Chicago Bears training camp 2020 is over, so what do we know?

With the Chicago Bears limiting what the media can report on, and with training camp practices not open to the public, we really don’t know a damn thing...

But I’ll go over the recent news and camp buzz we’ve picked up on as the Bears have concluded their training camp for this year.

Offense

When it comes to the Nick Foles vs Mitchell Trubisky battle for the starting quarterback job, head coach Matt Nagy said the team isn’t ready to name a starter yet, but they will pour over all the practice film this weekend and make a decision soon.

“It’s not easy. It’s not clear cut. We feel really good about both of them,” Nagy said today from Halas Hall. He also said that the entire organization is pleased with both quarterbacks.

With the Bears set to open the season in 11 days against the Detroit Lions, Nagy said they will probably have a QB1 announced by Wednesday of next week.

The running back room took a hit recently when starter David Montgomery went down with a groin injury, but Nagy said the team has no plans to add another veteran to the mix. When asked about free agent Leonard Fournette, Nagy said they’re “very comfortable with where we’re at with our running back room.”

Do it all Cordarrelle Patterson seems to be a full time tailback now, but he’ll still line up at receiver on occasion and he’ll continue to play on special teams.

Running back Ryan Nall met the media today and he sounded confident that the run game would be better than a year ago. “The difference between this year and last year is that we’re not going to get away from it. We’re going to continue to harp on it and pound and pound and pound.”

Nall also said he’s willing to help out the team where ever he can, and indicated he can line up at fullback. There were some reports that Nall was playing some H-Back (fullback) during camp, and Nagy said he was confident in Nall as both a running back and special teamer.

At wide receiver, Nagy said that Anthony Miller “might have had the best training camp of a lot of players on this team.” Miller had a slower start to camp after rehabbing from his shoulder surgery, but he’s been a full participant at practice of late.

Allen Robinson has also been practicing in full after a few days off with a slight ankle injury. Also, there’s still no movement on a contract extension.

Rookie wide out Darnell Mooney was getting some buzz from the beat reporters and coaches during camp — he did spend some time working with the ones — and his place on the roster would seem secure.

The entire tight end group has shined which should help Bears fans get over that craptastic collection that didn’t do much in 2019. Their top three of Jimmy Graham, Demetrius Harris, and rookie Cole Kmet should lead to Nagy getting back to what he wants to do offensively.

The offensive line hasn’t mad much buzz around them in either a positive or negative way, but it would seem that the right guard spot was won by Germain Ifedi, and the beat guys all love o-line coach Juan Castillo.

Swing tackle Jason Spriggs is nursing a minor injury and second year pro Alex Bars has spent some time at tackle.

Special teams

At kicker, there is some buzz that the newly acquired Cairo Santos is going to get the nod for week one, which would leave Eddy Pineiro a likely practice squad candidate. Nagy said they want to have two kickers this year just in case and with the size of practice squads increased that makes sense.

Defense

We have no clarification on the two spots up for grabs on defense, but in reading the tea leaves it seems to be rookie Jaylon Johnson leading for the corner opposite Kyle Fuller. He’s had some buzz around him as he’s amped up his participation, so if his shoulder is ful go, I think he could be the starter.

At safety, both Tashaun Gipson and Deon Bush are in the mix to start with Eddie Jackson, and so far neither has distanced themselves from the other (as far as we know).

Rookie corner Kindle Vildor has been working at nickel and at outside corner during camp.

Outside linebacker Robert Quinn was brought along slowly, but when the media had a chance to watch him rush the passer they were impressed.

Khalil Mack also received plenty of buzz all offseason from the coaches and guys on the beat. He’s on a mission.

In Robert Schmitz’s latest Bear With Me Podcast on the WCG Podcast Channel, Zack Pearson from The Bear Report said that he’s been impressed with outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo.

Roquan Smith met the media today and he said that even though this offseason has been thrown out of whack with so much team related stuff being cancelled, that he had his best offseason in terms of working out and getting ready for the season. “I’m very excited. I got a lot to prove. Definitely have a chip on my shoulder. I’m just excited to showcase.”

Akiem Hicks missed some time with an injury, but the coaches maintain it’s nothing serious.

Roy Robertson-Harris has been mentioned by a few beat writers as a guy that has had a nice camp. The soon to be free agent will be looking for a big payday in 2021.

Bilal Nichols was working some with the ones at nose tackle in place of Eddie Goldman who opted out of the 2020 season.

Matt Nagy also said that he wouldn’t speak about injuries until the team is mandated to do so, which is the week prior to their season opener, so on Wednesday, September 9 the Bears will put out their first official injury report of the year.