The Chicago Bears finished their spring work this week, wrapping up Organized Team Activities and veteran minicamps. Head coach Matt Eberflus seemed pleased with what he saw. Everybody was in attendance. Practices were high-energy and spirited. That is what he looks for. While competitions haven't hit their peaks yet across the roster, it's still safe to say certain players exited the first phase of preparations in a far better position than others.
It's always important to remember these practices matter. They may not carry the same weight as training camp or the preseason, but they matter. If you perform well in them, it leads to more opportunities come July and August. If you don't? Well, it's not hard to guess the result. Here are some names that stood out, for better or worse.
Chicago Bears spring practices had winners and losers.
Winners:
The 2nd round pick from Miami became the first player Poles ever traded up for in a draft. It didn't take long for the cornerback to show why. After starting practices on the second-team defense, he jumped up to the starting unit almost immediately. His coverage skills, physicality, and overall awareness impressed coaches. He has gone toe to toe with more experience veterans and hasn't been overwhelmed at all.
Gervon Dexter
People were skeptical about what Dexter could offer when the Bears drafted him. He seemed like nothing more than a big, strong guy who stopped the run. Many inside Halas Hall felt differently. They saw a great athlete with sky-high potential as an interior pass rusher. After adjusting his stance and overall approach, the rookie defensive tackle is already creating havoc among blockers. One can only imagine what he might do when the pads go on.
Robert Tonyan
Cole Kmet remains the starter at tight end, but it's clear the Bears have gotten deeper at the position. Given his success in Green Bay, it was surprising how cheap Tonyan was to acquire. Justin Fields is already finding out his value, having connected with him on several big plays in passing drills. It's already evident what Tonyan can do for the offense, especially if he's on the field with Kmet at the same time.
Losers:
It'd be one thing if he were getting outperformed on the field. Unfortunately, Sanborn remains sidelined with the injury that ended his 2022 season. In his absence, rookie linebacker Noah Sewell has made a positive impression in almost every practice. The competition is heating up at outside linebacker. Sanborn can't afford to lose any further ground once training camp starts. Otherwise, he'll go from a lock as a starter to a backup in mere months.
Chase Claypool
Fields gave the embattled reserve a glowing review as OTAs got underway, praising his hard work and preparation. Claypool has been completely MIA since then, nursing multiple "soft tissue" injuries. It doesn't help that rumors surfaced of some in Halas Hall being frustrated with his lack of self-motivation. Claypool needs to have a sense of urgency because this is the final year of his contract, and the Chicago Bears aren't going to hand him anything despite the expensive trade to get him.
It's too early to make any definitive statements about pass rushers without pads on. However, it's still worth noting that Terrell Lewis appeared to stand out more in drills than Robinson did. Lewis was a practice squad player last year that didn't accomplish much during his three seasons in Los Angeles. The Bears have high hopes for Robinson. Last season was a disappointment considering the opportunities he got. This training camp could make or break that.
