Things got chippy at Chicago Bears training camp on Tuesday, August 4, including a shot from linebacker Devin Bush on Luther Burden III during a two-minute drill that risked potential injury to the second-year wide receiver.
Courtney Cronin of ESPN, who witnessed the play, described it as a pass thrown by quarterback Caleb Williams down the seam to Burden who went up in traffic and was subsequently “blown up by Bush.”
Bush, a new addition to the team via a $30 million contract this offseason, offered a take on the hit was simple and matter-of-fact.
“It was a last-minute play. Take a shot at the end zone,” Bush said, per Cronin. “Our responsibility is to not let them in the end zone. Offense’s responsibility is get the ball in the end zone. So just a competitive play and finished our practice in the two-minute drill.”
Burden, who was clearly feeling the impact of Bush’s physicality and took his time lifting himself off the turf after the collision, didn’t lash out at his new teammate in his response — though reports noted that Rome Odunze, Burden’s fellow receiver, had words for Bush, and perhaps others on the defense, after the play ended.
Instead, Burden spoke about his struggles, as well as the difficulties of the offense in general, on what Cronin described as the unit’s “sloppiest” day over the course of the team’s first six training camp sessions.
“Every day not gonna be a great day. I mean, you can strive for that, but it’s camp. It’s gonna be ups and downs,” Burden said. “So that’s the good part about it. We get to come back and watch it. We come back, be better, talk about it. Come back tomorrow, have a better day. That’s what it’s about.”
Rookies Jordan van den Berg, Caden Barnett Engaged in 1st Real Fight of Bears’ Training Camp
While Burden and Bush engaged in a physical exchange that was part of practice and part of the game, a couple of rookies took to extracurricular combat in what Cronin said was the “first scuffle” of camp.
“Rookie sixth-round pick Jordan van den Berg slammed [rookie offensive lineman] Caden Barnett onto the ground after a snap with the third-team offense,” Sean Hammond of the Chicago Tribune reported on X. “First time we’ve seen tempers flare.”
Neither Cronin nor Hammond reported on what caused the brief fight between the rookie teammates.
Chicago Dealing With Injuries Stacking Up in Secondary
GettySafety Coby Bryant of the Chicago Bears.
One thing the Bears were able to avoid Tuesday was more injury issues, which have plagued the secondary already this summer.
Safety Coby Bryant suffered a knee injury Monday that involved a hyperextension, bone bruise and minor fracture and will keep him out for 8-10 weeks.
Meanwhile, nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon has yet to practice during training camp due to the latest in a long line of soft-tissue injuries stretching back to last offseason.
Given the team’s laundry list of injuries in the secondary, Chicago may consider free agency or the trade market to bolster the unit if circumstances don’t improve relatively quickly.
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