Fox likes feistiness of full-contact practice
BOURBONNAIS - Despite the 90-degree heat and continued high humidity, the full-speed, full-contact goal line segment near the end of Thursday morning's practice was intense.
Even when the second teams were involved, first-team players on both side of the ball were vocal and demonstrative in their support. Defense got the better of it, allowing the offense into the end zone just once.
The effort and emotion were what coach John Fox wanted to see.
"Let's not forget," he said, "we're trying to get ready for live football. So the more live-ball situations you can experience and evaluate, in my career, that's been a very important factor in being a good football team and a championship football team."
The Bears open their preseason next Thursday at home against the Denver Broncos.
"(That was) the reasons for some of that live contact stuff, because a week from now it'll be live," Fox said. "It'll be live on the quarterback, it'll be live cut-blocking, even a step above what we're practicing. This game's about being smarter, tougher and better conditioned than the opponent, and those conditions are something you need to simulate."
With 15 names on the injury report in one form or another, Fox was asked if he was worried
"No," Fox said. "I don't think I've ever seen a game that I thought was too physical - a practice or a game."
One of the most impressive goal line plays came when starting nose tackle Eddie Goldman avoided traffic while ranging almost to the sideline to stuff Jacquizz Rodgers for no gain.
Camp highlights:
Backup outside linebacker Sam Acho had an eventful day in the fill-speed, one-on-one pass-rush drill.
Acho beat starting right tackle Bobby Massie around the edge, then later whipped starting left tackle Charles Leno with an inside move before Leno redeemed himself by stonewalling Acho on back-to-back snaps.
Wide receiver Cameron Meredith somehow held on to the ball after a nice catch, despite a big hit over the middle from rookie safety Deon Bush.
Wide receiver Deonte Thompson snagged a deep sideline route for a touchdown from No. 2 quarterback Brian Hoyer and also made a nice reception from Jay Cutler while taking snaps with the first team.
Thompson was signed after the season started and wasn't active until the end of November but averaged 29.2 yards on 14 kickoff returns and added 2 catches for 81 yards.
"He came in new to us, started off as a return guy and then slowly progressed as far as learning the offense and made some plays," coach John Fox said. "We have a lot of confidence in him, and he continues to get better on offense as a receiver."
Something mild:
Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, who missed the entire preseason last year with a calf injury and then seven games during the regular season with three additional soft-tissue injuries, did not practice Thursday after leaving practice early a day before.
Jeffery's injury is a "mild hamstring," according to coach John Fox. A similar injury kept him out of Games 2-5 and 15 last season. He also missed one game with groin and shoulder injuries.
"We get concerned about everybody (when) they're injured or not practicing," Fox said. "But, on the other hand, we don't get too concerned. We've got guys to take their place; we've got numbers." Injury update:
Guard Kyle Long (calf), tight end Khari Lee (shoulder), defensive lineman Marquis Jackson (hamstring) and nose tackle Terry Williams (shoulder) were limited on Thursday.
Long was much more active than a day earlier and played snaps in the full-speed, full-contact goal line segment,
"He made it through pretty well," coach Fox said. "I haven't seen the tape yet, but he did more than he did (Wednesday), and that's how you bring back guys that are coming off 'owies.' "
In addition to Alshon Jeffery, wide receivers Eddie Royal (concussion) and Derek Keaton (knee), tight ends Ben Braunecker (ankle) and Zach Miller (concussion), and linebackers Danny Trevathan (knee), Roy Robertson-Harris (illness) and Nick Kwiatkoski (hamstring) and offensive lineman Adrian Bellard (knee) did not practice. Leading the way: Fullback Darrel Young was signed and fullback Joe Sommers was waived.
Young would primarily be a lead blocker for a Bears offense that could utilize that option more under new offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains. Over the previous six seasons with Washington, Young started 36 games, played in 90 and rushed for 185 rushing yards on 51 attempts (3.6-yard average), while scoring 7 touchdowns. He also had 45 receptions for 432 yards (9.6-yard average) and 6 touchdowns.
The Bears also signed linebacker Danny Mason and offensive linemen Garry Williams and waived defensive lineman Marquis Jackson and offensive lineman Adrian Bellard with an injury settlement.
Back in action:
Veteran guard Amini Silatolu (knee), who started camp on the physically unable to perform list, practiced for the first time Thursday.
The 6-foot-4, 320-pound Midwestern State (Texas) product played the previous four season and started 28 games with the Carolina Panthers, who drafted him in the second round (40th overall) in 2012.
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