The Chicago Bears open rookie minicamp at Halas Hall on Friday. Here are five storylines to watch over the next three days.
1. Coordinators speak: New offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains is scheduled on Friday to take questions from reporters for the first time since John Fox promoted him exactly four months ago. Veteran defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is supposed to talk on Saturday. There is much to discuss with both men, but Fangio spoke every week during the 2015 season. Loggains, on the other hand, is still a relative unknown -- Loggains spoke publicly roughly two-to-three times when he coached quarterbacks. Can Loggains maintain Jay Cutler's level of play? Is Jeremy Langford ready to replace Matt Forte? What’s the status of Kevin White? How much does the team miss Alshon Jeffery during voluntary workouts? How much will the offense change? Fangio will no doubt be asked why he felt so strongly about ninth overall pick Leonard Floyd in the pre-draft process.
2. First-rounder: Speaking of Floyd, this weekend’s rookie minicamp allows us to watch him run around for three practices. But remember, rookie minicamp is not real football. Most players look good in shorts and helmets. It’s an entirely different story when the pads go on in the preseason. Still, Floyd is supposed to have exceptional speed and bend, so maybe those traits will stick out during drills run by the coaching staff. The real issue for Floyd is whether he can sack the quarterback. We won’t find that out at rookie minicamp, but Floyd can still make a good impression.
3. Future starter? General manager Ryan Pace said he envisions second-round pick Cody Whitehair at guard for the Bears. But Whitehair also played left tackle at Kanas State. Maybe he can even line up at center. The possibilities are intriguing. Regardless of where he plays, Whitehair has to eventually start. You don’t take a guard in Round 2 and have him sit on the bench. Rookie minicamp is a good setting for the Bears to experiment with multiple players, including Whitehair.
4. Turnovers: The biggest reason rookie minicamp is so painful to watch is because the quarterbacks usually stink. Matt Blanchard, who attended Chicago’s rookie minicamp on a tryout basis several years ago, looked like a Hall of Famer compared to the competition. Sometimes experienced quarterbacks (David Fales) help out in the rookie camp. Their assistance and accuracy is greatly appreciated. But rookie minicamp is still littered with errant passes. So a real opportunity exists for drafted defensive backs Deon Bush, Deiondre' Hall and Deandre Houston-Carson to show off their ball-hawk skills. The Bears desperately need more interceptions in 2016.
5. Bronk: Undrafted Harvard tight end Ben Braunecker is worth a look. Braunecker, who made 48 receptions for 850 yards and eight touchdowns in his senior season, had an impressive performance at the NFL scouting combine. The Bears need tight end depth behind Zach Miller. At 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, Braunecker appears to have a legitimate shot at the 53-man roster.
