Takeaways from Day 11 from Bears camp

David Banks - USA Today Sports

by Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - Wed Aug 09 10:30:19 GMT-05:00 2023

We are about two weeks into Training Camp, and you know what that means? It means preseason football is right around the corner for the Chicago Bears as they will kick things off against the Tennessee Titans this weekend.

This is the point of the preseason when you start to see fights break out in camp as players are getting tired of practicing against each other and want to hit someone else. Chicago is no different, as there have been some fights breaking out in camp that have needed separating with having to be pulled apart by GM Ryan Poles.

Fighting is never a good thing between teammates, but you have to like the fire the Bears are showing at camp right now, as there appears to be a different sense of energy at camp this season. With the first preseason game right around the corner, the Bears continue to power through training camp as they open the fans' eyes thus far. Here are some of the things that stood out on Day 11.

1. The Justin Fields to DJ Moore Connection is alive and well

You saw what happened when Justin Fields and Darnell Mooney formed some chemistry two years ago. You saw what happened when Cole Kmet and Fields had chemistry last season, and now you are seeing what it is like to have Moore and Fields on the same page.

Despite not playing a game together yet, Fields and Moore's chemistry is second to none, as they are the perfect pairing on the field. These two are two peas in a pod and have been the talk of camp with just how comfortable they are with each other and how in sync they have been since day one.

Whether it be the 7 on 7 drills or the 11 on 11 drills, Moore and Fields are having their way with the defense, which could be a bad sign for opponents this season. Should this continue into the regular season, you could be looking at one of the better connections this season, which will be a massive upgrade to this offense.

2. Tyler Scott continues to impress but is having issues with drops

One of the better parts of training camp is watching how the Rookies acclimate to the NFL game. Not only do the Bears have a ton of rookies, but several are turning heads, including former Cincinnati WR Tyler Scott.

Known for his big plays in the passing game, Scott continues to turn heads in camp as he has been one of the most impressive players. Not only has he displayed great routes running daily, but his overall ability to create separation has been incredible and could be an X-factor in the passing game this season.

You saw his ability to get separation when he put Jaylon Johnson on skates off the line drawing plenty of Ohs and Ashes from the crowd. However, good things aside, Scott has one major issue that he needs to iron out, which is dropped passes. That can't happen at the NFL level, but you have seen this before when players move from college to the pros.

Most notable was Jamar Chase a few years ago when he had issues with drops in camp. He complained about the NFL football not having a White stripe on the ball, which he claimed led to those drops. Whether or not that is the issue for Scott is a different question, but if Chase can figure things out, give Scott some time, and I'm sure he will figure it out too.

3. Gervon Dexter continues to generate tons of pressure from the inside

Speaking of impressive rookies, Second Round pick Gervon Dexter continues to put on a clinic and has been one of the many bright spots on the defense. One of the many things the Bears lacked on defense a season ago was creating a pass rush to get after the QB.

Poles did a great job of addressing that this offseason, and after adding Yannick Ngakoue late last week to solidify the EDGE, the Bears pass rush is in a much better place than last season. Granted, most of the Bears pass rush will come from the EDGE, but Dexter has taken it upon himself to use his size and power in the middle to generate power up the middle.

“Just key the ball,” Dexter said to reporters. “There are no real tricks to it. (It’s just) getting in a stance, getting down and getting off the ball. … Staying consistent is something you have to do to play in this league and be dominant. There are good players. But those great players are the ones that do it all the time.

“I’m ready to compete,” he said. “I’m ready to showcase some of those things.”

That is something Eddie Goldman and Akiem Hicks did so well during their time with the Bears, and their defense was one of the best in the league during that time. Chicago would like to get back to that level, but for that to happen, the Bears need to get after the QB a lot more than they did a season ago. Look for Dexter to be as important as anyone in the front seven, as he could be the key to their defense reaching their potential.