The Sports Xchange

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — His career in Chicago on the line and playing a new position in the NFL, inside linebacker Shea McClellin still summed up the situation facing the entire Chicago Bears defense heading into training camp as well as anyone could.

“What we need to get back to is the Monsters of the Midway, that’s the bottom line,” McClellin said. “We haven’t been that the last two years, and we need to get back to that.”

The reconstruction of the defense and retooling of their offense barely started with OTAs and minicamp, so the beginning of training camp only promises to be a continuation of the process.

“I think we’ve made progress,” head coach John Fox said. “We’re by no means there yet. We’ve made a lot of changes, upstairs, downstairs, throughout the building. I think the guys have responded well. Guys have bought in and worked hard and that’s all I can ask.”

In fact, Fox suspects more additions and subtractions could come from general manager Ryan Pace and coaches during the weeks leading up to reporting date.

“We’re always looking to improve the roster; I’ve made moves during this time before,” Fox said. “Things happen even during this time even on the other 31 teams. Anything we think can improve our team, Ryan and his staff will act on it accordingly.”

A mystery already because of their switch in defensive schemes and personnel who may not be a perfect fit, the Bears will go into training camp with even greater uncertainty on both sides of the ball because of the numerous players who sat out in OTAs and/or minicamp with undisclosed injuries.

Linebacker Jonathan Bostic hasn’t practiced and was expected to be a candidate for major time at inside linebacker, where McClellin has been playing and calling signals throughout offseason drills after the team failed to pick up the 2016 option year on his contract. Losing Ray McDonald because of a domestic violence charge left the Bears moving players up and down the defensive front, and where Jeremiah Ratliff, Will Sutton, Ego Ferguson and rookie Eddie Goldman eventually line up will be another question to be answered when camp starts.

The same is true at linebacker, where it appears Lamarr Houston is headed after recovering from ACL surgery, and Willie Young could play following Achilles surgery.

The rush linebackers converting from defensive end are just beginning to realize they’re entering a whole new world.

“The rush aspect is going to be the same; it’s just repetitions of getting off the ball in a two-point stance rather than a three-point stance,” converted linebacker Jared Allen said. “The matchups it creates, it’s going to be cool. I think there will be a lot more one-on-one opportunities, a lot more mismatches.”

The offensive side is where most of the offseason injuries occurred, but Fox seemed to indicate most of those players missing offseason practices did so only as a precaution. Tackles Jermon Bushrod and Jordan Mills sat out and the end result was the line began to build depth with Kyle Long moving from guard to both tackle spots. Wide receiver Kevin White, the first-round draft pick, was among those sitting at minicamp, but Fox expects White back for training camp.

“Part of the offseason is getting ready for the season and any decision we make is going to be with the player’s best interest in mind,” Fox said. “It could be physical, it could be a variety of reasons (why they sit out offseason drills). I feel good about where we are and where we will be when we start camp.”

The biggest questions in Chicago always seem to revolve around quarterback Jay Cutler, and this season will be no different even if there are accompanying issues. The question whether tight end Martellus Bennett would show up at training camp on time or hold out for a renegotiated contract appear over for now, so it’s all about Cutler on offense.

Cutler could be facing the last chance to prove himself, working with yet another new offensive coordinator and in a fifth Bears offense. He seemed in tune with the attack, which is a hybrid of the style Adam Gase learned while working under former Rams head coach and Bears assistant Mike Martz.

“He’s doing a great job so far,” wide receiver acquisition Eddie Royal said about Cutler picking up the offense. “If any of us have a question, we can just turn and ask him, and he knows it right away. You can really tell that he’s putting in the work.”

Royal saw Cutler putting in the work when he played with him as a rookie in 2008, as well.

“I think he did, but I think the attention to detail is even more so now, especially learning a new offense,” Royal said.

The tension that developed between Cutler last year and the former coaching staff has been replaced by a better situation.

“I’m comfortable with these guys,” Cutler said. “I’ve known some of these coaches throughout my career. They’ve had a lot of success in this league and they’re trying to bring it here.”

The Bears closed their offseason work on a day when the rest of the city celebrated the Blackhawks’ third Stanley Cup in six years, and did it with a rally at Soldier Field.

“My hat’s off to coach Q (Joel Quenneville), everybody, the organization,” Fox said. “I was able to go there three times in a playoff atmosphere and see what they’ve captured there, and there’s no doubt deep down inside you hope to recreate that. That’s what we aspire to be.

“Those are things you look and learn, it doesn’t really matter what sport. It does tell you a lot about Chicago and its sports fans.”

The Bears seem a long way from celebrating anything in their own stadium, and they’ll resume taking initial steps under Fox in Bourbonnais July 29.