FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett walked on to the practice field Monday alongside former teammate Eddie Royal, the Chicago Bears' veteran wide receiver. He then received a warm greeting from several Bears players and coaches, including John Fox, with whom he shared an embrace as both were seen laughing.
"In this business, people change cities. Coaches do it. Players do it. It's part of this business. There is no ill will or anything like that," Fox said after practice.
"Sometimes it doesn't work out. There's a business side. There's a football side. There is a bunch of things that happen in a course of a football career, so I still wish Martellus nothing but the best."
While the practice started with good vibes between the sides, Bennett had his ire raised late in practice while taking part in a field goal drill. That led to some extra pushing, and Bennett had some extra words directed to Bears players, which drew Bill Belichick's attention as he helped calm the situation.
Bennett sharing the same field with the Bears was one of the notable storylines Monday, in part because of critical remarks he made in ESPN The Magazine about Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler.
The two never crossed paths on the practice field Monday, and when Cutler met with reporters after the workout, he was asked if the two had a chance to catch up.
"No, I missed that opportunity," he said. "Maybe tomorrow."
With Bennett as a springboard, let’s take a closer look at what we saw (and heard) from Monday's practice, which was held in full pads:
Gronkowski headlines health report: Tight end Rob Gronkowski leaving practice after pulling up on the sideline was the biggest health-related news. He walked off under his own power. Meanwhile, the Patriots' ranks have been thinned at defensive end with Rob Ninkovich, Jabaal Sheard and Shea McClellin among those not practicing.
Mitchell's presence a surprise: When practice began, rookie receiver Malcolm Mitchell was on the field with his teammates in full pads wearing a large brace over his left elbow. Mitchell dislocated his elbow in Thursday's preseason opener, and while he didn't take part in any drills, his on-field presence was still a surprise just four days after sustaining the injury.
What's on the set list? A three-song set list during warmups:
“Couple Bands,” Fetty Wap
“John,” Rick Ross and Wiz Khalifa
“We Own It,” 2 Chainz and Wiz Khalifa
Step up to the mic: Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and defensive end Chris Long conducted interviews behind the team's press conference backdrop. ... Offensive lineman Joe Thuney, cornerback Jonathan Jones, fullback James Develin and special teams captain Matthew Slater were a few other players stopping for interviews.
Extra points: Tom Brady brought Garoppolo down to the hill behind the field after practice, and had Garoppolo hold his resistance band as he got in some post-practice conditioning. ... Former Patriots special teams coach Scott O'Brien was present for the second day in a row. ... Second-year safety Brock Vereen retired, opening a spot on the team’s 90-man roster. ... Cornerback Justin Coleman caught my eye with a terrific pass breakup in 1-on-1 drills in coverage on receiver Joshua Bellamy. ... Safety Nate Ebner, who was present at Gillette Stadium on Monday but didn't practice, was officially activated off the reserve/did not report list. ... Owner Robert Kraft was present for the practice, at one point stopping by the team's charitable foundation tent to greet some military members in attendance. ... Linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill had an interception of Bears backup Brian Hoyer and raced up the right sideline on what would have been a pick-six. ... Practice concluded with players running the hill and defensive linemen pushing a seven-man blocking sled 100 yards across the field.
Tuesday's schedule: Bill Belichick news conference (9:30 a.m. ET); Patriots-Bears joint practice (10 a.m.)
