Bear Digest

True Cinderella Story Bill Murray Praised by Matt Eberflus

Tracking the Bears at Camp: Unsung players have chance for playing time in the first preseason game including their reserve right guard with a famous name, as starter Nate Davis is injured.

Gene Chamberlain

Bears fans at Halas Hall training camp line up for autographs after practice this week.
Bears fans at Halas Hall training camp line up for autographs after practice this week. / David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
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OK, it had to be said.

Apparently Bears coach Matt Eberflus appreciates a good "Cinderella story."

Who could have expected Eberflus would be talking about Bill Murray after Tuesday's practice?

That's Bears guard Bill Murray and not the comedic actor of Caddyshack, Ghostbusters, Stripes and Saturday Night Live fame.

The Bears offensive line is suffering through a bit of a physical mess, as usual. Starting right guard Nate Davis missed practice again on Tuesday and the Bears used starting center candidate Ryan Bates there with Coleman Shelton playing center.

In Thursday's preseason opener, they could get a long look at Murray, and that's not Carl Spackler the groundskeeper at Bushwood but their own 6-foot-4, 307-pound practice squad guard from last year. The former William & Mary player was with New England's practice squad in 2022 and got into one game then.

"Bill Murray has had a really good camp so far," coach Matt Eberflus said after Tuesday's practice. "Just naming one guy but he has done a really nice job. Done a nice job in pass pro. He's learning it.

"He's got the athletic ability to get it done. Never put a ceiling on any player. We're excited to see him play too."

Murray is a former defensive tackle who converted in the NFL to guard.

They could look at him at right guard against Houston in the Hall of Fame Game.

There are several other players who have caught the attention of coaches in recent practices, and continued to be rewarded Tuesday with playing time with the first or second team.

Slot cornerback Reddy Steward was one of those. He did get burned by wide receiver Rome Odunze on a 13-yard pass completion to start a two-minute drive to a touchdown. Steward is competing with Greg Stroman and Josh Blackwell for a secondary spot behind Kyler Gordon.

Hall Visit

The Bears are in Canton and so they'll be visiting the Hall of Fame when three former Bears are enshrined: Devin Hester, Steve McMichael and also Julius Peppers. They plan to take a bus to meet up with Hester, Bears Hall of Famer tackle Jimbo Covert and Hall of Fame defensive end Richard Dent, the Super Bowl XX MVP.

"A couple of other guys are hopefully going to be there," Eberflus said. "We're going to meet with those guys before and hang out with those guys for a while and then we're going to tour the Hall that evening and then get back to the hotel after that. It's going to be exciting. Our guys are excited about it. And it's going to be fun."

It's a celebration of the 1985 Bears and also the 2006 Bears with Peppers and Hester going in. The 2006 team now has three Hall of Fame players, including Brian Urlacher. The 1985 team has five who have Super Bowl XX rings: Walter Payton, Dan Hampton, Mike Singletary, Covert and McMichael.

"I have a lot of good friends that played on both teams that were really good year and it's exciting to talk to those guys because you understand the work ethic, the passion, the togetherness, how they came together as a team and that's always exciting," Eberflus said. "And I ask a lot of questions to those guys and I glean a lot of information, a lot of wisdom from those championship teams. That's what I hope our players will take away too."

The 2006 team won the NFC championship, not Super Bowl XLI.

Lining Up

Wide receiver Nsimba Webster has returned to practice and made a reception in Tuesday's scrimmage. ... Gordon remains out with an injury. ... Gerald Everett was down on the turf for a minute after going down while chasing a pass but was able to walk off the field later.

Health Check

Rookie third-round pick Kiran Amegadjie remains out of sight and mind for now as he rehabs from his quad injury suffered in college last year.

"All that I have is he's progressing well," Eberflus said. "I don't have more than that. I know he's feeling good. I don’t have percentages or when (he'll practice)."

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.