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.
How has running back Mike Davis performed in training camp?
Frank A.
Crete, Illinois
Free-agent acquisition Mike Davis has impressed me in camp, particularly with his ability to break tackles, catch passes and pick up blitzes. His versatility seems to make him a perfect fit in the Bears offense. Off the field, he seems like a soft-spoken, down-to-earth guy who is determined to make an impact with the Bears this season as part of a backfield that also includes veteran Tarik Cohen and rookie third-round pick David Montgomery. Here's what coach Matt Nagy recently had to say about Davis: "He's a very talented running back. We saw that on tape. We feel very fortunate that he came here as a free agent. He can do a lot of different things. He can protect. He has great vision in between the tackles, yet you can put him out wide and he can do some things. He just needs to learn the intricacies of this offense, the details, and once he does that, we feel like at that position, between those guys we have, we're in a pretty good spot."
With four of the NFL's top 100 players on the Bears defense and many more great young players on the team, do you think this defense could compare to the great defense of 1985? Let's hope.
Augie
Kewanee, Illinois
I've received several emails asking me to compare the current Bears defense to the famed 1985 Super Bowl champions. As impressed as I am with the current defense—and I'm very impressed—I think it's premature to make comparisons to a unit that had three Hall of Famers in Richard Dent, Dan Hampton and Mike Singletary and capped arguably the greatest single season in NFL history with what was then the most lopsided Super Bowl victory ever. The 1985 Bears produced some unprecedented accomplishments. For instance, they remain the only NFL team to record back-to-back shutouts in the playoffs. I would prefer to compare the current Bears defense to other present-day units throughout the NFL, and in that sense I would say that the Bears are the best in terms of personnel and production, boasting three first-team All-Pros in Khalil Mack, Eddie Jackson and Kyle Fuller, Pro Bowl defensive tackle Akiem Hicks and several other players who deserve Pro Bowl recognition. And it appears that the unit is making a smooth transition under first-year coordinator Chuck Pagano. The defense has been more dominant in training camp than any other I've seen since I started covering the Bears in 1992. I'm very excited to see them perform this season.
How many more open practices do the Bears have in Bourbonnais?
Roger T.
Hammond, Indiana
The Bears have three more practices that are open to the public at Olivet Nazarene University. After a day off Sunday, they'll work out there Monday and Tuesday. Camp will be closed Wednesday before the Bears open the preseason by hosting the Carolina Panthers Thursday night at Soldier Field. After a day off Friday, they will conduct their final open practice Saturday. All three remaining workouts in Bourbonnais are scheduled to begin at 8:15 a.m.
