Went to training camp

[bradjock]

This is the 10th year I've been to training camp and I enjoyed it as usual, although it was limited with no pads.

1. D.J. Moore was the first guy out and shook hands with people for 20 minutes. Good guy.

2. When practice was starting, I saw JA & Lovie having a serious discussion between the fields. Lovie then went to Tice. I figured then it was about Kreutz.

3. I saw Roy Williams and said, "holy shit." Damn he looks impressive. He's tall, lean, chiseled. While he didn't practice, he passes "the look" test.

4. Matt Spaeth is built like Greg Olsen. I don't see how he can be a great blocker. Manu was 6-0 300. Spaeth is 6-7 260.

5. There was no pads and the offense sucked. Bad passing, bad route running, lots of drops, bad, bad, bad.

6. Cutler looked better then Enderle who got a lot of work. Cutler looked far from great. It could be my imagination, but he looks leaner.

7. With no hitting, the main thing to watch was WR's. Bennett, Knox, & Bennett all looked pretty good. None of the other guys distinguished themselves. Sanzenbacher looks slow and had a couple drops. Fantuz did not stand out. Kris Adams looked fairly impressive.

8. The defense was so fun to watch and they are very vocal, particularly Briggs & Harris. They looked like they were playing against a JFL team.

9. It was also fun listening to Dave Toub coach up the special teams. They spent a considerable amount of time on these.

10. Got Major Wright's autograph.

 

Sparse crowd today. I'm guessing there were 2500 people, roughly 1/3 of the size the last 2 times I've went.

 

 

[Alaskan Grizzly]

This is the 10th year I've been to training camp and I enjoyed it as usual, although it was limited with no pads.

1. D.J. Moore was the first guy out and shook hands with people for 20 minutes. Good guy.2. When practice was starting, I saw JA & Lovie having a serious discussion between the fields. Lovie then went to Tice. I figured then it was about Kreutz.

3. I saw Roy Williams and said, "holy shit." Damn he looks impressive. He's tall, lean, chiseled. While he didn't practice, he passes "the look" test.

4. Matt Spaeth is built like Greg Olsen. I don't see how he can be a great blocker. Manu was 6-0 300. Spaeth is 6-7 260.

5. There was no pads and the offense sucked. Bad passing, bad route running, lots of drops, bad, bad, bad.

6. Cutler looked better then Enderle who got a lot of work. Cutler looked far from great. It could be my imagination, but he looks leaner.

7. With no hitting, the main thing to watch was WR's. Bennett, Knox, & Bennett all looked pretty good. None of the other guys distinguished themselves. Sanzenbacher looks slow and had a couple drops. Fantuz did not stand out. Kris Adams looked fairly impressive.

8. The defense was so fun to watch and they are very vocal, particularly Briggs & Harris. They looked like they were playing against a JFL team.9. It was also fun listening to Dave Toub coach up the special teams. They spent a considerable amount of time on these.

10. Got Major Wright's autograph.

 

Sparse crowd today. I'm guessing there were 2500 people, roughly 1/3 of the size the last 2 times I've went.

 

Awesome!!! I really appreciate being able to read perspectives like this from a "real" person. As being someone that has never, nor probably will ever, go to one of these deals it is good stuff. Thanks. A few remarks/observations:

 

1. I have heard this about Moore. Good to know there are a few players out there that appreciate where they are and who helped them get there.

 

3. I have noticed that Williams resembles Calvin Johnson. I am ok with Burress going to NYJ and have a feeling that Roy will have a stellar year.

 

4. Spaeth came by way of Pittsburgh and played against the likes of Ray Lewis, Bart Scott and Ed Reed and practiced against James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley and Larey Foote. We know that Olsen couldn't block, something tells me Spaeth will hold his own.

 

6. Had just read an article about Cutler looking leaner. Good for him. That will help him overall.

 

7. Who is this second "Bennett" you refer to or did you mean Hester?

 

8. Good to hear the Defense is having fun. Perhaps a by product of Marinelli and what we hear about how guys like playing for him?

 

Were none of the other recent FA's there? I know they couldn't practice but figured that Williams being there may have been a few others.

 

Thanks again.

[AZ54]

Sounds like Cutler will be able to run faster this year. That's a good thing.

[ASHKUM BEAR]

I'd also like to point out with Spaeth coming out of Pittsburgh. They also do not let players on the field unless they know all of their assignments, plays, and can execute them. I've heard he has some drops, but he is a complete TE that will be an upgrade on the blocking end over Olsen.

[jason]

This is the 10th year I've been to training camp and I enjoyed it as usual, although it was limited with no pads.

1. D.J. Moore was the first guy out and shook hands with people for 20 minutes. Good guy.

2. When practice was starting, I saw JA & Lovie having a serious discussion between the fields. Lovie then went to Tice. I figured then it was about Kreutz.

