Chicago Sports

Veteran that he is, Johnny Cueto didn’t rattle after the Dodgers jumped him for two early home runs. Instead, he settled in and shut them down for the rest of his six innings.

But with the way the White Sox are struggling to score runs, and on a night they faced tough right-hander Tony Gonsolin, their 4-1 loss that halted a nice three-game winning streak seemed mapped out early.

The Sox scraped together four hits, one of them a homer by Jake Burger in the fifth. The next two batters reached but Gonsolin (7-0, 1.58 ERA) retired Danny Mendick, Leury Garcia and Luis Robert and the Sox were never to be heard from again.

Cueto served up a two-run homer to Dodgers cleanup batter Will Smith in the first inning and a leadoff homer to Cody Bellinger in the second.

As the Sox wait to get Tim Anderson and Eloy Jimenez back from injuries for certain and probable lineup boosts, respectively, their starting rotation is settling into a good place.

Cueto is getting the chance to be the fifth starter now that Dallas Keuchel has been jettisoned from the organization, and the Sox will be more than happy with the caliber of performance the 36-year-old veteran has produced.

Cueto, who allowed one hit after the Bellinger homer, struck out five and allowing three runs on four hits and one walk over six innings against one of the most prolific lineups in the majors.

In five starts since he was brought up from Charlotte after signing a minor-league deal, Cueto has pitched six innings four times and 6 2/3 innings once. The rest of the Sox rotation has thrown six-plus innings 11 times in 48 starts.

With Michael Kopech (1.94 ERA) having the look of a Game 1 postseason starter when he tossed six scoreless innings in a 4-0 win over the Dodgers Tuesday, Dylan Cease (3.39 ERA) leading the majors with 12.5 strikeouts per nine innings, Opening Day starter Lucas Giolito pitching to a 3.54 ERA – although his last two starts were on the wobbly side — and All-Star Lance Lynn pitching what might have been his final tuneup for Triple-A Charlotte Wednesday night, the Sox might finally be piecing their rotation together.

Lynn, a workhorse himself who hasn’t made any starts because of a knee injury suffered in spring training that required surgery, could join the rotation as soon as Monday, when the Sox open a road trip that begins in Detroit and goes through Houston.

“If his arm and his leg feel good, then he’ll be here next week,” manager Tony La Russa said. “If not, we’ll give him another [start for Charlotte].”

Lynn’s numbers were none too pretty but he threw 55 of his 77 pitches for strikes, which is generally the focus for proven pitchers building up workloads on rehab assignments. Lynn allowed seven runs (six earned) on eight hits in rehab start for Charlotte. He struck out three and walked one. His ERA in three starts is 8.10.

As for momentum, the Sox had some going against Gonsolin when designated hitter Jake Burger led off the fifth with a homer, his sixth. Burger has hit safely with at least one RBI in his four straight games and has four homers, four doubles and 12 RBI in his last 10.

After the Burger homer, Gavin Sheets doubled and AJ Pollock walked, keeping the crowd of 25,078 perked up, but Danny Mendick bounced into a forceout, Leury Garcia struck out and Luis Robert flied out.

Garcia, whose hitting line dipped to .184/.194/.257 in the first year of his three-year, $16.5 million contract, was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. La Russa was asked why he had confidence in batting Garcia, who had been slowed by a sore hip in recent days, in Anderson’s customary leadoff spot.

“You see your average and you want to get two or three hits today. Can’t do that,” La Russa said. “All you can do is control your four at-bats. And he’s feeling better. He’s a very talented guy.”

Trea Turner homered against Jose Ruiz in the ninth inning for the Dodgers’ fourth run.

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Matt Eberflus wants Bears practices to be intense

Chicago Bears first-year head coach Matt Eberflus told the media Wednesday the team being forced to miss practice Tuesday was not a big deal. Reports came out Tuesday the Bears violated the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement on live contact. The Bears were warned but didn’t make enough adjustments before facing consequences.

Bears players were told about the warning in a team meeting and that they needed to correct their practice to be in compliance, Eberflus said. He was asked by a reporter if it was safe to say they didn’t correct their practice enough. “I’m not sure how to answer that. Yeah,” Eberflus said.

The complaint had to do with the players being overzealous in practice versus the design of drills during practice, Eberflus suggested. Players have done a better job since in being under control and staying on their feet, he said.

