As the Chicago Bears take part in their second week of organized team activities at Halas Hall, could they be laying groundwork for another major addition to the roster?
The Tribune’s Brad Biggs addresses that question and many more in this week’s Bears mailbag.
What is the upside of lowering this year’s cap number for Joe Thuney? If they don’t use that cap space this season, wouldn’t it be better to take that cap hit now? If they’re not using the space for Thuney, does this imply they are looking to add more salary? — @samolianssam
The Bears signed Thuney to a two-year, $35 million extension last week that puts the left guard under contract through 2027 at a total of $51 million. Thuney has $33.5 million fully guaranteed through the 2026 season, which effectively makes 2027 a team option at $17.5 million.
The way the deal was structured, Thuney’s salary-cap hit for this season went from $16 million (in the contract the Bears inherited from the Kansas City Chiefs) to $8 million. While some leaped to a conclusion that the savings hinted at a big move to follow, the Bears were pretty snug against the cap before the Thuney extension. Now they have $14.75 million in operating space, according to Over The Cap, which ranks 24th in the league. That provides the room to make a small addition to the roster and handle the necessary in-season moves due to injuries and such.
Yes, the Bears could add more space if required by adjusting other contracts, but I’m skeptical another big move (see: Trey Hendrickson) is coming. One way or another, they needed to free up some space and accomplished that with the Thuney extension.
Is Ben Johnson allowed to use the tush push if George McCaskey voted against it and thinks it’s dangerous? I’m seriously asking. — @canuckboy670am
Johnson was asked for his thoughts on the tush push last week after a bid to outlaw the play reportedly fell two votes shy at the NFL owners meeting.
“Does it become an explosive play ever?” Johnson said. “Have you ever seen a tush push become an explosive play? I like big plays, so I’m not a big tush push guy myself.”
The Philadelphia Eagles, who run the play more successfully than anyone, have had a couple of longer gains built off the play. They have a quarterback in Jalen Hurts with a physical profile and lower-body strength that are unmatched at the position. He can handle the physical dangers of the play and has the strength to push forward for an extra half-yard or yard when needed.
Who does what in the Chicago Bears organization? Here’s a breakdown.
One counter to Johnson’s remark is that moving the chains on a fourth-and-1 tush push provides the offense a fresh set of downs and more opportunities for explosive plays. There’s also nothing more explosive than a touchdown.
I don’t know what Johnson will cook up in short-yardage situations. Would he consider a tush push with tight end Cole Kmet, who is strong and potentially could execute the play? Just because the owner voted to outlaw the play doesn’t mean Johnson won’t consider it.
Terell Smith is an under-the-radar cornerback. Does his game fit the Dennis Allen scheme? — @djw4177
That’s a good question. I think the Bears viewed Smith as more of a zone-coverage cornerback when they selected him in the fifth round out of Minnesota in 2023. That doesn’t mean he lacks the tools to be a press corner. He has what you want in terms of a longer frame, reach and the physical strength to aggressively challenge wide receivers at the line of scrimmage. Smith measured 6-foot-0½ with 32 7/8-inch arms at the scouting combine. That doesn’t mean you want him locked in press coverage against Ja’Marr Chase or Justin Jefferson, but I think he has the tools to potentially fit the scheme.
Don’t get carried away thinking we’re going to see nothing but in-your-face man coverage by the secondary. Allen will mix in two-deep coverages and Cover-3, but when he wants to play man, you’ll see press coverage with aggressive technique by the cornerbacks.
Re: The enthusiasm over Ben Johnson. There was hype over Dave Wannstedt, Matt Nagy and even Marc Trestman. Also Flus, to some degree. All failed. Why should we believe Ben will be any better? — Mike W., Arizona
One thing Bears fans have a tendency to do — and I’m sure it happens everywhere — is believe that the previous coaches, along with packing their belongings, also took with them everything that ailed the franchise. All of the poor play calls, ineffective schemes, missed challenge opportunities, blown timeouts and failed leadership are tidily packed in a cardboard box and removed from Halas Hall. When a team is stuck in a series of failed rebuilding efforts, the problems never really exit. They repopulate like weeds in your front yard.
Should there be hope for Johnson and his new staff? Sure. The Bears landed arguably the most coveted candidate in this hiring cycle. I don’t think you can say that about previous hires, but it would be an error to say the other coaches didn’t have momentum toward landing a top job.
If the roster is more competitive than last year’s 5-12 record indicates — and the Bears surely are betting on that — there should be optimism they can field a more successful product in short order. They have a talented offensive mind to work with a talented young quarterback, plenty of skill-position players and an upgraded offensive line. That’s where belief should lie in Johnson and what he can bring to the table.
How many issues plaguing the organization were actually packed up and shipped out with Matt Eberflus and his staff, we’ll have to wait to find out.
Do you think the Bills or Dolphins training camp joint practice will be open to the public? — @michael16824439
That’s a good question and I don’t know the answer because the Bears haven’t finalized a training camp schedule. Instinct tells me they will schedule an open day for the public to at least one of the two joint practice sessions and possibly both.
Last year the Bears had nine camp practices open to the public, including a joint practice with the Cincinnati Bengals. Inclement weather forced them to cancel fan access that day, so they added an extra open day in an effort to accommodate those who missed out on the opportunity.
I’d expect the team to release a camp schedule in June. Remember, a free ticket is required for admission to camp practices.
How much of the offense will be the dreaded WR screen pass? I remember when John Lynch as a Buccaneers player called WR screens the “Bear Pass” and it seems no matter who calls plays for the Bears, it’s been called five or more times a game for 40 years. — @themanvic
I don’t recall Lynch saying that but it’s possible he did. The wide receiver screen is part of every NFL, college and high school offense. These days, wide receiver screens often are built into run-pass options (RPOs). That’s strictly a numbers thing. If you have numbers on the edge, the quarterback throws it. If the numbers aren’t there, hand it off. Like any other play, it still has to be executed. Miss a block at the point of attack — even with numbers — and it can look bad.
One pitfall the Bears got into last year, and maybe at times with Justin Fields as quarterback, is they tended to use wide receiver screens as an answer for pressure. They wanted the ball out of the quarterback’s hand as quickly as possible. That was a tendency defenses were able to pick up on pretty easily. Wide receiver screens will be a part of just about every package, and the Bears have three talented catch-and-run targets in DJ Moore, Luther Burden and Olamide Zaccheaus. They just can’t use the play as an answer for pressure over and over.
What year will the Bears play their first game in Arlington Heights? — Jerry F.
That’s impossible to answer at this point, but I suppose I can hazard a guess without knowing how the team will fare in Springfield in the final week of the spring legislative session. The Bears are seeking megaproject legislation that would allow them to negotiate with local governments over property tax bills, and there’s no way of telling how things will go this week. Simply put, the Bears need help from the state to put a move to Arlington Heights in motion.
At this point, my blind guess is that the earliest the Bears could play games in Arlington Heights would be the 2029 season.
What will happen to the Detroit Lions this year? Big test for Dan Campbell. — @terrydonahoe2
I won’t masquerade as an expert on the Lions, but it’s still Campbell’s team, culture and identity and nothing from that standpoint has changed. He picked new coordinators and assistant coaches who profile and will adapt to his identity. Campbell has been around the league for a long time, and while it’s a transition for sure to replace both coordinators, the Lions have something a lot of teams are seeking and that’s stability at the top. That’s because of Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes.
They also have some super-talented players who missed a lot of time because of injuries last season. Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson tops that list. As you know, the Lions just kept winning without them up until the playoff game against the Washington Commanders. The Lions are the pick to win the NFC North until someone beats them.
