Bears start voluntary offseason workout program

The Bears are back to work after beginning their voluntary offseason workout program Monday.

SHARE Bears start voluntary offseason workout program
Because the Bears have a new head coach in Matt Eberflus, the team is allowed to start its offseason workout program earlier than teams with returning coaches.

Because the Bears have a new head coach in Matt Eberflus, the team is allowed to start its offseason workout program earlier than teams with returning coaches.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

The Bears got back to work Monday, beginning their voluntary offseason workout program at Halas Hall. 

Because they have a new head coach, they were allowed to start the program earlier than teams with returning coaches. Three other NFL teams began their workouts Monday. Others with new coaches, including the Vikings, will start next week.

The Bears can’t do any on-field work during Phase 1 of the offseason program. According to NFL rules, they’re limited to strength and conditioning, meetings and physical rehab. Players and coaches began getting to know each other. The Bears replaced every coordinator and position coach after firing Matt Nagy in January. Veterans Khalil Mack, Akiem Hicks, Allen Robinson and Andy Dalton are among the players no longer on the roster.

Nagy’s replacement, Matt Eberflus, is allowed to host an additional voluntary minicamp — it will run from April 19 to 21 at Halas Hall. The Bears will have OTAs for three weeks starting May 16 and a three-day mandatory veteran minicamp starting June 14.

At the NFL owners’ meetings last week, Eberflus said the coming nine weeks of offseason activities were important in building his program.

“What can the guys do?” he said. “I know the first couple of weeks we don’t get . . . [to] put our hands on them, but after that, we’ve got the voluntary minicamp and then you’ve got Phase 2 into OTAs.

“That’s a big piece of the evaluation of our roster — you know, what we’re going to bring in — and we’re certainly excited about that, too, as coaches. You look at the skill level of each guy and how they can fit and compete as you start putting in, laying your foundation, your foundational pieces for what you believe in. And that’s a key component.”

NOTE: Almost a month after tendering him a contract, the Bears re-signed tight end Jesper Horsted, an exclusive-rights free agent.

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