Rain doesn't stop Bears from first outdoor practice
BOURBONNAIS - Coach Matt Nagy was determined to hold a two-hour practice outdoors on Friday to open training camp, and several rounds of heavy showers were not about to alter his plan or even slow the pace of the workout.
"We weren't going inside," the adamant Nagy said. "We were coming outside unless that (tornado warning) horn went off. So it was a good day. The guys fought through it, and hopefully we get some better weather (Saturday)."
Saturday's 8:15 a.m. practice is the first one open to the public, and Sunday's 8:15 practice is the first in full pads. Unlike at least one former Bears coach, Nagy believes there is a benefit to practicing in conditions that might occur in game situations.
"I think it's important to do that," he said. "You don't want to have that mentality where you just always try to have perfect weather. That's not realistic. Whether it's the wind, which can be just as bad as the rain, (or) snow, I mean, we're in Chicago, so that's something we need to take into account. And we're going to be playing in other bad-weather areas, so it comes and goes. In the summer time, you like to have your first practice and have the sun, but it didn't happen, and that's OK."
Still waiting:
Unsigned first-round draft pick Roquan Smith missed his first training-camp practice Friday afternoon.
"Well, obviously it's important," coach Matt Nagy said of the absence. "That's something that for any player, any reps you can get, that's a huge part of this process. So we feel comfortable in all the guys who are here right now getting their reps, and we know that he'll be here to do it, too."
But Nagy said he wasn't frustrated - at least not yet - with the projected starter at inside linebacker missing time with his teammates.
"It's a part of the process," said Nagy who hadn't received any update on the negotiations by late Friday afternoon. "It's not unrealistic, but again, it is what it is. Roquan is a great kid, a great football player, and when the time comes for him to be here, he'll be out here and he'll get those reps back."
Sitting it out:
ILB Danny Trevathan (hamstring), CB Sherrick McManis (hamstring) and WR Josh Bellamy (strep throat) did not practice Friday.
Coach Matt Nagy did not have a timetable for any of the players but said: "We don't need to rush any one of those guys back, and we're not going to, so they don't get re-injured."
• Bob LeGere is a senior writer at Pro Football Weekly. Follow Bob's Bears reports on Twitter @BobLeGere or @PFWeekly.