Wondering about a player, a past game or another issue involving the Bears? Senior writer Larry Mayer answers a variety of questions from fans on ChicagoBears.com.
Who stood out in the first training camp practice?
Will P.
Elgin, Illinois
I heard Bears radio analyst Tom Thayer name fullback Khari Blasingame as his "player of the day" in the first training camp practice Wednesday. But the player who stood out to me the most was fourth-year receiver Nsimba Webster. The Eastern Washington product showed speed, quickness and good hands in catching a pair of touchdown passes in team drills. He's someone I'm going to keep an eye on moving forward in camp. Webster has played primarily on special teams in 21 games with the Rams in 2019-20 and six contests with the Bears last year. But as we all know, the receiver position is wide open behind Darnell Mooney this summer.
I was happy to see the Bears sign two veteran offensive linemen right before training camp started. How much of an upgrade do you think tackle Riley Reiff and guard Michael Schofield III will provide?
Terrence P.
Homewood, Illinois
You can never have too many quality experienced offensive linemen and I think adding Riley Reiff and Michael Schofield is a huge deal for a mostly young line. I wouldn't be surprised if both players are Week 1 starters, potentially with Reiff at left tackle and Schofield at right guard. They should help stabilize the unit, providing valuable protection for second-year quarterback Justin Fields and opening holes in the running game. The offensive line has a much better chance of being solid this season with Reiff and Schofield on the field. Another thing their arrival does is allow the Bears to experiment with some younger linemen—like Larry Borom, Teven Jenkins and Braxton Jones—at multiple positions in training camp and the preseason.
If you had a choice of one or the other, would you prefer the Bears had the No. 1 offense or the No. 1 defense in the NFL?
Mark F.
Las Vegas, Nevada
If I had to pick one, I would absolutely choose the No. 1 offense. With the proliferation of the passing game and rule changes that benefit offensive players, I'm not so sure that the old adage about defense winning championships is true anymore. Give me an explosive offense that can put up points any day of the week and I'll take my chances. Plus having a great offense would help your defense; playing with a lead allows your pass rushers to attack, knowing that the opponent is in catch-up mode and has to throw the ball.
Chalk Talk features fan questions multiple times each week. Email your question to Larry.
