11th in a position-by-position series of training-camp capsules on every player on the Bears’ 90-man roster. The Bears open training camp on Friday at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais.
75
KYLE LONG
Guard Sixth year
6-6, 316 Oregon
Acquired: First-round draft pick (20th overall) in 2014.
Age: 29
NFL experience: 65 games (64 starts) in five seasons.
Background: Considered by some a reach when Bears GM Phil Emery took Long in the first round in 2014, Long became an immediate starter and made the Pro Bowl his first three seasons — at right guard in 2013 and 2014 and at right tackle in 2015. Long moved back to right guard in 2016 and signed a four-year, $40 million contract ($30 million guaranteed). But after starting 55-of-56 games to start his career, injuries (torn ankle ligaments, triceps, labrum, hand, neck) limited Long to eight games in 2016 and 10 last season.
Notable: Long is one of two players remaining on the roster who played in Marc Trestman’s first season in 2013. Sherrick McManis is the other.
The skinny: After a second-consecutive season marred by injuries, Long — who turns 30 in December — is at a crossroads. After a long, arduous recovery in the offseason, he hopes to be back where he was in 2014. But he still has to prove he is healthy, can stay healthy and still has the ability to be one of the best guards in the NFL.
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65
CODY WHITEHAIR
Center Third season
6-4, 310 Kansas State
Acquired: Second-round draft pick (56th overall) in 2016.
Age: 26
NFL experience: 32 games (32 starts) in two seasons with the Bears.
Background: Had a stellar rookie season after moving from left guard to center — a position he had never played in competition before — after Hroniss Grass was injured in training camp in 2016. Made the Pro Football Writers all-rookie team and was the sixth-ranked center in the NFL by Pro Football Focus. Struggled early in 2017, particularly with snaps, but recovered in the second half. Rated among the best run-blocking centers in the NFL by PFF but his pass-blocking rating declined.
Notable: Whitehair has started all 32 games in his two-year NFL career and has played 1,974-of-2,000 snaps (98.7 percent). Allowed only one sack last season, per PFF.
The skinny: Whitehair still has the ability to be an elite, Pro Bowl offensive lineman, but a little continuity would help. He started one game at left guard and two games at right guard last season and the Sitton-Whitehair-Long interior was together for just eight games. So the sooner the Bears figure out where rookie James Daniels will play, the better.
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55
HRONISS GRASU
Center Fourth year
6-3, 301 Oregon
Acquired: Third-round draft pick (71st overall) in 2015.
Age: 27
NFL experience: 14 games (12 starts) in three seasons with the Bears
Background: Started eight games as a rookie in 2015 and was better at the end than in the beginning — he was an honorable mention selection on Mel Kiper’s all-rookie team. Was the starter entering the 2016 season, but he suffered a season-ending torn ACL just 10 days into training camp at Family Fest at Soldier Field. Started four games at center last season when Cody Whitehair was moved to guard because of injuries to Kyle Long and Josh Sitton.
Notable: Grasu was a four-year starter at Oregon, including two seasons (2013-14) under Mark Helfrich, the Bears’ current offensive coordinator.
The skinny: As a dedicated center, Grasu comes into camp looking like the odd-man out, with Eric Kush healthy and the addition of James Daniels. He has yet to return to his late-2015 form after the ACL injury and was mediocre-at-best in his starting stints last season. Needs a strong training camp/preseason to find a spot in the league.
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64
ERIC KUSH
Guard/center Fifth season
6-4, 317 California (Pa.)
Acquired: Signed as a free agent in 2016.
Age: 29
NFL experience: 18 games (five starts) in four seasons.
Background: A sixth-round draft pick out of Division II California (Pa.) in 2013, Kush played in three games in two seasons with Kansas City. He was cut five times within a 12-month span — by the Chiefs, Buccaneers, Panthers, Texans and Rams — before the Bears signed him prior to Week 1 last year. Though primarily a center, Kush started four games in place of Josh Sitton in 2016 and acquitted himself well, earning a two-year contract. But he suffered a season-ending torn hamstring in training camp last season.
Notable: After Josh Sutton was cut, Kush spent much of the offseason program getting first-team reps at left guard.
The skinny: Though he signed as a fringe player in 2016, Kush established himself as a starter-quality back-up and his absence following the hamstring injury last year at camp was felt with Kyle Long missing seven games last season. Assuming he’s back to where he was following the injury, Kush will be a valuable insurance polity on the interior line.
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67
JORDAN MORGAN
Guard Second year
6-4, 311 Kutztown (Pa.)
Acquired: Fifth-round draft pick (147th overall) in 2017.
Age: 25
NFL experience: None.
Background: A former walk-on at Kutztown who did not play organized football until his senior year of high school, Morgan went from a 235-pound red-shirt freshman to a 315-pound left tackle and winner of the Gene Upshaw Award given to the top offensive lineman in Division II. Two-time Division II All-American (2015-16). Two-time captain. Spent his rookie season on injured reserve after suffering a shoulder injury sometime in the preseason.
Notable: Morgan played in all four preseason games last season, including 29 in the finale vs. the Browns, before going on IR with the shoulder injury when the rosters were cut to 53 players.
The skinny: The Bears liked him enough to draft him in the fifth round, but there are a lot of unknowns regarding Morgan — he’s a late-bloomer from a Division II school playing guard after playing tackle in college. He missed all of last season and is learning a new offensive system under a new offensive line coach. A roll of the dice.
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71
EARL WATFORD
Guard Fifth year
6-4, 295 James Madison
Acquired: Signed a one-year, $1.25 million contract as a free agent in 2018.
Age: 28
NFL experience: 42 games (22 starts) in four seasons with the Cardinals.
