Strongside Linebacker Battle Still to Come

Bears coach Matt Eberflus likes the big plays being made by rookie strongside linebacker Noah Sewell but says injured Jack Sanborn will have his shot.

Jack Sanborn will have his day even if he remains one of three injured Bears starters still missing practices at minicamp.

The second-year undrafted free agent from Wisconsin and Lake Zurich hasn't practiced this offseason after a December ankle injury, and while he's been away other players after his strongside linebacker job seemed to gain ground.

Bears coach Matt Eberflus applied the brakes to the Noah Sewell momentum train on Tuesday even as the Oregon rookie continued being around the football as he has all offseason. Sewell and Dylan Cole are the competitors for Sanborn on the strongside.

"We'll see where he goes," coach Matt Eberflus said about Sewell. "With rookies, it's always 'know what to do first.' So he knows his assignment so he can do it fast. He's getting better at it. We love his instincts. He's a very instinctual player.

"And so is Jack. Jack is a very instinctual player, plays multiple positions for us. But Jack will be the starter there going into it (training camp) and then we'll see what Noah can do to press him."

Sewell could have more of a shot because Sanborn hasn't actually been a Bears strongside linebacker. He played middle last year as a rookie after Roquan Smith was traded, and Nick Morrow moved positions to replace Smith at weakside.

Bears linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi during OTAs pointed out how Sewell had three interceptions. He very nearly had another in Tuesday's minicamp inside the Payton Center because of the rain. Sewell, who had the great majority of reps with the first team defense as strongside on Tuesday, had a pick-6 in his hands in the open field but dropped it.

Still, he was around the ball. Considering Sanborn's knack for making plays at times last year, it could make for an interesting battle.

Two Minutes to Nowhere

A two-minute drill by the first team against second- and third-team defensive players flopped on downs short of midfield and it happened largely because Terrell Lewis beat rookie tackle Darnell Wright and the right side of the Bears line in a three-man pass rush for what was ruled a sack. Justin Fields isn't actually tackled but couldn't get a target located by the time Lewis made it there.

Lewis was an edge linebacker with the Rams and is playing as a defensive end with the Bears, lining up on the edge and working with the defensive linemen in practice. He's a former Alabama player with great potential at one time but injuries derailed him throughout his career and the Bears signed him late last year.

"Yeah, I think he can do that," coach Matt Eberflus said. "I really think that's what his trait is, is his ability to get off on the football and rush the passer.

"We'll see how far it goes during training camp and see how far he goes with it."

The Bears could definitely use any type of help they can get at edge rusher.

On the Flip Side

So is there reason to worry about the Bears' pass blocking after that one play?

It's not really pass blocking or any other kind of blocking during OTAs and minicamp. They don't really hit as much as they get in the other guy's way.

"It's always hard when you have no pads on," Eberflus said. "That's why we don't do a lot of full-run periods this time of year. We've kind of adjusted that from last year, and it's also hard to pass pro(tect) when you don't have pads on.

"There's no broad-based surface of pads to block, so it's definitely difficult for the offensive line to be able to do that."

Lining Up

Another rookie, cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, had the majority of reps at left side cornerback, but there was some flipping with Jaylon Johnson going to the right side. It's possible something like this can signify the Bears haven't given up on using Johnson occasionally to cover the opponent's best defender. ... Lucas Patrick had some snaps with the first team at center, although Cody Whitehair had the majority of them. "Cody's there as the starter right now and Lucas is working in there because of experience," Eberflus said. "He's done that. Really the big thing with those guys is the accuracy of the snaps, and they've done a great job with that. It's not just in the team periods, it's also in individual." ... The starting defensive line began reflecting more experience as Rasheem Green lined up at left end and DeMarcus Walker at right end. Trevis Gipson and Dominique Robinson rotated in, as well, but the two free agent acquisitions were in the predominant roles.

Deep Thoughts

The Bears tested out Fields' arm deep at times, as well as backup PJ Walker's. Although DJ Moore didn't come down with one of those long passes, speedy rookie receiver Tyler Scott did get behind the defense for one deep catch of a Walker throw. On the very next play, Walker threw a long one on a very similar route to Velus Jones Jr. and he had the defender beat but the ball lacked loft like the one to Scott and fell incomplete. ... The best deep play of the day was Dante Pettis' deep catch along the right sidelines thrown by Fields. Johnson had blanketed Pettis but Fields put it in the hands of his receiver as if he was making a handoff and not throwing 35 yards downfield. 

Ballhawks

Kyler Gordon made an interception, while Trevis Gipson came up with a ball poked away from running back Travis Homer on a wide receiver screen.

Familiar Footing

Guard Nate Davis missed the first two weeks for personal reasons but has been at the end of OTAs and minicamp, and it's easier for him to adjust to a new team since he played in a very similar scheme with Tennessee.

"It definitely helps out, and also staying in communication with the coaches and making sure that I’m on top of the studying part, too, because there’s always going to be little tweaks here and there," he said. "But it definitely helps out being in a similar type of offense for sure."

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