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As the Bears prepare for the opening of the season Sunday night at Green Bay, here are three of the team's most memorable players and scenarios.
"He is real, man"
The story of Eddie Jackson resembles so many others in the Bears locker room. He was sleeping on Saturday morning, woke up with a telephone buzzing with texts and began to look for what was happening.
Friends. Relatives. Even Jackson's agent had reached out.
The second year of security reads a message.
The monsters of Midway are back!
What had happened, Jackson wondered.
Home button. Twitter application Wait … Khalil Mack was coming to Chicago?
Jackson could not believe it. Only two weeks ago, he had met in the locker room, pontificating with his teammates about how an established and promising defense of the Bears could instantly become legitimate if Mack joined the series.
Great player with contract problems in Oakland? Go ahead and swap for him. How awesome would that be?
"I tell the guys, if we have Mack, that would be crazy," Jackson said. "Being a fan of him, I would like to play with him. But I did not think it was really going to happen. "
So there…
Suddenly, the Bears are heading into the season with an All-Pro shooter, a player so fierce and dominant that he was the defensive player of the league two years ago. One of Jackson's first response texts was his father.
"He's been a big fan of Raiders all his life," Jackson said. "I texted him," We had your boy! He was like, "I see that. The excitement was real. The excitement is real. "
Suddenly, Jackson sees the Bears' defense turn into something similar to what he knew at the University of Alabama. Talent on all three levels. Potential game changers everywhere.
With the Crimson Tide in 2015, Jackson was part of a defense that finished among the top three in the nation in total defense, in sanctioned points and in sacks. Hunger in the big game was contagious. The surplus of talent at the NFL has created an additional level of tenacity. Reuben Foster. Jonathan Allen. Minkah Fitzpatrick. Ronnie Harrison. Marlon Humphrey. Dalvin Tomlinson. D.J. Pettway. Jarran Reed. A'Shawn Robinson.
Jackson knows what this mark of defense looks like. Now, he sees similarities with how a hungry Bears defense gets closer to greatness. He sees all the pieces that the bears have. Akiem Hicks and Eddie Goldman at the front. Leonard Floyd on the edge Danny Trevathan and Roquan Smith in the middle. Kyle Fuller and Prince Amukamara on the cover. And yes, suddenly Khalil Mack.
"It does not change anything we were already trying to accomplish," Jackson said. "But, man, that's just adding to that."
Yet, even though Jackson was Saturday morning for Mack's arrival, his enthusiasm has only increased since then. Mack to practice? The real deal
Former Bear Cre'Von LeBlanc sent a message to Jackson earlier this week asking him questions about the new star in Chicago. Jackson gave it to him directly.
"He's real, man," said Jackson. "You know how some players you can watch on TV and then you go around them and it's like," Uhhh. They are fine. He is real. He is really like that.
"It's his state of mind. This is the way he trains. It's unique. It is rare. You see how it was built, its body structure and how it can move. And then he is at full speed. For someone who has just arrived here and who has received $ 140 million, most guys could relax and take light. He came out here as if it was his first outing. Run to the ball. Try to get the ball out. The rally guys like, "Come on! Let's go! Let's go! Being the new member of the team, he already integrates very well. I am really looking forward to playing with him and consider him one of our leaders.
The steep climb
In February, Steve Smith was looking for hidden treasures, receivers that were not considered first-round picks, but had skills and traits that could help them succeed for a long time. It's a homework job that has allowed Smith to collect 1,031 catches, 14,732 yards and 81 touchdowns in 16 seasons in the NFL. He now shares his knowledge as an NFL Network Analyst.
So Smith published a list of 10 receivers that he was very excited to see in Indianapolis, including Anthony Miller of Memphis. In analyzing Miller's game, Smith saw a child who "runs fast but plays faster".
Finally, Smith met Miller in person at the combine, and the two immediately connected. A few months later, the Bears traded to capture Miller in the second round.
Smith admires Miller's self-confidence, mental strength and willingness to work. Both keep in touch via SMS. They met at the NFLPA's Rookie Premiere event in the spring and again at the Hall of Fame Game in August.
READ MORE: As new star Khalil Mack installs, Bears is hoping for immediate production
At that time, Miller was preparing an impressive training camp for the Bears, so much so that he had been given that night in Canton, Ohio, as a probable starting of the first week. Miller continued to tell Smith how ready he was to play.
The catcher five times from the Pro Bowl responded, "Come on, young puppy! You are not ready!
"I was just playing with him," Smith said. "And he loved it. Because he was like, "I want to prove you wrong." But he forgot, he does not have to prove otherwise. I have already voted for him. Yet, I love this eagerness and enthusiasm.
In a recent phone conversation with the Tribune about his connection to Miller, Smith gave an overview of Miller's wiring and the many obstacles he will have to overcome to become an NFL star. Here are some highlights:
When you put the band, his skills are immediately visible. But there is an obvious aggression and purpose to the way he plays. When did you see him for the first time, what were his impressions?