Even with the limits on physical contact, Eberflus still believes it’s important for the Bears to be intense. Intensity is the I in the H.I.T.S. principle. “The focus part of intensity can be there but not the physical part until we get the pads. Once we get the pads on in training camp, that’s when we’re going to focus on how we play the intensity piece,” he said. “There’s guys, they’re flying around. They’re really moving the ball. It looks fast to me.”

Young Bears want to show what they can do

Defensive tackle Justin Jones said the violation was a part of the Bears having a young team that wanted to show their vigor. “You want to prove yourself any chance you can get,” Jones said Wednesday. “So I can’t really fault players for going too hard or being overly aggressive, you know what I’m saying because this is your dream, you know what I’m saying, this is what you came here for.”

Cole Kmet, a Bears union representative, said it happens with a lot of youth on the roster and new coaching staff. “Guys are coming in to prove themselves, including me. So when someone says ‘you’re going 100-percent’, you’re going 100-percent,” Kmet said. “I’m not going to ease up.” When players ease up, players tend to get hurt,” Kmet said.

If the Bears need all the practices they can to get better this season, as national analysts project the team to be one of the league’s worst, Eberflus didn’t seem too concerned. He downplayed the consequence for the Bears violating the CBA agreement.

“I don’t actually see it as a big deal,” he said. The team needed to take that adversity and adjust, he said. “And that’s what we’re going to have to do. We’re going to have to do that to win games. That’s what I was excited about. Adversity is going to come. It’s how you deal with it that matters,” Eberflus said.

Neither he nor the Bears organization were fined, Eberflus said. He was not sure how the violation was brought to the NFL’s attention but said he respected the NFL’s and NFLPA’s conclusion.

I like the spirit of the players but the Bears need discipline

The Bears will need a lot of heart from their players to have a successful season. I like that Bears players want to show the new staff and the league what they are capable of. However, a lot of wisdom goes a long way. The new coaching staff needs to do a better job of getting control over their players. Their inexperience is starting to show.

Hopefully, the punishment will be enough for the coaching staff to pay more attention to the details of running a team. Discipline is a major part of a coach’s job. If the Bears can find one way to be successful during a rebuilding year, becoming more disciplined might be the most realistic.

Make sure to check out our Bears forum for the latest on the team.

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BALTIMORE — About two hours past the scheduled start time of a game between the Cubs and Orioles on Wednesday, it was still raining with intermittent flashes of lightning, and the Orioles announced the game would be postponed.

The teams are set make up the game on Aug. 18 at 2:05 p.m. The Cubs had an off day scheduled after a three-game series at Washington that week. Instead, they’ll make the short trip from Washington D.C. to Baltimore before traveling home to face the Brewers.

The Cubs did not immediately announce their probable starters for their three-game series against the Yankees this weekend. Right-hander Marcus Stroman was originally scheduled to start Wednesday.

Cubs manager David Ross did say Wednesday afternoon that left-hander Wade Miley was “definitely an option in New York.” Miley (left shoulder strain) is eligible to return from the 15-day IL as early as Friday.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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The McHenry County state attorney’s office has determined a sheriff’s deputy was justified in fatally shooting a man who fired at him, despite blood tests showing the deputy had “inhalants” in his system.

Deputy Nicholas Arnold fatally shot Nicholas Sebastian, 43, while responding to a report of a man threatening to kill his wife and two children in their home on Jan 11. in Port Barrington, according to a report from the state’s attorney’s office.

Arnold and Deputy Travis Bodway arrived at the scene in the 200 block of Manchester Lane and saw Sebastian “messing with the garage” door before hearing gunshots go off, the report said.

Sebastian’s wife, Antoinette Mecca, began to cry out for help, and deputies found her laying on the side of the garage with a gunshot wound to the leg, the report said.

Sebastian then moved toward Arnold with a gun raised as though he was “going to engage.”

Arnold began shooting at Sebastian “until the slide locked back,” meaning he had used all the ammunition in his magazine, according to the report.

Sebastian returned fire but did not strike either deputy before falling to the ground. Officials found Sebastian was wearing a bulletproof vest underneath his shirt at the time of the incident. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

Mecca was transported to the hospital and treated for a single gunshot wound. Mecca told authorities that Sebastian had awakened her after an evening of excessive drinking and was acting erratically, eventually throwing her cell phone into a sink full of water.

Earlier, he had also sent texts threatening to kill Mecca and their two children, who were at home at the time, the report said.

When the squad car arrived outside their home, Mecca told deputies she tried to escape by running to the garage, but Sebastian ran after her and began shooting.

