(670 The Score) With NFL training camps structured like never before amid this pandemic, the Bears and the rest of the league will be challenged to make the most of it.
The NFL regular season is set to open Sept. 10, with most of the league beginning Sept. 13. In the meantime, teams will be ramping up in a phased schedule that prohibits full-contact practices until at least Aug. 17 for the Bears and the majority of teams. This all follows a spring and summer in which offseason programs were conducted virtually instead of in team facilities and on practice fields.
Once the Bears do take the field, coach Matt Nagy wants it to feel as normal as possible.
"We're going to freaking get after it this training camp," Nagy said.
During this unprecedented period ahead of the regular season, there's plenty to follow with the Bears. Here are five storylines to watch.
Quarterback competition
When the Bears acquired veteran quarterback Nick Foles from the Jaguars in March, they hoped it could light a fire under incumbent starter Mitchell Trubisky.
That seems to be the case, as Trubisky has been speaking with confidence and operating as if he'll be the Bears' starter once again.
"There's just so much hard work that goes into it," Trubisky said Friday. "For people who write you off, it definitely motivates you in a way where you want to go out and play as best as you can. I'm definitely fired up."
Of course, the mindset is only part of the equation for Trubisky. After three years of inconsistent play, he simply must play better.
That starts now, as Trubisky, 25, needs to show a firmer grasp of Nagy's offense. He also needs to display cleaner mechanics, which has been an emphasis in his offseason.
Foles, 31, is entering the competition with a different perspective. He has been through position battles before and isn't sweating being put at a potential disadvantage with all preseason games canceled as he gets acclimated to his new team.
The Bears will ultimately decide their quarterback competition through their own practices and the structure created by Nagy and his staff.
"That's just the situation," Foles said. "The situation is what it is.
"I'm just doing everything I can, each day in the moment, to do the best I can to enjoy this and be the best player I can be."
Given the unique training camp format, it's worth wondering whether the Bears will have a clear winner in the competition ahead of their opener on Sept 13. Nagy has maintained he's confident in how he, offensive coordinator Bill Lazor and quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo have planned and structured the competition.
But if neither Trubisky or Foles truly emerges, the Bears may be forced to a selection of unavoidable bias -- for whichever quarterback that may be.
Welcome to the league, rookies
The Bears drafted tight end Cole Kmet and cornerback Jaylon Johnson in the second round in April with the hope they could fill starting roles as rookies.
Now, without a full offseason to get acclimated and without preseason games, Kmet, Johnson and each of the Bears' rookies face challenges to secure key roles.
Kmet impressed the Bears during his time at Notre Dame with the natural talent he brings to the Y tight end position. They recognized his ability both in the passing game and as a blocker.
The downside for Kmet is that he played just parts of two seasons as Notre Dame's top tight end, so he's facing a learning curve.
"There's always something that has to be developed," tight ends coach Clancy Barone said of Kmet in June. "That's going to be part of the fun of going through training camp, is I want to throw him in there and watch him compete. I don't think he'll have any trouble competing. That's in his DNA. But I think he has to be patient with himself."
By signing veteran tight end Demetrius Harris early in the offseason, the Bears have some security at the Y position if Kmet isn't ready to play a prominent role.
As for Johnson, there was always going to be competition for him at cornerback. The Bears signed 2016 first-round pick Artie Burns in March. Kevin Toliver is also an option at that position opposite of starter Kyle Fuller.
The Bears are also optimistic about late-round draft selections like outside linebacker Trevis Gipson and receiver Darnell Mooney, both of whom could find reps as rookies.
Bank open for A-Rob?
Bears general manager Ryan Pace prefers not to conduct contract business during the football season. Does that mean the clock is ticking to reach an extension with top receiver Allen Robinson?
Robinson, 26, is entering the final season of his three-year deal signed with the Bears in March 2018. He proved he's a top receiver in a strong 2019 season, posting 98 receptions for 1,147 yards and seven touchdowns.
Pace indicated the financial uncertainty of the NFL amid the pandemic won't prohibit the Bears from conducting their usual business.
"It's not going to prevent us from doing the things that we want to do," Pace said.
With that statement, the Bears and Robinson should be working toward a long-term deal.
A new voice
At the start of the offseason, Nagy and the Bears believed a change was needed for their offensive line.
So the Bears fired offensive line coach Harry Hiestand just days two after the regular season ended and then replaced him with veteran assistant Juan Castillo, whom Nagy worked with in Philadelphia at the start of his career.
The Bears return four of the five starters on an offensive line that struggled in 2019, with Germain Ifedi the lone newcomer as the expected starter at right guard.
Can Castillo bring out the best in the Bears' offensive line?
"My history with him goes way back, and I just know how he works," Nagy said. "I know how he thinks. And I have ultimate trust in how he's going to build what he wants to do with that offensive line. Fundamentally, he'll have a plan. Schematically, he'll have a plan. And then as a teacher and as a friend with those guys, he'll have a plan.
"From all areas, he's going to stress every one of those guys in the right way and teach them how to play the game and how to do it the right way. There's a big comfort there."
The Bears averaged just 3.7 yards per rushing attempt and 4.7 yards per play in 2019. A better offense begins up front, and that's where Castillo's impact must be felt.
Filling the voids on D
The Bears entered training camp hoping their defense could regain its 2018 level of dominance, even as they have voids to fill at cornerback and safety.
Then came the decision by nose tackle Eddie Goldman to opt out of playing this season. It created another key position to fill on defense.
The Bears don't have a natural successor to fill Goldman's place. The anchor of Chicago's defense since 2015, Goldman is one of the most irreplaceable players on the entire roster.
Veteran defensive lineman John Jenkins could potentially fill the role of space eater, allowing Akiem Hicks, Roy Robertson-Harris, Bilal Nichols and Brent Urban to continue their roles as defensive ends. However, Jenkins was recently placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, and it's unclear when he will return.
While Hicks would be the best talent to take over at nose tackle, the Bears are wary of losing his ability as a pass rusher out of the five-technique position. Tying him up with double teams doesn't bolster the pass rush as a whole.
At cornerback, the rookie Johnson has a battle against Burns and Toliver. The Bears would love to see the upside of either Johnson or Burns flash in that position battle.
Veteran Tashaun Gipson seems to be the favorite to line up at safety alongside Eddie Jackson, but the Bears have promised competition at that position too. Deon Bush should also be in the mix at safety.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