3. I saw Roy Williams and said, "holy shit." Damn he looks impressive. He's tall, lean, chiseled. While he didn't practice, he passes "the look" test.

4. Matt Spaeth is built like Greg Olsen. I don't see how he can be a great blocker. Manu was 6-0 300. Spaeth is 6-7 260.

5. There was no pads and the offense sucked. Bad passing, bad route running, lots of drops, bad, bad, bad.

6. Cutler looked better then Enderle who got a lot of work. Cutler looked far from great. It could be my imagination, but he looks leaner.

7. With no hitting, the main thing to watch was WR's. Bennett, Knox, & Bennett all looked pretty good. None of the other guys distinguished themselves. Sanzenbacher looks slow and had a couple drops. Fantuz did not stand out. Kris Adams looked fairly impressive.

8. The defense was so fun to watch and they are very vocal, particularly Briggs & Harris. They looked like they were playing against a JFL team.

9. It was also fun listening to Dave Toub coach up the special teams. They spent a considerable amount of time on these.

10. Got Major Wright's autograph.

 

Sparse crowd today. I'm guessing there were 2500 people, roughly 1/3 of the size the last 2 times I've went.

 

Thanks for the update bradjock. At least it sounds like all the guys have come into camp in good shape.

[ASHKUM BEAR]

Thanks for the update bradjock. At least it sounds like all the guys have come into camp in good shape.

 

Except for fatty Marcus Harrison, lol!

[killakrzydav]

Thanks for the update BJ but isn't number five and seven direct contradictions of one another or is it that none of the receivers you mentioned as "good" ran bad routes nor dropped passes?

[bradjock]

Thanks for the update BJ but isn't number five and seven direct contradictions of one another or is it that none of the receivers you mentioned as "good" ran bad routes nor dropped passes?

 

I should have clarified. The offense spent a great deal of time on running routes and passing without the defense. You have 1 QB and 1 or 2 WR's on the field. That's it. At least half these passes were incomplete. Probably more. This includes all the QB's and all the WR's, but it was all pretty bad. I know it's only the 2nd day of practice and I shouldn't be pessimistic, but it was literally hard to watch.

 

When the defense came on it got worse. Granted there weren't pads, but you'd have thought the only thing blocking Peppers was a giant pillow.

 

Hester, Knox, and Bennett look better then any other WR's on the roster who was practicing. Knox and Hester are both listed as 6-0, when in reality they are closer to 5-7 and 5-9.

[killakrzydav]

Thanks for the clarification

[bradjock]

3. I have noticed that Williams resembles Calvin Johnson. I am ok with Burress going to NYJ and have a feeling that Roy will have a stellar year.

 

If Martz gives him the time on the field, I'll bet Roy is Cutler's favorite target. In Roy's worst season he put up 500+ yards. He's an NFL WR.

 

4. Spaeth came by way of Pittsburgh and played against the likes of Ray Lewis, Bart Scott and Ed Reed and practiced against James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley and Larey Foote. We know that Olsen couldn't block, something tells me Spaeth will hold his own.

 

My only thing is, the real good blocking TE's and FB's have REALLY wide hips and stocky legs. This makes sense for blocking purposes. Spaeth looks like a WR.

 

6. Had just read an article about Cutler looking leaner. Good for him. That will help him overall.

 

I'm worried Cutler spent too much time in holleywood and not enough time in the weight room. That being said, Forte looks great.

 

7. Who is this second "Bennett" you refer to or did you mean Hester?

 

Hester. I didn't see Hester drop a single ball. That might be the only WR I can say that about. Nice hands and he gives a great effort.

 

8. Good to hear the Defense is having fun. Perhaps a by product of Marinelli and what we hear about how guys like playing for him?

 

I hope so. More importantly, I hope Marinelli gets better results this year. Adding Okoye & Gholston, and Paea, he has lots of talent to work with.

 

Were none of the other recent FA's there? I know they couldn't practice but figured that Williams being there may have been a few others.

 

Yes there were others. For instance, Caleb Hanie was there but couldn't practice (which is a stupid rule). I didn't see Gholston, Okoye, are Barber, but that doesn't mean they weren't there. The Bears have 30+ guys I've never heard of who won't make the team which made it more difficult then usual.

 

 

 

[AZ54]

One thing about these first few days, the coaches will get good looks at the UDFAs and other young guys before all the FAs join in.

[Ed Hochuli 3:16]

From what I've heard and seen, Cutler looks leaner with more muscle added.

 

It sounds like Forte is a monster now (looks like Adrian Peterson). Supposedly Knox and Hester have bulked up as well.

 

FWIW, DJ Moore has always been a great guy. I love that he's good at what he does and he's a good guy along with it.

[killakrzydav]

A nice article about Carmini and Saze

 

http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=8014