Background: A fourth-round draft pick (116th overall) in 2013, Watford started two games in his first three seasons. He started 10 games in 2016 (seven at right guard, three at right tackle) as an injury replacement. He signed a two-year, $6 million contract with the Jaguars in free agency in 2017, but was beaten out by former Bear Patrick Omameh and cut prior to the season opener. He re-signed with the Cardinals and started nine games (eight at right guard, one at left guard.)
Notable: Watford’s first two NFL starts — against the Saints and Bears in Weeks 1-2 in 2015 — were at right tackle for the Cardinals in place of Bobby Massie, who was serving a two-game suspension for an alcohol-related infraction.
The skinny: Watford, a better run blocker than a pass protector, is a quality backup with starting experience at tackle and both guard positions who has value in a pinch. But it’s probably not a good sign if he starts anywhere on the line in 2018.
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68
JAMES DANIELS
Guard/center First year
6-4, 295 Iowa
Acquired: Second-round draft pick (39th overall) in 2018.
Age: 21
NFL experience: None.
Background: A four-star recruit who turned down Alabama, Northwestern and Ohio State to go to Iowa. Daniels started two games at left guard as a true freshman in 2015 and became a full-time starter at center in 2016 and 2017. He was an honorable-mention all-Big Ten pick last season and turned pro with a year of eligibility remaining.
Notable: Daniels will still be 20 years old when the Bears open the 2018 season on Sept. 9 — younger than Walter Payton (21 years, 58 days in 1975) and Olin Kreutz (21 years, 88 days) when they began their NFL career. He turns 21 on Sept. 13.
The skinny: Though he was rated the No. 1 center in the draft, Daniels will start training camp at left guard — presumably battling Eric Kush and perhaps Earl Watford for the starting spot — with Cody Whitehair starting at center. If Daniels is as good as advertised, the Bears will have to move quickly to get him and Whitehair in their best positions.
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73
WILL PERICAK
Guard Second year
6-3, 300 Colorado
Acquired: Signed to the practice squad in 2017.
Age: 28
NFL experience: None.
Background: A four-year starter as a defensive lineman at Colorado, Pericak was signed by the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2013. Pericak has been cut nine times by six teams — the Ravens, Chargers, Jaguars, Broncos, Seahawks and Bills — over five seasons without playing in an NFL game. The Bears signed Pericak to their practice squad in Week 14 last year after he had been cut from the Bill practice squad the previous week.
Notable: Pericak was a defensive linemen until he switch to guard/center after signing with the Seahawks in 2015. He’s played in 18 NFL preseason games but never has been active for a regular-season game.
The skinny: Entering his sixth NFL training camp, Pericak doesn’t have much of a track record. He can play guard or center, but it’s not known if he can play either well. He’s fighting an uphill battle for a roster spot, but it’s not an unfamiliar position.
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60
BRANDON GREENE
Guard Rookie
6-6, 293 Florida International
Acquired: Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2017.
Age: 23
NFL experience: None.
Background: A four-star recruit as an offensive tackle who played offense and defense at Alabama, but was most effective as a blocking tight end. Signed with the Bears as an undrafted free agent after Eric Kush suffered a torn hamstring in training camp and spent most of the season on the practice squad.
Notable: Greene was promoted to the 53-man roster for the final two games of the regular season but did not play against either the Browns or the Vikings.
The skinny: Greene will be challenged to stand out in a crowded group of guards at this camp. At full strength, the Bears are set with Kyle Long and James Daniels/Eric Kush, with Earl Watford and Bradley Sowell as back-ups and former fifth-round draft pick Jordan Morgan as a developmental prospect. Position switch could be in order.
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69
RASHAAD COWARD
Guard/tackle Second year
6-6, 320 Old Dominion
Acquired: Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2017.
Age: 23
NFL experience: One game in one season with the Bears.
Background: Coward, a two-star recruit who became a two-year starter at defensive tackle at Old Domion, made the Bears’ practice squad as a nose tackle last year — and was promoted to the active roster for one game. He was converted to the offensive line to start the offseason program this year, likely at guard but, at his size, with potential at tackle as well.
Notable: Coward ran a 5.17 40-yard dash at his pro day last year — not bad for 6-6, 320 pounds.
The skinny: The Bears are trying to take as much advantage of veteran offensive line coach Harry Hiestand as they can. Giving him Coward to work with is like a free roll of the dice. If he shows any promise, he’s an ideal practice squad candidate.
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68
JEREMI HALL
Guard First year
6-5, 340 South Florida
Acquired: Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2018.
Age: 23
NFL experience: None.
Background: Three-star recruit ranked No. 8 among guards/centers by Tom Lemming as a high school senior in Georgia in 2013. Originally committed to Georgia Tech before signing with. South Florida. Two-year starter at South Florida. First-team all-conference in 2017. Powerful pulling guard, helped pave the way for the Bulls to rank second in the conference and eighth nationally with 264.1 rushing yards per game. Also helped the Bulls rank sixth nationally in total offense (513.0 yards per game.)
Notable: Hall was a starter on South Florida teams that ranked fourth in the nation in scoring in 2016 (43.8 points per game) and 10th in 2017 (38.2).
The skinny: Hall has dominating size, but lacks athleticism and doesn’t seem to be a particularly good fit for Matt Nagy’s offense. He enters camp as a long shot for a practice squad spot.
Want your Bears training camp update without delay? Each day of summer practice, Sun-Times Bears’ beat writers Patrick Finley, Adam Jahns and Mark Potash will share exclusive insights on the workout and interviews in a livestream conversation 1 p.m. daily through August 12. Catch their live analysis and ask questions on Twitter: @suntimes_sports or follow Sun-Times Sports on Periscope to be notified of each live report.
