Chicago Bears Family Fest report: Kyler Gordon sidelined as injuries on defense continue to add up

Less than a mile south of the Lollapalooza festivities, the Chicago Bears held their own celebration Sunday with the annual Family Fest at Soldier Field.

The Bears practiced for a little more than two hours, and coach Matt Eberflus, defensive tackle Justin Jones and wide receiver DJ Moore addressed the media afterward. Here’s the rundown of all that happened Sunday.

News of the day

Of the 11 players who didn’t practice, six were projected defensive starters. Defensive back Kyler Gordon joined safety Jaquan Brisker, defensive end DeMarcus Walker and linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and Jack Sanborn in sitting out with injury issues the team has declined to disclose.

Recently signed pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue also was absent as he prepares to join the Bears for the upcoming week.

Eberflus doesn’t seem overly concerned by the early August attrition on defense. He called Edmunds’ status “day to day” and tried to contextualize the entirety of the injury situation.

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“There’s nothing there that is long-term,” Eberflus said. “But like we talked about the other day … with continuity, that is a concern. When you miss practices, you can’t get better. So those guys are injured right now and we’re working them back.”

Jones echoed Eberflus’ lack of concern.

“It’s no worry to me,” he said. “I know that when we go to Game 1, everybody’s going to be ready.”

Justin Fields watch

Fields finished his day with a pretty off-script touchdown pass to Moore in the back of the north end zone. Moore hauled in the back-shoulder throw after beating safety Elijah Hicks.

On the whole, Fields had an encouraging practice. He provided the morning’s first crowd-pleasing moment during one-on-one drills, dropping a perfectly placed deep ball into Moore’s hands down the right sideline for a touchdown. Moore made that catch with rookie defensive back Terell Smith in tight coverage.

During 11-on-11 red-zone work, Fields hit tight end Cole Kmet for a 12-yard touchdown and Chase Claypool for an 8-yard score, the latter coming as Fields evaded pressure in the pocket, slid into open space to his right and threw a strike.

After 10 training camp practices, Eberflus is pleased with Fields’ progress and sees trust building between the quarterback and his pass catchers.

“I can see that growing and growing and growing,” Eberflus said. “Guys are where they’re supposed to be. He knows that. He knows the rhythm and timing of that. And then (they’re making) the adjustments off that.”

Player in the spotlight

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A referee rubs their face with a towel as Bears quarterback Justin Fields runs drills with other players during training camp at Halas Hall on Aug. 2, 2023. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

When Moore brought his daughter to his news conference after practice, she received the first question.

Minutes earlier, Moore capped the offense’s day when he ran along the back center of the end zone with Hicks covering him and quickly turned back to make a diving catch from Fields.

Did Moore’s daughter like her dad’s touchdown catch?

“Yeah,” she said enthusiastically into the microphone.

At his first Family Fest, Moore gave fans several glimpses of what has the Bears excited about their new top wide receiver.

He had a 19-yard touchdown catch in a full-team period with the first-team offense facing the second-team defense. And he had a third-and-8 play for a first down that captured Eberflus’ attention.

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“He was able to twirl around there, split two and get vertical, and he made it by a couple yards,” Eberflus said. “That elusiveness that he has. And then that catch at the end, the ability to stop, put his right foot in the ground, come back falling down and make the play, that’s concentration and quickness and the ability that he has.”

The chemistry between Fields and Moore has been an ongoing topic of conversation from the time they first started building it during the offseason program. Moore said “it came on faster than we both thought.”

“But it’s good to see,” he said. “A lot of trust went into it at first because we always used to ask questions back and forth. So now that we get live reps, it comes to fruition.”

Quote of the day

After the Bears finished 31st in the league in 2022 against the run, allowing 157.3 yards per game, Jones sees the additions of Edmunds, Walker, nose tackle Andrew Billings and linebacker T.J. Edwards making a big difference.

“It’s going to be night and day from what we were last year,” he said.

Seen and heard

Former Bears cornerback Charles “Peanut” Tillman was among the notable faces roaming the sideline at Soldier Field.

Tillman vehemently protested a pass interference call from an official during a one-on-one period, kiddingly throwing down a hat in front of him.

Tillman has been around Halas Hall at times during Eberflus’ tenure, and rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson said he has “hit him up every now and then.” Stevenson said Tillman’s message was “compete.”

“A champion’s mindset is always different. You should always think different,” Stevenson said last week of advice Tillman has given. “Every time I talk to him it’s just, ‘Compete. … Be the best version of yourself.’”

The first-team defense showed Tillman a couple of game-changing plays Sunday.

Josh Blackwell, who was filling in at nickel for Gordon, intercepted backup quarterback PJ Walker and was mobbed by teammates in the end zone after his return.

Jaylon Johnson intercepted Fields in the end zone on a pass to Claypool late in practice before Moore’s touchdown.

Injury report

Along with the aforementioned defensive players, right guard Nate Davis sat out his fifth straight practice with an undisclosed injury. His replacement, Lucas Patrick, went to the injury tent and then the locker room during practice. Second-year offensive lineman Ja’Tyre Carter replaced Patrick.

Wide receivers Dante Pettis and Joe Reed remained out, and tight end Marcedes Lewis, whom the Bears signed Friday, didn’t suit up yet.

Backup linebacker Dylan Cole was present but didn’t practice.