Bears in no hurry to develop QB Mitchell Trubisky
BOURBONNAIS, Ill. (AP) - It was a sign of things to come for the Chicago Bears, whether in the near or distant future.
Labeled the third-team quarterback and a developmental project at the outset of training camp, rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky took snaps with the second team on Wednesday as the Bears completed a full week of practices.
"Don't read too much into it," coach John Fox said. "It's just a matter of getting guys through different centers, different groups.
"It's something that we mentioned would happen at some point throughout camp."
The Bears traded up to the second pick in the first round to select Trubisky out of North Carolina in the 2017 draft, so his progress is important even if the plan is to let him learn behind starter Mike Glennon and backup Mark Sanchez.
It has been an up-and-down process to this point.
On Saturday, Trubisky fumbled three snaps in one drill, and then fumbled the next day again. He has since been steadier since then.
"He's learning a whole new offense," Fox said. "A whole different NFL coverage package that we see, a little bit more extensive types of coverages. So I think the guy's done everything he can. He's improving every day.
"He's got a great work ethic. He learns quickly and works hard. You can't ask for much more."
Trubisky blamed himself for the fumbles, although they came with different players at center. One of the concerns over Trubisky heading into the draft was his inexperience taking direct snaps from center, because he played in the shotgun in college.
"It was frustrating because that was uncharacteristic of me and I've just got to handle that," Trubisky said. "They were just wasted plays and I was kind of frustrated because I kind of wasted a team session right there and I didn't allow myself or my teammates to get better.
"You've just got to block that out, bounce back."
Trubisky has developed a knack for hitting rookie tight end Adam Shaheen, the team's second-round pick this year. Undrafted Wyoming rookie Gentry Tanner has been another favorite.
Besides running his third-team plays, Trubisky is using virtual reality while away from the practice field to try to learn how to assess defenses.
"I'm really surprised what that technology has allowed us to do," Trubisky said. "Instead of just watching film, you're actually getting reps (plays) without your body having to go through it.
"I call the play, go out and practice it and coach can see on the screen where my eyes are going, so it's helped me with (receiver) progression and timing without actually going onto the field and having to do it."
Trubisky went to Ft. Lauderdale on his own with Glennon and a handful of Bears wide receivers in the offseason prior to training camp for extra work and to learn more about his targets in the offense.
"I think that was really great for us to build more chemistry on and off the field," Trubisky said. "I got to know those guys on a different level, on a personal level where you get to know them individually."
Trubisky was a redshirt in college as a freshman, so this year of supposed inactivity won't be foreign.
"As a competitor, you want to play in any situation, but you've just got to be aware of your situation and make the best out of it," Trubisky said. "You've got to believe in the people that have the plan in place and just believe in that plan and go about your business."
Fox likes to point out how the Bears were on their fourth quarterback when last season ended due to injuries, so there's always the chance Trubisky could play.
In the meantime, he'll try to benefit when he is allowed more snaps.
"You've got to walk before you run," Fox said. "So this is a good place to start practicing it, and seeing what the results are."
NOTES: G Josh Sitton reported to training camp and practiced for the first time, but on a limited basis. He'd been away at the outset following the birth of a daughter. Sitton and G Kyle Long will be experimenting by switching positions - Long to LG and Sitton to RG. "I made the switch from right to left like five years ago and that was a bigger transition," Sitton said. Regardless, he wouldn't call it an easy task. He called it a matter of muscle memory, and rebuilding it. "When you do something on one side of the ball for so long, your body just gets used to it," Sitton said. ... CB Prince Amukamara was away from practice because his wife had surgery. ... S Harold Jones-Quartey suffered an ankle injury and left practice.