LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The Chicago Bears kicked off organized team activities (OTAs) Tuesday at Halas Hall without middle linebacker D.J. Williams and cornerback Derrick Martin, who weren’t in attendance during the workout for undisclosed reasons.
In addition to the absences, four players were held out of Tuesday’s session in safeties Chris Conte and Craig Steltz along with defensive tackle Nate Collins and guard Matt Slauson. Slauson said there’s a chance he could miss even more time this offseason due to an undisclosed injury, adding that it’s “to be determined” whether he’ll participate in any of the club’s remaining OTAs.
“They want to make sure that I’m OK,” Slauson said. “I’ll be good to go for camp, maybe before. We’ll see.”
Asked about the specifics of his injury, Slauson declined to comment.
Conte, meanwhile, is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, and there’s a chance he may not be available for the start of training camp in July. Collins is still rehabilitating from surgery after tearing an ACL in his left knee last October.
It’s unknown why Steltz was held out of practice.
The team didn’t make any of the coaching staff available to the media after Tuesday’s workout, but it’s worth noting that OTAs are voluntary. Williams played in just six games last season and is coming off surgery to repair a torn left pectoral muscle tendon suffered on Oct. 10 during a win over the New York Giants.
In all, 21 teams around the league started OTAs on Tuesday.
