Bears training camp update: Tempers flare in most physical practice of camp

Bears head coach Ben Johnson had a simple message to his team before Tuesday’s practice: Today’s the day to come prove it.

“This is a big one for us,” Johnson said before Tuesday’s practice at Halas Hall in Lake Forest. “Changing it from morning practice to noon, it’ll be a little bit hotter out there. I’m really expecting big things here from our guys.”

The Bears got the message.

Tuesday’s practice was the most physical of training camp. There were four different skirmishes and plenty of more yelling back and forth as the intensity reached a new level during the 11th practice of camp.

“We workin,” cornerback Tyrique Stevenson said. “We putting money in the bank every day. This league don’t know what’s coming for them because we putting in daily deposits every day. [Johnson] kept it short and simple because that’s what it is, everybody show up to the work day in and day out.”

Although the skirmishes never got too serious, it was the most intense practice of camp.

Tempers started to flare during an 11-on-11 session when the defense and the offense gathered and started shoving each other after a run. Offensive lineman Braxton Jones and defensive end Austin Booker got into another confrontation that resulted in defensive tackle Gervon Dexter coming in and pushing Jones down.

Running back Roschon Johnson and safety Jonathan Owens got into a scuffle after Owens pushed Roschon Johnson down after a run. Running back D’Andre Swift and defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo also got into it after a Swift run.

Cornerback Nahshon Wright said they were scheduled to have just one live period of hitting Tuesday. But once they started going, it was too hard to stop.

“There’s a switch you turn on,” Wright said. “So as soon as you tell somebody we’re going to live, it’s hard to dial back, so it just became live practically the whole practice.”

Wright, Roschon Johnson and Stevenson all said Tuesday was the most physical practice they’ve been a part of in their careers. Stevenson said it was the most hitting allowed in a practice that he could remember.

It’s safe to say the Bears are ready to start hitting players other than their teammates. They’ll get a chance to do that Friday when the Bears host a joint practice with the Miami Dolphins at Halas Hall.

While Friday will tell the coaching staff a lot about the Bears’ progress, Tuesday was a good progress report as well.

“I feel like that’s what we should practice like every day,” Stevenson said. “That’s the message the team shot to us, the coaching staff, and everybody, that’s what we need to see out there every day to be a championship defense and championship offense. Moving forward, that’s what we want to see at practice.”

Practice notes

Tuesday was the 12th and final day of installs for the Bears, where they worked on short-yardage and goal-line situations. Players will have the day off Wednesday and practice Thursday before Friday’s joint practice and Sunday’s preseason opener against the Dolphins.

The offense had some good and bad Tuesday, going up against a fired-up defense. Quarterback Caleb Williams and the first-team offense started practice well during the first 11-on-11 session when Swift had a couple of nice runs and tight end Cole Kmet picked up a first down off a nice catch.

Roschon Johnson rushed in for two touchdowns during a goal-line drill to keep the momentum going. Williams completed four of his five pass attempts during 7-on-7.

Some of the procedural issues continued for Williams and the first-team offense during one 11-on-11 session. The offense was called for two false starts in the session before Williams found rookie tight end Colston Loveland for a long pass to pick up a first down.

The first-team offense also failed to take more time off the clock during a drill when it led by a point with just over two minutes left in the game. Swift was called for an unsportsmanlike penalty after his skirmish with Odeyingbo. The penalty moved the ball back, and the unit was forced to punt.

“We workin. We putting money in the bank every day. This league don’t know what’s coming for them because we putting in daily deposits every day. [Johnson] kept it short and simple because that’s what it is, everybody show up to the work day in and day out.”

—  Tyrique Stevenson, Chicago Bears cornerback

Williams had the best play of the day when he completed a long pass down the sideline that wide receiver Rome Odunze went up and caught. Wright was in coverage against Odzune.

Jones, rookie Ozzy Trapilo and Theo Benedet split snaps at left tackle with the first team. Trapilo had gotten most of the first-team snaps over the previous two practices.

Right guard Jonah Jackson was back to participating in team drills with the first team, but he didn’t take all the snaps. Ryan Bates filled in at right guard when Jackson wasn’t on the field.

Preseason plan

Ben Johnson didn’t have an answer Tuesday as to how much the starters will play during games this preseason. Johnson told reporters that he and his staff will evaluate where things stand during Wednesday’s day off for players.

He’ll also communicate with Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel to make sure they’re both on the same page in terms of Friday’s practice.

“We’ve been very strategic with trying to maximize our reps, and we felt like offensively, defensively, the amount of reps that we’re getting is really what we need right now as a team, so that we’re learning, we’re growing,” Johnson said. “Maybe those are out on the grass, under the lights, maybe those are in practice settings. So, that’s what we’ll come to a decision as a staff on.”

Injury update

The physical practice did cause some players to leave Tuesday. Kmet left in the middle of practice after taking part in 7-on-7 drills, while offensive lineman Doug Kramer also left after he took a big hit.

Running back Deion Hankins (concussion) and tight end Jordan Murray (groin) were both back at practice Tuesday after missing Sunday’s Family Fest.

Left tackle Kiran Amegadjie (leg) missed his third straight practice, while wide receiver Miles Boykin (ankle) also remained out. Offensive linemen Ricky Stromberg and Bill Murray, rookie cornerback Zah Frazier (personal), and rookie defensive tackle Sheman Turner (ankle) continued to miss practice.