CHICAGO (CBS) – The Chicago Bears returned to the practice field without protective equipment on Tuesday after suspending training camp on Monday.
Later this week, the Cincinnati Bengals will meet with the Bears at Halas Hall for a joint practice before Saturday’s preseason game.
The Bears have gotten fit again, with Kyler Gordon and Montez Sweat among the guys preparing to return. Nate Davis was also back on the offensive line at right guard as the offensive line looked for some much-needed continuity.
“Obviously it’s super important,” offensive lineman Braxton Jones said. “Obviously some of the best lines in football have played together in the same system for five, six years and that’s kind of why they’re the best, but at the end of the day we’re all the best players in the NFL. So it’s important, but you still have to step in and act when something happens.”
Dominique Robinson started last Saturday against Buffalo when Sweat was out. The third-year defensive end, who came in as a project player, spent his offseason putting on 15 pounds of muscle, knowing full well that he is fighting for his NFL life.
“I knew I couldn’t do it at my weight,” Robinson said. “And I knew I could gain weight and still be explosive and get faster at the same time, so why not?”
Robinson pointed to a big tackle for a loss on third down against the Bills as an example of the extra weight paying off. He said last year he was forced out of the game because he wasn’t strong enough.
Rookie makes an impression
Rookie defensive end Austin Booker took full advantage of his opportunity last Saturday in Buffalo. The fifth-round pick recorded two and a half sacks in the win over the Bills.
Booker’s athleticism and acumen caught the attention of his teammates and coaches.
“Usually a freshman comes in here and has things in his head that he wants to do when he goes out there. So for Book to go out there and just be free and just be able to do what he wants … I think that’s great for him,” defensive end Andrew Billings said.
Jones compared Booker’s length to Sweat’s.
“It’s just super long, so you have to get your hands on it,” Jones said. “But it was pretty impressive.”
Defensive coordinator Eric Washington said Booker has “an innate feel” for the game and praised his ability to tune out “all the noise,” including both praise and criticism of his performance.
Matt Zahn
