Tag: Matt Adams

3 causes for concern as Bears face the 49ers in Week 1

As the Bears prepare for the 49ers, there is plenty to be concerned about heading into Sunday’s game.

The Chicago Bears are gearing up for the start of the 2022 season, where they’re taking on the San Francisco 49ers at home in what appears to be the waning years of Soldier Field.

There are already concerns facing the roster, particularly given the new offensive and defensive schemes and the lack of depth or big-name players at any position.

As the Bears prepare for the 49ers, there is plenty to be concerned about heading into Sunday’s game.

Bears injury updates following preseason win vs. Seahawks

The Bears avoided injuries to their starters, but there were some injury updates following Thursday’s preseason win vs. Seahawks.

The Chicago Bears defeated the Seattle Seahawks 27-11 in their second preseason game. But they didn’t escape without some injuries.

While Chicago avoided injuries to their starters, there were some notable players who were banged up on Thursday night. Rookie running back Trestan Ebner, who had 9 carries for 29 yards, suffered an ankle injury in the first half that sidelined him for the remainder of the game.

Linebacker Matt Adams, who’s competing for the starting SAM linebacker job, suffered a shoulder injury that also kept him out of the game. Linebacker Caleb Johnson (knee) was also sidelined.

There were also some apparent injuries near the end of the game as rookie cornerback Jaylon Jones and defensive end Charles Snowden went out with apparent injuries. But there weren’t any updates provided.

One injury that didn’t happen in the game but bears monitoring is fullback Khari Blasingame, who was spotted in a cast on the sideline.

While players who returned to practice made their preseason debuts, including tight end Cole Kmet, there were others who were held out Thursday. That includes running back David Montgomery, cornerback Kindle Vildor, defensive tackle Justin Jones and defensive lineman Mario Edwards. Rookie safety Jaquan Brisker was also held out with an undisclosed injury.

The Bears return to the practice field Saturday for their final open practice of training camp.

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Bears LB Matt Adams questionable to return with shoulder injury

Bears LB Matt Adams suffered a shoulder injury against the Seahawks. His return is questionable.

Bears linebacker Matt Adams suffered a shoulder injury in the first quarter of Thursday’s preseason game against the Seahawks. His return is questionable.

With Roquan Smith in the middle of a “hold in,” Adams has been filling in at weak-side linebacker. Adams, who previously played with Matt Eberflus in Indianapolis, can play all linebacker positions. But he’s someone who’s been pegged as a potential starting strong-side linebacker.

Outside of Smith and Nicholas Morrow, there are questions about the depth at linebacker. Chicago did have some standouts in their preseason opener in Jack Sanborn and DeMarquis Gates, who are two players who should benefit from extended playing time.

The Bears lead the Seahawks 3-0 in the first quarter.

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Bears roster bubble: Which players helped or hurt their cause in Week 1

Following the Bears’ Week 1 preseason win, here’s a look at which roster-bubble players impressed and disappointed vs. Chiefs.

The Chicago Bears opened the preseason with a 19-14 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, where there were plenty of players who stood out — either in a good way or bad way.

With the first roster cuts set for Tuesday — where GM Ryan Poles will have to trim the roster from 90 to 85 — there were a handful of players who helped their chances of competing for a spot on the 53-man roster with strong preseason outings against the Chiefs. And there were others who might’ve hurt their chances.

Following Chicago’s Week 1 preseason win, here’s a look at which roster-bubble players helped or hurt their cause.

10 takeaways from the second week of Bears training camp

The Bears have two weeks of training camp in the books. Here’s what we learned from the last few practices.

The Chicago Bears have concluded their second week of training camp practice at Halas Hall, where the pads finally came on and the intensity was kicked up a notch.

There was plenty to take in from the second week of practice, including the offense still needing work, some development along the offensive line and an influx of injuries.

The Bears return to the practice field on Tuesday for Family Fest, where they’ll hold three straight practices before their preseason opener against the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday.

