Bears prospects hope to make good first impression as rookie minicamp begins
It's all about learning at this point, as Chicago Bears rookies hit the practice field for the first time on Friday at Halas Hall.
Day one of rookie minicamp gave 54 players – seven draft picks, 13 undrafted free agents, 24 rookie tryout players, seven veteran tryout players, and five other first-year pros – their first taste of life in the NFL.
Head coach Ben Johnson delivered a message to the new guys as they get accustomed to professional football life. Versatility will be key to making a good first impression.
"All these guys – and it's regardless of draft pick, or undrafted rookie – it really doesn't matter how they got here, we're all looking for competition," Johnson said. "Expectation for them is to, once again, learn our way of doing things, how we go about our business in the meeting room, walkthrough, practice field, what that looks like. And as soon as they pick that up, then they'll really be able to compete for what is their niche this year, but learning our way of life is first and foremost."
The Bears' seven draft picks were excited to start learning new systems.
Rookie tight end Sam Roush said it was awesome to jump into the Bears' playbook and start to run through it with the other youngsters at Halas Hall.
"You can learn stuff on paper, but until you really run through it with your teammates against the defense, that's when you really experience growth," he said.
First-round selection Dillon Thieneman said there were some jitters for him the first day, which was a long-awaited moment for the safety drafted out of Oregon.
"I was just talking to a guy, and I was like, 'You get kind of nervous before you get out there on the field, and then you get out there, and you're like, I'm just playing football again. You know, like, we're in the NFL right now. So that's awesome," he said.
The Bears' way of life is something Thieneman said he's still figuring out one day in, but noted he noted the coaching staff's attention to details already. Having a Hall of Famer watching might add to some nerves. Bears legend Devin Hester was on the sidelines at the Walter Payton Center for the first day of rookie minicamp.
There also was a familiar name to Bears fans on the practice field. Josh Kreutz, son of longtime Bears center and six-time pro bowler Olin Kreutz, is invited to rookie minicamp on a tryout, and wore the same #57 his dad wore.
Josh Kruetz, a Loyola Academy alum and former Fighting Illini center, was soaking in the opportunity to try out for the same team his dad played for.
Fellow rookie center Logan Jones is wearing #54 in rookie minicamp. He's the first Bears player to wear that number since Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher retired after the 2012 season.