Mecca also said when Sebastian saw the squad car out front, he stated, “We’re all going to die.”

The couple’s son told investigators Sebastian had been using cocaine and drinking excessively over the past six months and had threatened to kill both Mecca and the children on multiple occasions.

An autopsy found that, at the time of his death, Sebastian had an elevated blood alcohol level and was under the influence of cocaine, opioids and benzodiazepines.

Arnold was also asked to submit to a drug and alcohol test following the shooting, which found “inhalants,” in his system.

When abused, the odorless gas found in products like keyboard cleaners can alter one’s mental state.

Toxicologists determined the levels found in Arnold’s blood were most consistent with “intentional use.”

Though the state’s attorney’s office was “concerned” by this finding, they determined there was no evidenceArnold was under the influence at the time of the shooting.

The state attorney’s office found Arnold was justified in his use of force, as Sebastian was armed, approaching deputies and verbalizing his intent to harm his wife and children.

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The White Sox aren’t wasting any steps stealing bases in 2022. With 26 steals in 28 attempts through Tuesday, they aren’t wasting many outs, either.

That 93 percent success rate is the best in the major leagues.

“I attribute it to the fact that we have Tim Anderson [8-for-8] and Luis Robert [7-for-8] and Adam Engel [7-for-8] and we’ve got some other guys that can run at a high percentage,” manager Tony La Russa said.

It’s one area offensively where the Sox are better than last season, when they were successful 74 percent of the time (57-for-77). In 2020, they were at 71.4 percent.

“We’re not pushing it,” La Russa said. “There are times the stolen base is there and we don’t put the green light on, just because you’re concerned about stealing a base is not directly leading to winning a game and you don’t want to risk it, wearing the legs out or sliding in and hurting yourself. [But] the stolen base, it’s back. And the steal of third is back.”

The franchise record is 76.7 percent when Rudy Law swiped a franchise record 77 bases for La Russa’s 1983 AL West Division champs.

Pitchers have done more to defend the steal since that era, but the influx of hard throwers “who take more time to get rid of the ball means you can steal a base if you got speed,” La Russa said. “It’s part of the type of team you have offensively, the guy you face. And it’s really not that much about the catcher, it’s the speed of the runner and timing of the pitcher.”

The Sox rank 20th in total stolen bases. The Rangers are first with 49 (on 61 attempts).

Kelly on the mend

Joe Kelly’s first thought when he strained his left hamstring throwing a pitch against the Red Sox on May 25 was that it would be his last pitch for a while.

The second thought was that he wouldn’t get to pitch against the Dodgers in this series. Kelly pitched for the Dodgers the three previous seasons, helping them win a World Series in 2020.

“So mad. That’s the most frustrating thing,” Kelly said Wednesday. “Right when I injured it, that was literally the first thing I thought about. Yep. Annoying.”

Two weeks after sufferering the injury, Kelly said the leg feels “really good” and he will throw off a mound Thursday for the first time since getting hurt.

“The actual imaging said it was a pretty good strain but I feel better than what it is,” he said.

After another bullpen, Kelly said he should be ready for a game, probably at Triple-A Charlotte next week.

“It’s not where I’ll need to build up [the arm] because I’ve been throwing every single day,” Kelly said. “It’s more of, get the speed in the leg on the bullpen and take it up the next step of a Triple-A game . And then we know it’s healed.”

Kelly, who signed to a two-year, $17 million free-agent deal with the Sox, has appeared in only seven games this season, starting late because of a right biceps nerve injury.

AJ Pollock did get to face his former team. Dodgers closer Craig Kimbrel, traded for Pollock during spring training, is missing the series while on Paternity Leave.

This and that

Right-hander Davis Martin will make his third start Friday against the Rangers. Lucas Giolito starts Saturday and Michael Kopech Sunday in the weekend home series.

*Shortstop Colson Montgomery has reached base safely in 20 consecutive games for Low-A Kannapolis. Montgomery, 20, the 22nd player drafted overall in 2021, was hitting .296/.401/.480 with four HR, 14 extra-base hits and 23 RBI in 33 games.

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BALTIMORE – Cubs catcher Willson Contreras is prepared for the hours of sitting and listening. That’s what he’s in for when he and his representation meet opposite the Cubs’ counsel to present their sides in his arbitration hearing.

“I’m not going to take anything personal,” Contreras said in a conversation with the Sun-Times. “I know it’s all business. But I just won’t let that bother my season.”

