Bears training camp report: Team holds its breath awaiting word on Coby Bryant
Inside The 312: Brian Urlacher
Fox Chicago's Cassie Carlson and Sam Panayotovich sit down with Chicago Bears legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher. They discuss Brian's career in Chicago, his relationship with Lovie Smith, preparing for Aaron Rodgers, Super Bowl XLI against the Colts, raising kids and pets, his dream golf foursome, the Caleb Williams-Ben Johnson combo, the Bears potentially leaving Soldier Field, and much, much more.
It was the first day of football pads at Halas Hall, as the Chicago Bears continued their ramp up for their first preseason game.
The excitement was there, but an injury to a defensive starter curbed any enthusiasm.
Here’s what we saw at Halas Hall, as the Bears began their second week of training camp on Monday.
What we know:
The Bears and the fans in attendance held their breath as their most important offseason addition was carted off the field.
Safety Coby Bryant, who signed a three-year, $40 million deal with the Bears in free agency, was carted off the field during Monday’s practice.
Bryant was defending tight end Cole Kmet during team drills, and went down holding his left leg. He tried to walk off the injury, but was carted off the field from the far side of the field back to Halas Hall.
It’s not unusual for players to get carted back to Halas Hall from the fields on the far side of the complex. It's a long way back to the training rooms from there and it's just easier to cart back to Halas Hall.
However, there is clear concern for Bryant’s status.
Bryant has been a stellar addition for the Bears, both on and off the field. He’s helped Dillon Thieneman acclimate to the NFL and he was making plays in the first week of camp.
If the Bears are without Bryant for a long period of time, they’ll have a massive hole in their secondary. Thieneman has been taking first-team reps with the defense, but now the focus turns to Cam Lewis.
Before Thieneman earned first-team snaps, Elijah Hicks took snaps with the first-team defense next to Bryant. But Lewis is more of a fit next to Thieneman as a free safety.
What we don't know:
Ben Johnson spoke to reporters on Monday morning. He’ll most likely have an update when he speaks to the media next, which will be on Thursday this week.
The Bears secondary is already operating without Kyler Gordon, who doesn’t have a timetable to return as he works his way back from a calf injury he suffered during the offseason.
The Bears are thin at safety now, especially with Hicks still on the physically unable to perform list.
Defensive back Terell Smith also left practice early with trainers. There's some concern surrounding the Bears' defensive backs now.
Ben Johnson provides update on injured Bears RB Kyle Monangai
Bears coach Ben Johnson had some good news regarding running back Kyle Monangai's status going forward.
Dig deeper:
The Bears continued their offensive line shuffling.
Braxton Jones was taking first-team reps at left tackle on Monday. Kiran Amegadije came in and got an occasional first-team rep but was with the second-team offense at left tackle.
Jordan McFadden got a few reps at left guard. Joe Thuney was present, but the benefit of being an All-Pro player who won the inaugural NFL Protector of the Year award is that he doesn’t have to play every training camp snap.
Ben Johnson said on Monday that Jones, Amegadije, Jedrick Wills Jr. and Theo Benedet are in the next at left tackle.
Amegadije, Jones and Wills all got a day with the first-team offense during the first week of training camp. Benedet has not taken snaps with the first-team offense at left tackle yet.
Whoever gets the first consistent stream of first-team reps at left tackle might be the player that emerges as the favorite to win the starting job.