But before we look ahead to the third week of practice, here’s what we learned after Chicago’s second week of training camp:

WATCH: Bears press conferences from 10th training camp practice

The Bears returned to Halas Hall for their 10th practice of training camp, where Alan Williams, Trevis Gipson and more met with the media.

The Chicago Bears returned to the practice field for a lighter, non-padded workout on Sunday. Unfortunately, practice was closed to fans and moved inside due to inclement weather.

There were plenty of storylines from Day 10, which included more developments along the offensive line and cornerback. Offensive tackle Teven Jenkins practiced more after being limited on Saturday, and the battle for the SAM linebacker role has come down to Matt Adams and Joe Thomas.

Here’s a look at the press conferences following the Bears’ 10th practice, which included defensive coordinator Alan Williams, defensive end Trevis Gipson, linebacker Matt Adams and fullback Khari Blasingame.

DC Alan Williams

DE Trevis Gipson

LB Matt Adams

FB Khari Blasingame

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Bear Necessities: Matt Adams, Joe Thomas battling at SAM linebacker

Bears veterans Matt Adams and Joe Thomas have been two standouts during training camp, and they’re competing for the SAM linebacker job.

This is our online morning newsletter, Bear Necessities. Subscribe to get the latest Bears news delivered to your mailbox every day.

The Chicago Bears have a battle brewing at linebacker between Matt Adams and Joe Thomas, who are competing for playing time and reps.

Defensive coordinator Alan Williams praised the play of both Adams and Thomas, who have been standouts through the first couple of weeks. Adams comes to Chicago with a knowledge of Matt Eberflus’ defense during his time with the Indianapolis Colts. Meanwhile, Thomas has excelled taking the ball away through these first 10 practices.

“I heard Nick [Morrow] mention the other day in his [press] conference he said the reason why Matt’s here is because he understands the defense, because he plays with high tempo, because he’s physical,” Williams said. “And then Thomas, he stands out because he’s leading the group in turnovers. We keep track of how many guys have intercepted the ball, how many balls you’ve knocked out, how many scoop and scores and he’s leading the group. So those two guys are standouts right now.”

Roquan Smith remains on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list since the start of camp, and he remains locked in a contract dispute. While there’s no doubt Smith will be the starter at weak-side linebacker when he returns, there’s been some shake-up in his absence.

Adams has been taking reps at weak-side linebacker with Nicholas Morrow in the middle. Thomas has been on the strong side, but the expectation is Adams will move to the strong-side role once Smith returns.

“Whoever you have, you gotta play with whoever you have and that’s reality in the NFL,” Williams said. “If you spend your entire time thinking about what you don’t have instead of what you do have solving in terms of what you do have, you’ll be behind the eight ball,” Williams said. “And that’s not what we’re gonna do and we’re not gonna make excuses and reasons why we can’t. We’re gonna find reasons why we can.”

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Report: Bears LB Matt Adams arrested for gun possession

According to TMZ, Bears LB Matt Adams was arrested for gun possession on Thursday.

Linebacker Matt Adams’ tenure with the Chicago Bears isn’t off to a good start.

According to TMZ, Adams was arrested for gun possession on Thursday after police spotted him near a Jeep that was reported stolen. When the police searched the vehicle, which Adams claimed to have bought, they found a loaded handgun and extended magazine.

Per TMZ, Adams had a permit for the gun, but it wasn’t issued by the state of Illinois. Adams previously played for the Indianapolis Colts.

Adams signed a one-year deal with the Bears this offseason, where he followed former Colts defensive coordinator and new Bears head coach Matt Eberflus to Chicago. Adams is among those competing for a starting job alongside Roquan Smith and Nicholas Morrow.

Adams is the second Bears player to be arrested this offseason. Wide receiver  Byron Pringle was arrested for reckless driving with a suspended license back in late April.

At the time of this article, the Bears have yet to comment on the incident.