Tag: Matt Eberflus

Bears coach Matt Eberflus challenged a clear Stefon Diggs catch despite seeing it happen right in front of him

Bears coach Matt Eberflus should probably get an eye test.

In a battle between Caleb Williams and C.J. Stroud on Sunday night, the Chicago Bears had their work cut out for them against the Houston Texans. Whereas Houston has Super Bowl 59 expectations, the Bears are just hoping that Williams shows positive momentum and keeps them competitive all year during his rookie season.

In what might end up being a tight back-and-forth battle, Matt Eberflus will want to walk back a key challenge decision.

Early in the second quarter, Stefon Diggs caught a long dime pass from Stroud near the Bears’ sideline. It happened to be right in front of Eberflus, who had a perfect opportunity to watch Diggs get both feet in bounds. It would’ve been silly to waste a challenge and timeout on an obvious catch at that moment.

Yet, that’s what Eberflus did. C’mon, man.

The Bears lost the challenge because, you know, duh. And it hurts a lot more knowing their coach used it despite seeing the play with his own eyes, mere feet away.

Vibes around Bears HC Matt Eberflus are different now

The Bears made the choice to keep Matt Eberflus as the head coach. It seems like that is a decision that fans are okay with, for now.

Last season, it seemed like there would be no chance that Matt Eberflus would return to the Chicago Bears as their head coach in 2024. He didn’t have the best reputation early because the team did a lot of losing in his first two seasons. It certainly wasn’t all on him as the roster was in shambles, which made it hard to win.

Eberflus didn’t do a good job with the media, which made people wonder about his ability to lead this franchise. The Bears had a strong end to the 2023 season, which cooled the seat down just a tad. But then there was an all-time great coaching free-agent class available. Still, Chicago stuck to their plan and didn’t fire Eberflus just to pursue a big name.

Now, over the last few months, we’ve seen a different Matt Eberflus. Not only did he change his overall look, but he also changed the way he approached the media and coaching in general. There’s a completely new vibe that surrounds him.

It is also very clear that general manager Ryan Poles, who has done a great job since taking over, loves Eberflus. He wants to win with him, and you have to respect Poles for going with his guy no matter what others think.

But the pressure isn’t off Eberflus just because he got the backing of his GM this offseason. Eberflus needs to win football games in 2024, and he’s set up to do so. A rookie QB is coming in, but he is one that they can win with. The tools are there for Caleb Williams to score big-time points with a great defense backing him up. If they don’t hit the ground running, Eberflus’s seat will start to warm up again.

Nobody wants this guy to fail. Players, coaches, fans, and local media all want to see the Bears win. With Eberflus coming in with a whole new feel, it is fair to give him the chance he deserves with a good roster to coach up.

Bears 2024 minicamp Day 3: Braxton Jones, Nate Davis among those not practicing

The Bears wrapped up their mandatory minicamp on Thursday with a handful of players not participating in team activities.

Mandatory minicamp is officially over for the Chicago Bears as they completed their third and final practice of the week. The Bears had a shorter and lighter practice on Thursday before the veterans break before the summer. A handful of players did not take part in team activities on the field, however.

Offensive tackles Braxton Jones and Kiran Amegadjie and wide receivers Tyler Scott and Dante Pettis missed practice for a second day in a row. Guard Nate Davis was also not participating for the second time this week. Others who were out include cornerback Kyler Gordon, defensive end Austin Booker, and wide receiver Collin Johnson. Bear Report’s Zack Pearson indicates Jones and Gordon were not present at all, while the others were not participating.

Though there were quite a few players not available, head coach Matt Eberflus continued to say it was just precautionary. The Bears veterans won’t be back on the field until sometime in mid-July, while the rookies will take part in one more organized team activity (OTA) next week.

Bears facing uncertainty at right guard amid Nate Davis concerns

Matt Eberflus sounded unsure about how the Bears starting right guard job will shake out amid questions about Nate Davis.

The Chicago Bears are facing questions along the interior offensive that extend beyond the competition at center between newcomers Ryan Bates and Coleman Shelton.

At the center of those concerns is guard Nate Davis, who signed a three-year, $30 million deal last offseason to serve as the team’s starting right guard. But it’s been anything but smooth sailing for the veteran.

Davis, who played in just 11 games in 2023, has been a spectator this offseason during OTAs. But he was back at practice, in limited capacity, on Wednesday as he ramps up after missing OTAs.

This offseason, Davis, Bates and Matt Pryor have split reps at right guard as the team has had to pivot in Davis’ absence. While those opportunities provide flexibility along the offensive line, the frustrating aspect is the Bears paid Davis handsomely, while also forcing another position change on Teven Jenkins.

Bears coach Matt Eberflus said the expectation is Davis will be the team’s starting right guard this season and believes he’ll be ready to go for training camp. But Eberflus didn’t exactly sound confident about how the right guard position will shake out.