The hearing, which is scheduled for Thursday via video call, will put the decision over Contreras’ 2022 salary in the hands of an independent panel. And it’s just one step toward resolving the contract questions that hang over Contreras’ last year of club control.

Contreras and the Cubs had twice before avoided arbitration. But this year, whether extra time would have made a difference or not, the lockout condensed their window to reach an agreement. Spring is also usually an ideal time to pick up extension talks. This year, spring training instead overlapped with a free agent frenzy.

The Cubs have a file-and-trial policy – a common approach, in which teams cut off arbitration negotiations after salary figures have been exchanged. But they still could have gone the way of the Rockies, who were set to go to arbitration with pitcher Kyle Freeland but instead signed him to a five-year contract extension.

“Willson and I get along great,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said a couple weeks ago. “I talk to him almost every day. There’s no tension there.”

Contreras had initially said he’d rather not carry extension talks into the season, but he’s softened his stance since this spring.

“It won’t bother me if they come with something,” Contreras said. “It won’t bother me if they don’t come with anything. I know how this thing works. I’m just not putting my focus on that. I’m just trying to stay healthy, do the best I can to maintain myself on the field, and then do the best I can to help a lot of guys here in this clubhouse.”

Contreras, who entered Wednesday leading the team in on-base percentage (.404), has proven he can perform amid contract distractions.

Last month, he hit his 100th career home run, becoming just the third Cubs catcher to reach the milestone in franchise history.On Tuesday, a few hours after an interview that delved into all the contract issues Contreras has said he’s trying not to dwell on, he launched his 10th home run of the season into the left-field stands of Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

That home run not only widened his lead among MLB catchers this season but also made this season Contreras’ sixth with double-digit homers. He’s tied with Jody David for second-most double-digit home-run seasons among Cubs catchers all-time, behind only Gabby Hartnett (12).

It’s still weird for Contreras when people refer to him as a veteran – “I’m only 30 years old.” But he’s embraced a mentorship-type role with rookies like Christopher Morel. Who could forget the moment last week when Contreras signaled to Morel to take a deep breath, right before Morel hit a walk-off sacrifice fly against the Brewers?

“The team knows who they have,” Contreras said, “and they know what type of person they have in the clubhouse and behind and behind the plate. And they know everything about me.”

If the Cubs were to offer Contreras an extension, would he want to stay? The Cubs, No. 4 in the National League Central, aren’t heading for a championship this year, and it’s unclear when they’ll pry open their next championship window.

“I want to compete for a playoff spot, and I want to compete for a World Series shot again,” Contreras said. “And I think for this team to get to the World Series again, it’s going to take the front office putting a lot more pieces together.”

The front office’s next chance to illustrate their trajectory is the trade deadline in less than two months. But without a miraculous climb back into contention, the Cubs are positioned to be deadline sellers. And Contreras could be a valuable trade chip.

Contreras paused when asked if he expects he’ll be traded.

“That’s a tough one,” he said. “To be honest, if it happens, it happens. I know the deadline’s coming. I’m not trying to think about it. … If I happen to get traded, I hope it’s to a good team that has a chance to go to the World Series. Or if a trade doesn’t happen, I’ll be happy to stay and keep competing with my teammates.

“As of right now, I’m still a Chicago Cub, and I’m proud of that.”

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New Bears defensive tackle Justin Jones might not be able to replace Akiem Hicks and wasn’t even the team’s first choice in free agency, but he’s off to a good start in establishing himself as a pillar of their defense.

Jones can’t do too much because these practices are supposed to be — ahem — non-contact, but there are early indications that he’ll be an ideal fit. Coach Matt Eberflus liked what he saw from Jones last season with the Chargers, and Jones can already tell this defense suits him.

“Just flying around, making tackles and making plays and being disruptive is my game,” Jones said after practice Wednesday. “I feel like I fit in; I feel like I’m at home in this scheme.”

Jones, 25, is at a pivotal point of his career. The Chargers drafted him in the third round in 2018, and he was a full-time starter the last three seasons. He signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the Bears and will carry the fifth-largest salary-cap hit on the team this season.

That means Jones has a lot on the line. If he excels and endears himself to Eberflus and defensive coordinator Alan Williams, he could be a fixture of the Bears’ future. Eberflus was optimistic about that based on what he’s seen.

“I love the athletic ability, I love the man, I love his attitude — he’s working super hard,” Eberflus said. “The evaluation will continue to go all the way through training camp. When we put the pads on, then we get our true evaluation. But where he is right now, we are extremely excited about that.”

