Even as coach Matt Eberflus touted the Bears’ offseason attendance Thursday, the team’s two highest-paid players, in terms of 2024 salary-cap hits, weren’t at Halas Hall. Neither was their seventh-highest-paid player. Nor their top draft pick in 2023.
The Bears practiced without wide receiver Keenan Allen, defensive end Montez Sweat, right guard Nate Davis and right tackle Darnell Wright. Wide receiver/returner Velus Jones wasn’t there, either.
Organized team activities are voluntary — and increasingly so in recent years. Eberflus said every player on his roster has been inside Halas Hall during the team’s offseason program, if not this week.
“We have great attendance,” he said. “We only have a couple of guys that haven’t been here or weren’t here [Thursday], and it’s been really good for us. I would put our attendance against anyone in the NFL.”
Wide receiver DJ Moore said Allen wasn’t at Halas Hall because of the birthdays of his wife and daughter. Eberflus said some players have missed time because of personal reasons, graduations and birthday parties.
Defensive coordinator Eric Washington called Sweat an “active participant” this offseason, saying he spoke to him earlier this month.
“He’s stayed connected to the offseason,” Washington said. “I’ll be excited as he continues to take advantage of this offseason.”
Asked about his own OTA participation, Moore said with a smile that he had plenty of incentive — a $200,000 workout bonus.
“I want to commend everybody that’s here getting coached, wanting to get coached and getting better and improving,” Eberflus said.
Washington participated in Coach Accelerator Program
Washington returned to Halas Hall on Wednesday night after participating in the three-day Coach Accelerator Program this week at the NFL’s spring meetings. The program allows coaches from diverse backgrounds to mingle with owners and executives with hopes of networking for future head-coaching jobs.
“It was unprecedented access with all of the club owners and executives and just getting a chance to sit down,” Washington said. “I did a mock interview, a chance to sit down and interact with them on that level and in that context. And just to continue to grow as a professional and some of the things that impact me and my role now, and some things that will impact me as I consider and move toward the next chair.”
The Bears named Washington, a former Bills assistant, their coordinator earlier this year. Eberflus will continue to call the defensive plays.
Revenge game?
Safety Kevin Byard made note of the Bears’ Week 1 opponent: the Titans, his team from 2016 until a midseason trade last year.
“The football gods have a way of working things out,” the two-time Pro Bowl player said. “It’s going to be exciting to see all my old teammates, kind of really talking to a lot of guys before the game. . . .
“But, to be honest, man, I don’t want to make it about myself. It’s really just the Chicago Bears against the Tennessee Titans. It’s going to be good to play at home the first game. It’s going to be a really good test for us.”
Home soon?
The Bears spent the offseason touting the addition of former NFL quarterback Ryan Griffin as an offensive assistant, saying he would provide Caleb Williams with guidance as a former NFL quarterback and Super Bowl champion.
Griffin, though, is playing for Skorpions Varese of the Italian Football League. They were 7-0 entering Thursday night’s game.
Eberflus said the Bears expect him to return in time for the start of mandatory minicamp in early June.