“Yeah, don’t know yet,” he said Wednesday. “I really don’t know. We’ll see. We’ll see how it goes. I’m just thinking through my head a bunch of multiple combinations. I really don’t know exactly. Sure, we had Bates there. He’s played there. Shelton has played at center, of course. Davis has played there. (Jenkins) has been on the other side. Pryor has been in and been out. The versatility there has certainly been helpful. Ryan (Poles) did a really good job of having those pieces in there so we don’t like last year or prior years, you know, a guy goes down and we’re like, ‘Oh, what are we going to do?’ At least we have that flexibility at the O-line position.”

At this point, it sounds like the only positions solidified along the offensive line are left tackle Braxton Jones, left guard Teven Jenkins and right tackle Darnell Wright.

Bears 2024 minicamp Day 2: Cole Kmet, Braxton Jones held out of practice

The Bears completed their second minicamp practice, but two starters on offense did not participate.

Day 2 of mandatory minicamp is in the books for the Chicago Bears, and a few prominent veterans on offense who were out there on Tuesday did not practice on Wednesday.

Tight end Cole Kmet and offensive tackle Braxton Jones were held out of practice on Wednesday. Other players who did not participate include wide receivers Tyler Scott and Dante Pettis and offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie, according to NBC Sports Chicago’s Josh Schrock.

Though Kmet and Jones did not practice, head coach Matt Eberflus said there was no cause for concern as both players were held out for precautionary reasons. “Today, you saw that Cole and Braxton didn’t practice; again, that’s just precautionary,” Eberflus told reporters after practice. “When guys feel a certain way, certain thing, they get with the trainers; just work on that so they can get ready for summer conditioning because that’s coming up here pretty shortly.”

According to CHGO’s Adam Hoge, Kmet got banged up during Tuesday’s practice but still finished the session. Kmet made a nice leaping catch in the middle of the field on a pass from quarterback Caleb Williams during that practice.

Though some players were out, there was good news regarding defensive end Montez Sweat and guard Nate Davis. Both players returned to team drills after they sat out during Tuesday’s practice.

The Bears have just one more day of minicamp before they depart Halas Hall for an extended period of time.

Bears 2024 minicamp: Montez Sweat not practicing in team drills on Day 1

The Bears had perfect attendance to start their mandatory minicamp, but not everyone took part in practice.

The Chicago Bears began their mandatory minicamp on Monday by hitting the field for their first of three practices this week at Halas Hall. The team had perfect attendance, which included the return of veterans such as wide receiver Keenan Allen and cornerback Jaylon Johnson. But not everyone was able to participate on the practice field.

Defensive end Montez Sweat, who also missed voluntary workouts, did not take part in team practice. Fortunately, he was held out only as a precautionary measure as the team evaluates his conditioning level.

“We are checking on Sweat a little bit because we haven’t seen him in physical activity,” head coach Matt Eberflus told the media after practice. “He was in the building for the other stuff, but he’ll hopefully ramp up tomorrow and get some more team reps in there as we go.”

It sure sounds like the Pro Bowl defensive end will be on the field sooner rather than later and that there are no lingering issues that would prevent him from taking part in team drills. The same can’t be said for guard Nate Davis, however.

Davis was the other non-participant on Tuesday, who also did not participate during OTAs either. There was no reason given for his absence.

The Bears will be back on the field Wednesday and Thursday before they take one final break prior to training camp.

Bears HC Matt Eberflus hails D’Andre Swift as ‘weapon back’

The Bears have no shortage of playmakers on offense, including RB D’Andre Swift, who Matt Eberflus will be key to the offense’s success.

The Chicago Bears have no shortage of playmakers on their roster, including one of the league’s best receiver trios featuring DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze.

But one of the more underrated playmakers on the roster is running back D’Andre Swift, who signed a three-year deal with Chicago this offseason.

Swift is coming off a career year with the Eagles, where he rushed for 1,049 yards with 4.6 yards per carry and five touchdowns. He also provided a threat as a pass catcher, hauling in 39 catches for 214 yards and a score. Swift earned his first career Pro Bowl nod in 2023.

Bears head coach Matt Eberflus sang Swift’s praises as an all-around weapon out of the backfield.

“He’s very quick,” Eberflus said of Swift. “He’s a weapon out of the backfield, which is outstanding for our passing game, and it’s going to create some mismatches for us. He can do a lot of things from the backfield. He can split them out wide and run the full route tree. He’s exciting to watch.

“Just a weapon back. We really needed that guy that can really operate on third down and even on first and second down to be a weapon in the deep part of the field and the short part of the field and be able to take it the distance. He’s got a lot of gas.”

Swift will be the featured back in a running back group that also features Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson, who have both shown an ability to be playmakers.