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A clean slate has been the theme of the Bears under new general manager Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus.

Poles cleared out the roster, trading linebacker Khalil Mack, cutting nose tackle Eddie Goldman and letting guard James Daniels and defensive end Akiem Hicks go in free agency, among several veteran discards.

And Eberflus has made it clear that he is taking a very objective look at the roster he inherited. Linebacker Roquan Smith might be the only player who is certain to start in Week 1 — and that’s not that much of an exaggeration. Cornerback Jaylon Jones, the second most-established starter on the defense after Smith, missed the initial mini-camp in April and was running with the second team in OTAs two weeks ago. There’s very little status on this team right now.

Johnson was back with the first team Wednesday, but Eberflus’ message has been clear. Every coach says “the best players will play” but that NFL cliche seems more real than ever under Eberflus. And Wednesday’s practice open to the media presented another example — rookie Braxton Jones played left tackle and Larry Borom right tackle with the first-team offense, with Teven Jenkins — a 2021 second-round pick and presumed starter at either tackle position — with the second team.

Just part of the process, Eberflus reiterated after practice. But it’s an indication that everybody has a shot on this team. The Bears opened the offseason with Borom at left tackle and Jenkins at right tackle — still a likely Week 1 combination. Borom, a 2021 fifth-round draft pick, started eight games as a rookie. Jenkins, started two games after recovering from preseason back surgery. But when Eberflus says open competition, he means it.

“Early on in OTAs … we said, ‘Hey, we’re going to move guys around,'” Eberflus said. “So it’s the halfway point for us. We made the switch and we wanted to change combinations.

“And that’s not the only [change]. We’ve changed from tackle to tackle. We’ve moved some receivers around. Some guys playing ‘X’. Some guys are playing ‘Z.’ We’ve adjustedsome guys on the defensive line to really found out — have a true evaluation fo what’s the best fit for us going into training camp.

“We might like the other combination. We might like this combination. We might not like either of them. Now let’s go to [this] one in training camp. We’ll figure out what the best thing is and that’s really just more information for the coaches to find out what’s best for the Bears.”

The 6-5, 310-pound Jones started 28 games over the last three seasons at Southern Utah.

“Braxton is a tough kid, very athletic,” left guard Cody Whitehair said. “He’s got really long arms as well. He’s learning. As hard as that is to be throw in the fire like that, I feel like he’s responded well. [I’m] excited to see what he can bring.”

The first-team line Wednesday consisted of Jones at left tackle, Whitehair at left guard, Lucas Patrick at center, Dakota Dozier at right guard and Borom at right tackle. Sam Mustipher, who started all 17 games at center last season, has alternated with Dozier at right guard. But that position is a candidate for an outside upgrade. And rookie Zachary Thomas, a sixth-round draft pick, can’t be discounted as a contender.

The Bears still have next week’s veteran mini-camp. But the real tests won’t happen until players are in full pads in training camp.

“That’s your true evaluation when you get pads on,” Eberflus said. “I’ve seen guys, man they look great all the way through this part of the year and then the pads come on and they stay on it’s like [practice] No. 4 or 5 in training camp and all of the sudden you see a guy slide.

“It’s because of the physicality of the game. Some guys are really suited for that and those are the guys that succeed in the NFL. The guys that are not suited to that, they have a harder time.”

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Head coach Matt Eberflus tried to downplay his team’s organized team activity violation Wednesday, saying the Bears were stripped of an offseason practice because of a “few plays early on in the OTA process” that resulted in neither a fine for him nor the franchise.

The Bears found out on Monday night their Tuesday practice was canceled by the league because they ran drills that featured contact during OTA practices last month. A source said an NFLPA staff member noticed the drills during a routine visit to Halas Hall and told the Bears to stop them. The NFLPA reviewed tape from later practices and found they had not, resulting in a violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

No coach alive likes to have practice time taken away from him. But asked whether losing the practice was a big deal — given that the Bears are teaching new offensive and defensive schemes — Eberflus claimed it wasn’t. Rather, he said, he was happy to see his team “adjust adapt and overcome, and pivot, in situations” — even one of the coach’s own making.

“That’s what we’re gonna have to do — we’re gonna have to do that to win games,” he said after practice at Halas Hall. “That’s what I was excited about. Adversity’s gonna come. It’s how you deal with it that matters.”

