptions, pass-rushed effectively at times, and in their first real attempt to defend numerous interior runs they held up. In fact, three of the first four runs netted two yards or less.

The last two-minute drill ended with a 23-yard pass over the middle to Burden as time expired, and he had his hands on it, but linebacker Devin Bush and a contingent of DBs converged at the right time and put a hit on the second-year Bears receiver to knock it loose. For a few seconds afterward, Burden lay there, but got up on his own and came off the field.

No harm no foul

Cleveland Browns linebacker Devin Bush arrives before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium.
Former Cleveland Browns linebacker Devin Bush. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“It was a last-minute play," Bush said. "Take a shot at the end zone. Our responsibility is to not let them in the end zone. Offense’s responsibility is get the ball in the end zone.

"So just a competitive play and finished our practice in the two-minute drill.”

With speedy safety Coby Bryant out injured for 8-10 weeks, the Bears found a new source of speed from Bush. Besides his pass coverage, Bush blitzed Caleb Williams into scrambling out of the pocket on the final drive and nearly got the sack. Williams threw it away and the play helped set up the final pass to Burden but Bush saw it as the kind of thing he and the defense need to aid them in getting ready for someone else.

"I didn't think he was that agile, but chasing him and him being able to get the ball off like that in those different angles ... who (else) we got (who does it)? We got Kyler, Kyler Murray in this division now, so a guy obviously that's quick and fast like that. So it's just great. great rep and to replicate that.”

Bush saw the final stop as the defense making a statement.

"It’s been a clear message, I mean, just you want to be a fast defense, physical," Bush said. "You want to stop people in the goal line, the red zone. Don't let them score, and in the field, you want to attack them.”

As for Burden, he was no worse for the wear. He said he was fine.

"I don't really know what happened," he said. "I couldn't see the people who hit me. I just know it was a bang-bang play. One of those."

Fight!

Chicago Bears offensive lineman Caden Barnett (76) runs on the field during Chicago Bears Minicamp at Halas Hall.
Chicago Bears offensive lineman Caden Barnett. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The first fight of camp occurred.

Well, it wasn't really a fight so much as a quick move. After a play, rookie defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg was still engaged with blocker Caden Barnett, AKA the Vanilla Gorilla. Van den Berg picked up Barnett and body-slammed him. Just getting the 6-foot-4, 316-pound Barnett off the ground was an accomplishment enough but van den Berg got to show off all of the weight lifting ability he has, as the South African was a lifter at an early age.

"It was quick," running back D'Andre Swift said. "I'd seen it. It was quick. He had him on the ground a little bit."

On a scale of 1-10 with Martellus Bennett body-slamming Kyle Fuller in Bourbonnais training camp in front of the full team in the end zone being a 10, the media consensus was about a 4.0 for van den Berg's slam.

Struggling offense

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson talks to quarterback Caleb Williams (18) during Training Camp at Halas Hall.
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Williams was having trouble connecting, in part, because of what cornerback Tyrique Stevenson had talked about on Monday and that was disrupted timing. The DBs did as much as they could to get receivers off their routes.

Dayo Odeyingbo plucked a batted pass thrown by Williams and then Stevenson picked off a third-down throw from deep in Bears territory.

"He's been challenging us, making plays out there," Burden said of Stevenson. "He had a great interception today probably for six. Great to see that out of him. I'm expecting a big year out of the whole defense."

Running into a wall

Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift (4) runs with the ball during Chicago Bears Minicamp at Halas Hall.
Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It was the first practice inside running played a big role and the run defense held up nicely, or at least better than it did last year.

When the run defense finally gave up yardage, it came when Salvon Ahmed bounced one outside for a breakaway against backups and later Swift got left around end against the first team.

The first live plays and big hits in scrimmage occurred, with undrafted rookie Coleman Bennett absorbing the worst punishment, as safety Gervarrius Owens delivered a solid shoulder pad in the backfield for a loss on a run.

The running attack used some 13-personnel packages but mostly concentrated on 12-personnel after defensive coordinator Dennis Allen had promised the practice would have plenty of 13 (three tight ends). Either way, it was the defense doling out most of the physical punishment but the offense striking occasionally.

"It was good," Swift said. "I was looking forward to it, especially as backs. We need that (to) get on track with the O-line and things like that. It’s good to get out there and go live every once in a while, so it was good.”

Leftover

Chicago Bears offensive lineman Jaren Kump (L) and Garrett Bradbury (R) train during Chicago Bears Minicamp.
Chicago Bears offensive lineman Jaren Kump (L) and Garrett Bradbury (R). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last year's early problems with false starts or delay of games made a return for at least one practice. On consecutive plays to start the first team's final two-minute drive, the Bears got flagged for false starts.

"Not to really talk about last year, but when we was in that situation today (false starts) I was like telling the guys, 'All right, false start, it is what it is. We've got some ground to make up.' Let's go ahead and worry about the next play,' " Swift said. "You can't really dwell on what just happened or anything like that."

It's an issue that has crept into the last few practices.

Present and accounted for

Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai (25) stretches during Minicamp at Halas Hall.
Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Running back Kyle Monangai had some plays again early in practice as he gradually works back onto the field from injury. It was more of an individual drills basis and not during the full team practice portion, much as it was on Monday.

Braxton Jones lined up all practice with the first team at left tackle, while Cam Lewis played the safety spot of injured Coby Bryant as Jaylon Jones, Malik Muhammad and Josh Blackwell split time at slot cornerback.

The Bears are not in pads on Wednesday, and then are again on Thursday before they have a day off Friday.

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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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