Preseason gives Bears rookies chance to shine
BOURBONNAIS — For players fighting for starting jobs, and for others just trying to secure a spot on the 53-man roster, catching the collective eye of coaches in training camp is the first step.
The preseason is Step Two, and that stage begins for the Bears at 7 p.m. Saturday at Soldier Field in the opener against the Buffalo Bills.
Players who have impressed with their practice performances can take the next step by building on that when the lights come on and the competition is wearing different colored jerseys. Those who have yet to make their mark can upgrade their status by getting noticed in game situations.
Bears rookie linebacker J.T. Thomas, a sixth-round pick from West Virginia, has positioned himself for a roster spot with his early performance in camp. If he is able to play through a nagging hip injury, Thomas will get the chance to lock down a job. There's much at stake for him and for every other player in a similar situation.
For established veterans, the preseason is a necessary evil they must endure; for players like Thomas the challenge is sometimes not to get too hyped up.
“You're out there with live bullets and everybody running around trying to make plays,” Thomas said. “What I want to do is try to stay true to the things that I've been coached to do on the practice field and not let the environment alter what I would do in a certain situation.”
Because starting strong-side linebacker Nick Roach was an unrestricted free agent and could not participate in the first few practices, Thomas benefited from getting to play alongside Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs with the first-team defense. Roach is back now, but the Bears have little depth at the position, so Thomas has been thrown into the mix.
“It was great,” the 6-foot-1, 241-pounder said. “I got a little taste of what it was like to be out there with the older guys. Brian pretty much knows the play before the ball is snapped, and so does Lance. For a while I got a little bit dependent on (Urlacher) calling out the formations and things of that nature. When I was with the twos and the threes, I had to be that guy to kind of figure out the formations and what they were running.
“It was good to experience both sides, both worlds.”
The world of special teams is most likely where Thomas will see most of his action once the season begins, and he's fine with that.
“Everybody knows that's the key to making it on this team,” he said. “You have to be able to help on special teams. We have a lot of veteran guys at my position, so of course I'll be used mainly on special teams, and I want to make that something I can really hang my hat on.”
Another rookie who hopes to build upon an impressive camp is undrafted wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher from Ohio State. In almost every practice, the 5-foot-11, 180-pounder has made his presence known, earning additional snaps, some with the first team.
“If you're a young player, you need to come in and make some plays,” coach Lovie Smith said. “He's done that. All of our receivers have had their moments. I'm anxious to see them in a game situation.”
Some veterans new to the Bears could see a bit more action, since they did not have an off-season to learn the schemes.
The on-again, off-again, will-he, won't-he situation with running back Matt Forte and his veiled threats to sit out preseason games in his quest for a contract extension is not an issue as far as Smith is concerned.
“I expect all the guys to be ready to play if we tell them,” Smith said. “But you just look at what Matt is doing. You love everything he's done, and why wouldn't he be ready to go?”
But Forte and other established veterans aren't expected to play much more than a series or two. For them, it's still more about staying healthy for the regular season.
“I don't know about more (reps),” Briggs said. “Quality reps.”
Briggs could have been speaking for many of his defensive teammates when he said it doesn't take much time to perfect his tackling ability.
“Hitting?” he said. “You're born with it.”
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