Chicago Bears training camp report: Rookie Darnell Wright ‘looks the part’ and continues to impress with his natural athleticism

The Chicago Bears continued their training camp climb Tuesday. Here’s the rundown of all that happened and all that was said at Halas Hall.

News of the day

The Bears held their first padded practice of training camp, a session that lasted about an hour, 45 minutes. Coach Matt Eberflus labeled it a “moderate day” and promised to double the volume of the competitive reps Wednesday when the Bears hold their longest and most intense practice of camp to date.

Still, Tuesday’s workout pleased the Bears coaches. “The physicality was good,” Eberflus said. “The energy was good.”

Left guard Teven Jenkins said players were eager to take the next step in camp.

“Everybody’s getting that rust off,” Jenkins said. “First day (of pads), everybody gets excited.”

The second day in full pads promises to be even more physical and compelling, with one-on-one drills between defensive and offensive linemen taking on heightened intensity and meaning.

Player in the spotlight

Not a day goes by where rookie offensive tackle Darnell Wright doesn’t elicit heartfelt praise from coaches and teammates. Tight end Cole Kmet joined the chorus Tuesday, noting how Wright’s presence is helping elevate the confidence of the offense.

“Number one, it’s his athleticism,” Kmet said. “It’s impressive. And he has come to work every day. As chill as he seems, I know his head has to be spinning right now. And it will continue to spin over the next three weeks and into the season a little bit. But he comes here every day and works his tail off. And he looks the part.”

Drafted by the Bears with the No. 10 overall pick in April, Wright’s combination of size, strength and athleticism has been impressive. And in his first three months as a Bear, he has taken care of his body, shown a dedication to learning and accepted every challenge thrown at him on the practice field.

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Now, with the Bears moving into padded practices, Wright is eager to continue working on his discipline and gaining a better understanding for NFL-level pass rushers.

Jenkins echoed some of general manager Ryan Poles’ sentiments regarding Wright’s ability to recover and win on a rep even when he is far from perfect.

“That’s phenomenal the way he does it,” Jenkins said. “It’s just mind blowing. I haven’t seen it in all my years of playing, the way he’s able to get into football positions after being all out of sorts somehow.”

Fellow tackle Braxton Jones has appreciated Wright’s football IQ and approach.

“He’s a ballplayer at the end of the day,” Jones said. “We got him in the first round for a reason.”

Justin Fields watch

Fields completed an end-of-half, 2-minute drill with an off-script touchdown pass to receiver DJ Moore. Eluding a rush, Fields broke the pocket, scrambled right and used his eyes to move the defense. He then threw what appeared to be a no-look strike to Moore in the end zone.

“He did a good job of going through his reads to start,” Eberflus said of the quarterback. “He went through his progression and when he felt the pocket break down, he did his thing.”

Three snaps earlier, Fields connected on a 48-yard deep ball to rookie Tyler Scott, who torched cornerback Greg Stroman with his release, then used his speed to break into the clear. Fields didn’t have a perfect pocket and seemed to be leaning back as he threw. Scott’s separation did much of the damage on the big play.

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Overall, it was another up-and-down day for Fields. During seven-on-seven work inside the red zone, he was picked off by Eddie Jackson near the goal line on a pass to Chase Claypool that was deflected into the air by rookie cornerback Terell Smith. During that same period, Fields had touchdown passes to Claypool, Khalil Herbert, Jake Tonges and Darnell Mooney. He held onto the ball for far too long in several reps, including one in which he never threw.

The first-team offense also sputtered sone during an 11-on-11 red zone period. A gadget play run to Claypool was stopped for a big loss by cornerback Kyler Gordon. Fields was whistled down for a sack by Domonique Robinson on the same series and later had a pass into the end zone to Moore broken up by Jaquan Brisker.

The final play for the first-unit offense during that red zone period was a TD pass to Claypool after Fields climbed the pocket, then shuffled into an open space to his left to throw a dart.

Quote of the day

Jenkins was asked how he finds the proper intensity in padded practices without crossing a line.

“Go as hard as you can until coach yells at you,” he said. “It’s that fine line. Either you’re not going hard enough for what they like, or you’re going too hard and now you’re putting the team at risk. It’s trying to find that middle point. It’s a responsibility thing between us and the defense, so we’re trying to work together to find that.”

Seen and heard

Brisker made a leaping interception of a P.J. Walker deep ball to Daurice Fountain late in practice, the latest demonstration of the second-year safety’s playmaking instincts. Brisker has been all over the field through the first six practices of training camp and received Eberflus’ stamp of approval as the kind of “elite competitor” the Bears are seeking.

“We love Jaquan’s emotion, his passion,” Eberflus said. “And with a guy like that, his motors runs that hot where he has to harness it in a controlled situation where it works for him all the time. He has done a great job of that.”

Eberflus joked Brisker’s interception of Walker on Tuesday wasn’t quite as exhilarating as his one-handed interception of Mac Jones in New England last October. But the play he made Tuesday came with a sharp understanding of his assignment and the proper athleticism to finish.

“He broke off the hash and did a nice job high-pointing the ball,” Eberflus said.

Injury report and roster news

Guard Nate Davis, running back Roschon Johnson, fullback Khari Blasingame and tight end Chase Allen all missed the first padded practice. Eberflus would not provide specifics on their injuries or expected recovery timelines.

“If it turns into something long-term, we will disclose that,” he said. “But right now those guys are dealing with a variation of things.”

Davis’ absence seemed most notable after he chose to skip the first two weeks of organized team activities in the spring. Veteran Lucas Patrick filled in for Davis at right guard with the first-team offense.

In addition, defensive end DeMarcus Walker and linebacker Jack Sanborn each left the practice field and did not return. Walker’s exit is worth keeping an eye on with the Bears already thin at edge rusher.

The Bears added another body to their defensive front, claiming defensive tackle Bravvion Roy off waivers. Roy spent the last three seasons with the Carolina Panthers but was waived Monday.

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Bears fans cheer for autographs after practice on July 27, 2023, during training camp at Halas Hall. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)