CAN’T SPIRAL OUT OF CONTROL
Coach John Fox’smain challenge will be managing the QB situation
The Sun- Times’ experts — Adam L. Jahns, Patrick Finley and Mark Potash — break down the gains made and the questions looming after the Bears’ offseason program, which ended Thursday: Mike Glennon has looked ...
AdamL. Jahns: Like the leader and the professional the Bears hoped he’d be, especially after Mitch Trubisky was drafted. But on the field, Glennon looks like a work in progress. It’s apparent that he’s learning a new offense and throwing to new teammates. He should improve with time and as competitions sort out the positions around him.
Patrick Finley: Comfortable as a leader. He has concerns about his fate beyond this season— and he should. But Glennon has spent the last four seasons as a backup dreaming of how he’d handle a team as a starter— on the field and with off- field bonding. One sign of his leadership: He plans to gather offensive players sometime in July to work on routes.
Mark Potash: Like a quarterback with no NFL starts since 2014 and only 18 total in four NFL seasons playing for a new team and learning a new offense with a new offensive line that’s missing its two best players and an entire group of receivers he had never thrown to. It’s difficult to tell how much Glennon is grasping this offense because so many others are trying to grasp it, as well.
Mitch Trubisky has looked ...
Jahns: Like a quick learner. The Bears have changed his footwork, and being under center and running huddles are new to him, but he still played like a first- round pick at times. His accuracy stood out in every practice. Training camp will provide different challenges, but the fans who see him in Bourbonnais should come away impressed.
Finley: Like a rookie. There’s no debating his athleticism, arm strength and accuracy— nor his inexperience. That’s why the calls for him to start are ridiculous, at least for now.
Potash: Intriguing. Trubisky’s accuracy is impressive. It’s easy to see why he was a first- round pick. He doesn’t look out of place. If the starting job were an open competition instead of Glennon’s no matter what, at this point there’s no reason to believe Trubisky would not be a contender.
Coach John Fox’s biggest challenge will be ...
Jahns: Eliminating any conflicts inside Halas Hall and/ or controversies outside of it when it comes to his quarterbacks. Every false step by Glennon could turn into calls for Trubisky. Fox is full of Fox- isms, and his words can be misconstrued — especially on social media. It’s best to keep things straightforward: Glennon is the starter until
further notice; Trubisky has to sit and learn.
Finley: Winning games, and fast. We talk about the subtleties Fox will have to maneuver — massaging the timelines of his two quarterbacks, balancing youth with veteran newcomers and managing the pressure of a prove- it year— but the only way he’ll continue to get chances is if he wins this season. The Bears must show improvement, and fast. They might not be favored to win a game untilWeek 5. An 0- 4 start would make Fox’s future and Trubisky’s timeline the only relevant storylines of the season.
Potash: Managing the quarterback situation. If Glennon is good from the start, it won’t be an issue. But if Glennon is a work in progress, as he’s likely to be, the Bears can “bunker down” and insulate themselves from “outside noise” all they want. They still won’t be able to keep the quarterback chatter from affecting the organization, including the locker room.
I’ve been impressed by ...
Jahns: Cornerback Prince Amukamara. He was a problem for every receiver he faced. That might be a bad omen for the Bears’ receivers, but Amukamara thinks his style of play fits coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense. He gets to use his vision more and directly challenge receivers. Finley: Running back Tarik Cohen. He has an amazing fifth gear and has been a thrill to
watch during the offseason program. Standing only 5- 6, though, the fourth- round pick is supposed to shine in shorts. The question is how he can take the pounding in pads.
Potash: Tight end Adam Shaheen. With his impressive size, speed and athleticism, the secondround pick fromDivision II Ashland showed enough to support general manager Ryan Pace’s belief that he can contribute as a rookie.
The playerwith themost to prove in camp is ...
Jahns: Tight end Zach Miller. The Bears love him. He has been a productive player, and his personality fits the Bears’ ideal profile. But cornerback Tracy Porter was the same way, and now he’s gone. Tight end is deep. Shaheen and free- agent addition Dion Sims are locks. But Ben Braunecker and Daniel Brown also showed improvement during the offseason program.
Finley: Kyle Fuller. At best, he’s the Bears’ third- most reliable outside cornerback and will be fighting for a job in Bourbonnais. After missing all of last season after a seemingly minor arthroscopic knee procedure, the 2014 firstround pick has a lot to prove to the coaching staff.
Potash: Guard Kyle Long. The three- time Pro Bowl offensive lineman is arguably the Bears’ best player. But after playing through a shoulder injury, missing the second half of last season with an ugly ankle injury and missing much of the practice portion of the offseason program, it remains to be seen just how much the Bears can count on Long not only being there, but being as good as he was.
Are the Bears’ injuriesworth worrying about?
Jahns: Yes, because they involve key players. But at the same time, the answer is no because the injuries aren’t related. It’s easy to lump all of the Bears’ injuries together and say the team has systemic issues to fix. But look around the league, injuries happen. The Bears are overdue for better luck. They have to be, right?
Finley: Yup. The Bears redesigned their practice schedule and offseason training regimen in part to avoid another rash of injuries. Quarterback Mark Sanchez’s knee injury and wide receiver Cam Meredith’s thumb problem— both suffered during OTAs— are minor but nonetheless concerning. Long ( ankle), Miller ( foot) and Danny Trevathan ( patellar tendon) could miss the start of training camp because of injuries suffered last season, when the Bears finished with 19 players on injured reserve.
Potash: Yes. Maybe a lot of it is bad luck. But after two seasons of injury issues under Fox, the Bears have lost the benefit of the doubt. Considering the Bears’ history under Fox, if Trevathan doesn’t spend the first six games on the physically unable- to- perform list, it would be a bonus.
Have the Bears made enough progress this offseason?
Jahns: This roster is the culmination of three drafts and three runs at free agency for Pace and Fox. It’s a roster full of players they want, not ones they inherited. The Bears’ brass needed time; this is a rebuild. But it’s time for all the progress made with the rebuild to turn into results.
Finley: Probably not. They were unable to land big- name free agents in the offseason. They used their draft capital on a quarterback who might redshirt and offensive players from small schools. They’re counting on improved health, a patched defensive backfield and a steady season from Glennon to improve from 3- 13. It’s impossible to tell in June whether those bets will pay off.
Potash: Too hard to tell. You can’t blame the players and coaches for being upbeat, but the “signs of progress” are all too familiar— a better vibe, better communication, more familiarity with the offense/ defense, hungry players with something to prove, etc. The Bears have a real chance to be better than people think, but the best advice for Bears fans right now is: Demand to see it before you believe it.