The first-year head coach said the contact in drills was more a result of overzealous players than the structure of his practices. Eberflus said discussed contact that went “over the line” with players during a team meeting, and that he’s seen improvement in practices since.

“Body control,” he said. “Being able to stay on your feet. And knowing the tempo.”

Tight end Cole Kmet, who is one of the Bears’ alternate union representatives, said he noticed some players being knocked to the ground in drills but never considered that it would result in a lost practice.

At issue, he said, were young players trying too hard to make an impression.

“You’ve got to look at our situation right now,” Kmet said. “We’ve got a lot of young guys, right? New coach, new everything. Guys are coming in to prove themselves, including me. So when someone says you’re going 100 percent, you’re going 100 percent.”

There’s a way to go “100 percent full effort …. but still keep everybody safe and everybody off the ground,” he said.

“When you run that line … we don’t have as many vets as we’ve had in years past,” Kmet said. “Naturally, we’re a younger team. It’s kind of just where we’re at right now. Guys are learning. I thought these past two practices we’ve had [this week] have been night and day, much better in terms of how guys have been practicing.”

Defensive end Jeremiah Attaochu, the other alternate union rep, called the loss of a practice both a “warning” and “learning experience” for the Bears.

“We have a young team, everyone is excited to be back,” said Attaochu, who is entering his ninth season in the NFL and second with the Bears. “So guys are going to go 100 miles an hour, even though sometimes you have to be a pro and kinda know how to practice in that regard …

“The guy you line up against, kind of communicating that. ‘We don’t have pads on, there’s certain things we’re not going to do going forward.'”

As OTAs come to an end Thursday,guard Cody Whitehair said players found the balance between practicing hard and going too far.

“Make sure we’re not on the ground or doing anything extra,” he said.

Eberflus has spent the offseason installing his schemes and instilling his H.I.T.S principle, which stands for “Hustle, Intensity, Takeaways and Smarts.” The coach likely doesn’t mind the extra intensity in practice.

“The focus part of intensity can be there –but not the physical part until we get the pads,” Eberflus said. “Once we get the pads on in training camp, that’s when we’re going to focus on how we play the intensity piece. That cannot be done this time of year.”

Because it was, players got an unexpected off day Tuesday.

They didn’t seem to mind. Kmet played 18 holes of golf, shooting an 86 at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Long Grove.

It beat a day of work.

“Pretty tight course over there,” he said with a smile. “But I’ll take it.”

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Teven Jenkins worked with the second unit as Braxton Jones was with the first team

Days after admitting he wasn’t sure if he’d be as good following his weight-loss transformation this offseason, Teven Jenkins was seen working with the Chicago Bears’ second-unit offensive line Wednesday, per multiple reports. Getting the opportunity to prove his mettle, rookie Braxton Jones took an open spot at left.

Head coach Matt Eberflus said in his press conference Wednesday the move was to gauge different offensive line combinations. “We’ll figure out what the best thing is,” Eberflus said. “It’s that’s really just more information for the coaches to find out what’s best for the Bears.”

Trying different offensive linemen at new positions is important in order to create the best line possible, Eberflus said. “Who’s the best five guys out there so we can succeed,” Eberflus said the coaching staff was pondering during OTA’s. Roster shake-ups like that also breed competition, he said.

A reporter asked Eberflus if the staff could truly evaluate players without pads on. No true evaluation can come until the Bears staff sees the players practicing with pads fully on, Eberflus said.

The Bears have toyed with tackles all during the offseason

The move is just another shakeup that was seen starting at the Bears’ voluntary minicamp. While Jenkins was practicing at right tackle, Borom was getting reps at left tackle. Jenkins was taken in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, while Borom waited until the fifth round to be called by the Bears.

Jenkins told the media a couple of weeks ago that the switch felt good to him. “I play wherever they need me,” Jenkins said at the time, “Get in where you fit in.” Wednesday, where he fit in was with the second unit. Borom switched his position from starting left tackle to right. Jenkins was not sure he’d be as strong following his near 20-pound weight loss this offseason, he said. The Bears want their lineman to be slimmer in 2022.

Jones now has a chance to impress the Bears staff. Jones was taken by the Bears in the fifth round this year. He played for Southern Utah in college. The Bears will likely continue to shake things up with the roster before training camp. National eyes will be seeing how the Bears will protect Justin Fields after the team gave up 58 sacks last season. The battle for the right and left tackle positions will be juicy to watch.

Make sure to check out our Bears forum for the latest on the team.

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