Standout players, & an honest Dennis Allen: Takeaways from Day 2 of Chicago Bears rookie minicamp
Why Sam Roush is key to the Bears offense, could QB Miller Moss replace Case Keenum? | The Offseason
In Episode 12 of The Offseason, Cassie Carlson and Anthony Herron preview Bears Rookie Minicamp. Anthony talks about what the experience is like for rookies to take the field for the first time. Also, Big Ant has a video breakdown...highlighting Sam Roush's receiving & blocking impact and why the rookie TE will be key to the Bears offensive success. Plus, which UDFA has the best chance of standing out this weekend and is there a chance QB invite Miller Moss replaces Case Keenum?
The second day of Chicago Bears’ rookie minicamp has come to a close. That’s all the media will be allowed to see.
Here are our takeaways from Day Two of Bears rookie minicamp, including our standout players and the honest self-assessment from defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
Dennis Allen’s honest self-assessment
The Bears are confident they’ll get a better pass rush in 2026 because they believe the coaching staff will coach better.
That’s a tall task to ask of a staff that found a way to bring the Bears to the divisional round of the NFC Playoffs. But, they see areas for improvement in themselves.
It’s an honorable approach from the coaches, putting the onus on the staff instead of the players the Bears are paying millions of dollars to perform. But, Allen gave one of the most honest self-assessments Halas Hall has seen in a while.
Why will the pass rush be better? Because Allen will go back to the basics.
"I don't think we were as fundamentally-sound defensively as we need to be," Allen said. "So, how do we have to coach it better? Well, let's minimize how much we're focused on the scheme and let's focus on not what we're going to do, but how we're going to do it."
There are more reasons why the Bears will be better rushing the passer. This includes having a healthy defensive line.
But, Allen’s reasoning is sound. Why not trust in the staff that made incredible strides in Year 1?
Signing Scotty Miller just makes sense
Ben Johnson called Miller "intriguing" before the first day of practice. Then, Miller went out and produced two solid days of minicamp practices.
Miller turned heads with a diving, one-armed grab to end the first day of camp practice. He had another great catch in 7-on-7 drills Saturday, catching a pass through traffic and weaving through defenders.
You’d obviously expect an eight-year NFL veteran to fly through rookie minicamp with ease. Most of these players won’t ever see a down in the NFL, and Miller has played in 93 NFL games. He also won a Super Bowl.
What stood out the most was Miller’s ability to line up quickly and know where he’s supposed to be. Then he made plays. If you expected him to be the most consistent player on the field this weekend because of his experience, he lived up to that effortlessly.
That’s what the Bears want in their receiver room. They want a player that’s going to compete and push for playing time. Miller wouldn’t be at Bears’ rookie minicamp as a veteran tryout if he didn’t love football. That’s a hallmark of what Johnson wants.
The Bears want "Guys that, if you took football away from, they really don't know what to do with themselves."
"It's a huge part. They eat it, they sleep it, they breathe it," Johnson said after the NFL Draft. "I think we're able to identify those types of guys. When you have guys like that, they usually find a way to come out on top."
Logan Jones' expectations & the long snapper battle: Takeaways from Day 1 of Chicago Bears rookie minicamp
The Bears first day of rookie minicamp included a special teams position battle and high expectations for a second-round pick. Here are our takeaways from day one of the Bears’ rookie minicamp.
Day 2 standout players
Devin Pringle had a good second day of practice at minicamp. He played primarily on the outside cornerback position and had a nice pass breakup later on in practice, where he met the receiver just as the pass was getting there.
There was another moment where it looked like a receiver caught a pass in front of Pringle, but Pringle jarred the ball loose. Without referees, we’ll never know if it was a catch and a forced fumble or another pass break up. It was a good play, regardless.
Sam Roush was drafted because of his blocking ability. He’s going to be the third tight end in the Bears’ offense this season, but he might factor into the passing game.
Roush had a few really solid passing-game reps, including one play where he caught a pass on a seam route between a handful of defenders in the middle. He’s a fearless route runner and has the kind of touch needed to thrive in the middle of the field when catching passes.
Durham Smythe, the Bears’ third tight end in 2025, had only six targets all year long. It’s a safe bet Roush will see more than just six targets.
Wide receiver Omari Kelly also had some good catches on the second day of practices. Kelly ran a back-shoulder route and caught a well-placed pass from Miller Moss. It was a great pass, but Kelly turned and made the catch.
He also wasn’t a player the Bears needed to stop practice and reset the formation because he wasn’t lined up properly. That happened a few times, but it didn’t happen to Kelly.