Chicago Sun-Times

Nagy wags finger: Trubisky, Foles are holding back

- BY PATRICK FINLEY, STAFF REPORTER pfinley@suntimes.com | @patrickfin­ley

Neither Mitch Trubisky nor Nick Foles was particular­ly accurate with his passes during practice Tuesday. Still, Bears coach Matt Nagy would have preferred to see both be more aggressive with their throws, particular­ly during seven-onseven drills.

Instead, he said, they checked down too often.

“[That] is a good time to test it,” Nagy said. “Even if it’s not so much the greatest read, test it and see what some of these players can do.”

Such drills take place without blockers or defensive linemen. The quarterbac­ks take snaps from a center and throw to five pass catchers. Although Nagy offered a caveat about what he saw — as with every aspect of the quarterbac­k derby, he’ll have to check the practice tape — he sounded disappoint­ed.

The season opener looms Sept. 13. Nagy again said he’ll take his time naming a starter.

“I didn’t think they tested it enough today,” he said.

Two kickers, just in case

Hours after signing, Cairo Santos became the first Bear to kick field goals in a padded practice in camp. Afterward, Nagy said the Bears will keep two kickers throughout the season as insurance against a coronaviru­s outbreak.

Santos and Eddy Pineiro, the nominal starter, are eligible for the practice squad this year. Pineiro still hasn’t kicked while he nurses a slight groin injury.

“Cairo is here because of the plan that we had all along, which is to have a backup kicker,” Nagy said. “And then, if something does happen to Eddy, we feel very good with Cairo. That’s the ‘why’ part.”

Nagy was a Chiefs assistant coach in Santos’ first three seasons in Kansas City from 2014 to 2017. Santos also kicked for the Beas briefly in 2017.

“When Eddy feels like he’s ready to get out there and start kicking again, that’s what we’re going to do,” Nagy said. “Now, if it gets to a point where we feel like he’s not ready, then we feel comfortabl­e with Cairo being our kicker in Week 1 if that’s the case. We’ve just got to see.”

Not worried?

Nagy continues to claim his “concern level is not high at all” about when receiver Allen Robinson and defensive lineman Akiem Hicks will return. Both players remained out of practice Tuesday with ankle and quadriceps injuries, respective­ly.

“I think, for us, it goes back to making sure that whatever happens, we do everything possible so they’re ready for Week 1,” Nagy said. “They’re probably all going to be at different levels for when they return, but I’m not concerned.”

This and that

Practice was paused for about an hour because of lightning in the area. Nagy said the players were sluggish upon returning after the break, “so we had to get on them a little bit.”

Swing tackle Jason Spriggs, who was hurt in Saturday’s scrimmage, has a sprained knee and is day-to-day. Receiver Thomas Ives has an injured glute, while cornerback Michael Joseph has a knee injury.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States