While the Bears have a plethora of receiving talent — between receivers Moore, Allen and Odunze and tight ends Cole Kmet and Gerald Everertt — a productive run game will be key to the offense’s success. Having a dynamic running back like Swift, both as a runner and receiver, will also be benefical for rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.

Bears’ front office make statements about being on Hard Knocks

The Chicago Bears front office released statements about being featured on HBO’s Hard Knocks this summer.

Earlier this week, the Chicago Bears were announced as the team that will be featured on HBO’s Hard Knocks. A couple of other teams will be featured in other variations of the show but the series that takes place during training camp and preseason is the big one. This is an exciting time for Chicago Bears fans.

Although fans may like it, there is usually some negativity surrounding it from players, coaches, and executives. It could add an element of distraction and the Bears have a rookie quarterback coming in who will try to turn this franchise into a winner with his play. They would like to make sure that his first NFL training camp goes well.

After learning of the news, we heard from team president and CEO Kevin Warren, GM Ryan Poles, and head coach Matt Eberflus via the Chicago Bears website. They all made positive comments about the series and the team being featured. Poles and Warren specifically, commented on the excitement about the experience with Hard Knocks, while Eberflus went right into how excited the team is to get going with this very important season.

Warren:

“Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears will provide our passionate fans across the world the ability to experience this unique and critical time in the history of our franchise.”

Poles:

“The 2024 training camp will be big for us in preparation for achieving our season goals and we look forward to bringing the fans at home along for the journey.”

Eberflus:

“Our players, coaches, and staff are excited to continue the process of building for the 2024 season.”

Noticeably absent from the statements was chairman George McCaskey, who has been against having the series for a long time. He and the Bears couldn’t escape it this year, though. Of the eligible teams who could be forced to do the program this year, which consisted of the Denver Broncos and New Orleans Saints, the Bears were the most compelling by far. McCaskey probably knows that but doesn’t like it.

The NFL is an entertainment business and the Bears will provide plenty of it. With many new players coming in, including two first-round talents, the team has a lot of intrigue. It is nice to hear a couple of Bears executives speak highly of it as they are confident that it will be a good thing for the franchise and the fans. 2024 is a big year for the Bears.

Bears OTAs: Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, Jaquan Brisker among players absent for Friday’s practice

The Bears held their sixth and final OTA practice on Friday. Here are the players who were not present or did not practice.

The Chicago Bears wrapped up their sixth and final day of voluntary organized team activities (OTAs) on Friday. It was the second practice open to the media, giving those in attendance a chance to see how the team has improved from last week. As is the case for voluntary practices, though, there were a few notable players absent from Friday’s session—including much of the starting secondary.

Cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon and safeties Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard were not present. Wide receiver Keenan Allen and defensive end Montez Sweat, who missed last Thursday’s practice, were also absent once again.

Meanwhile, guard Nate Davis, defensive end DeMarcus Walker, and linebacker TJ Edwards were at practice but did not participate. Guard Teven Jenkins did not participate in team drills, according to NBC Sports Chicago’s Josh Schrock.

With much of the starting secondary missing, the offense was able to capitalize with a strong practice. According to The Athletic’s Adam Jahns, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams completed 13 of 15 passes in 7-on-7 against the first-string defense. It was a strong day for the young signal caller, as he was able to bounce back from a rough outing last week.

As for why players like Johnson and Gordon were absent, head coach Matt Eberflus declined to go into specifics, but it is worth noting that Johnson has a charity outing for his foundation, “Kevvy’s Vision,” this weekend in California, per The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain. Eberflus expects everyone to be back next week, however, when mandatory minicamp gets underway. Those practices take place June 4–6.

Bears HC Matt Eberflus must get wins in the early stages of 2024 season

Matt Eberflus could find himself on the hot seat if the Bears don’t get off to a strong start.

Somehow, Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus survived the largest coaching purge in the history of the NFL. There was an all-time free-agent coaching class in the early stages of the offseason, and general manager Ryan Poles opted to stick with the only guy he’s ever hired for the job.

Halfway through the 2023 season, it seemed like there would be no chance that Eberflus would be the coach in 2024. He made a lot of bad decisions, and the way he sounded talking to the media made it feel like he was in way over his head.

However, once the defense added edge rusher Montez Sweat, things started to change. The unit looked like how Eberflus wanted it to look, and the team started to win more football games. They ultimately finished 7-10. Instead of firing Eberflus, Poles believes that he can be the guy that gets this team over the hump.

Eberflus now has a new haircut and swagger, and he’s looking good. None of that will matter unless he starts to win football games at a higher rate. The Bears have never fired a coach in the middle of the season over their century-long history. Eberflus may be the first if he has a bad start.

It is hard to think of a coach who will get a hotter seat quicker than Eberflus if Chicago gets off to a bad start. Winning in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans is important but playing well from that point on is a must for Eberflus. He has the tools on the roster to lead a great football team, it’s on him to go out there and perform as a top head coach in the league.