Black-smith: When I watch the band on a guy, I look at the year of his release. And then, if I have enough film, I'll watch the previous year and maybe two years before. So, I want to see where it starts, and then how it has improved its advantages and disadvantages. And then in the most recent year, has it improved and shown growth? This is how scouts evaluate you. One thing I learned about the combine is that it is not a place where they build you. It is a place where they determine what your deficiencies are and where you have addressed them. And are you even aware of it? And what I loved about Anthony, is that he went out of his way. He's getting better each year. Although he was not in a high school, he had a high level of professional ethics. He did things that you do not expect from a guy of his stature. And he did these things with enthusiasm, it seemed. It was really cool to see this progression on film. Now, I'm thrilled to see him in Chicago with a great offensive coach, a steady quarterback and a hungry receivers around him.
Talent evaluators will talk about Miller's role. That you watched him run two roads and that you already knew his work ethic. Has something hit you about it?
Black-smith: I remember seeing a piece while it was not running the best route. Then, a year later, he runs the same thing, a loop course, and it looked like night and day. He comes out of the jam. The defender pushes him and pulls him. He remains standing. He continues his momentum. He returns to the balloon. Ends the route. The catcher Takes the ball and tries to get out in the open field. It was things like that. Progress. And it will continue to improve as it gets more and more trained.
What brings you to believe that he could have a high level of success in the NFL?
Black-smith: At this point, you understand that his base is that he is ready to work. And with a good coach and a quarter, he has things around him that can only help him and not hurt him. Now, how is it going, nobody knows it. But he has some things to work on that will push him to progress and become a good player.
Miller said that he enjoyed his relationship with you because he can enjoy the experiences of your trip to the NFL. When you think back to when you entered the league, what would you like him to know about your emergence and why it happened?
Black-smith: The only thing I want him to know is that the most important thing is not to wait for the other to guide you. Rate yourself. Know what your weaknesses are, know your strengths. And be flexible and transparent enough to be able to look in the mirror and say, "Hey, did I give everything I had today?" Was it today my best foot forward? And after watching a movie, what information could I get to address my weaknesses and continue to grow and improve? ". If he does it regularly, every day, everything will be fine. And it's going to be hard. But that's part of the business, self-assessment. I had to learn that myself. Do not have people around you who are "yes" men. Stay close to people who are "improving" men. They will call you on the carpet with things you need to be called on the carpet. But they will also point you in the right direction when you are already doing it right. It seems a lot. But it's called being an adult, being a professional.
I used the term "badass" to describe Miller's style of play. Are you going to sign that according to the way he's doing it?
Black-smith: No. And that's why I can not sign yet. I've taught old school football, and old school football is recruits to see and not hear. And what is Anthony? So I can not give rewards, badges and participation trophies to a recruit without statistics. You get these things by winning them.
Do you at least see this mentality in him?
Black-smith: Yeah. I see hunger. But we also know this league. Guys do not stay. Not for a long time. And you are not great after three years. So listen, I do not try to take something to Anthony. But I can not either sit here and say that he will become one of the best when, technically, he did not record a regular season catch. But I look forward to the registration of several catches in the regular season. We just have to get there and see it now.
Finally
Speaking for the entire Bears media corps, it's clear that no one can wait anymore to see Roquan Smith play in a game. It's been too long.
The stories around Smith since the opening of the camp have become exhausting. First, there was the long and complicated contract waiting for the rookie linebacker, a soap opera that lasted four weeks and prevented Smith from setting foot in the Bourbonnais.
When Smith finally signed, his press conference on unanswered questions only worsened the situation.
What was the breakthrough that finally made the contract acceptable?
"It's between my agents and Mr. Pace."
Why was it worth missing most of the training camp to fight for a contract language in print that would protect the guaranteed money in case of unlikely hypothetical transgressions?
"It's just the business side of things. I left it to my agent and Mr. Pace to handle it.
Did you push for more details on what the contract clash really was?
"It's my agent and Mr. Pace."
D & # 39; AGREEMENT. We had it.
And then, shortly thereafter, Smith was suffering from oppression in his left hamstring. He could not play against the Broncos, Chiefs or Bills. He did not become a complete participant until Wednesday.
Now the Bears are heading to Green Bay with the likelihood that Smith will not start and he will need a limited workload until he can prove he is physically ready for more.
Given Smith's missed practice time, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio was questioned on Thursday about the toughest areas in Smith's race to catch up.
"I'm just playing," said Fangio. "This guy has not attacked anyone since the Georgia-Alabama (national) league match. So that's basically it. He had a good spring for us. Played a lot of games. Learned the defense. But, basically, he had a training and half an hour in Denver when he made his report and he went out for a while. … At some point, just put it there.
"You can not just say he has not faced anyone since last January. He will have to do it at some point.
Fangio was asked about Smith's skills and make-up, which gave him confidence in how quickly the rookie would be in tune.
"I think he's a good natural football player. I think he understands the game. I think he understands what we are trying to do. He has good reactions, good instincts. And every time you have that, it helps the process. "
With a bit of luck, Smith's first big tackle will rock the script. No more contractual dispute to be feared. No more health problems to watch. Only football to play.
Smith has the talent and makeup to become a special player. It is now up to him to show his abilities in the NFL competition. His first opportunity comes Sunday night. Finally.
Twitter @danwiederer
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