LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) - Quarterback Mitch Trubisky showed off some skills at the first day of rookie camp with the Chicago Bears and they had nothing to do with performance on the field.
The Bears traded up to draft Trubisky second overall, less than two months after signing Mike Glennon as a free agent to be their starter for the departed Jay Cutler. When Trubisky was drafted, Glennon was the team’s featured guest at a draft day fan party, and there were reports he was upset.
Trubisky said and did all the right things at his first practice Friday, making clear he considers himself a backup - at least for now.
“I’m going to come out here and compete,” Trubisky said. “But we know Mike is the starter, so it’s my job to support him and make sure everything I do I can help him as well. I’m just here to be a great teammate, continue to get better and make sure the Chicago Bears are winning.”
Trubisky said he had not met any of the other quarterbacks yet, “but we’ve been texting - that’s the day and age.”
“So I’m looking forward to meeting him,” he said. “But I’ve been talking to him, and he says it’s a great time to be in because we’re all learning the playbook together.”
Coach John Fox downplayed the situation.
“I don’t think we’re doing anything new and different here,” Fox said. “I think everybody in the league has a backup and third quarterback. I don’t know that it’s a new concept. I’d rather not make a big deal out of something I don’t think’s a big deal.”
Offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains said if any real problem exists at quarterback, it might be finding enough repetitions. With Glennon needing all the snaps he can get, and both Mark Sanchez and Connor Shaw on the roster, the Bears have plenty of quarterbacks to prepare.
“We have to be really smart with our plan and how we practice, because it’s not just one guy, it’s two guys and there’s Mark and there’s Connor,” Loggains said. “So we need to make sure that we’re getting everyone ready to play.”
Loggains had somewhat similar situations as coordinator with the Tennessee Titians and as quarterbacks coach with Cleveland.
“I think it’s awesome anytime you can go through a process like this because I got to go through it with Vince Young and Kerry Collins and then Jake Locker and Matt Hasselbeck,” Loggains said.
With a lineup almost entirely of rookies at camp, there’s not much Trubisky can show this weekend beyond taking snaps and understanding plays as he transitions from North Carolina to the NFL.
“It’s all about controlling the huddle one play at a time and knowing my assignment, knowing my progression and where I’ve got to go with the ball,” Trubisky said. “So it’s my job to run the offense and make sure everything goes smoothly.”
He likes what he’s seen in meetings of the offensive approach.
“It’s all about allowing the qurterback to make great decisions, getting the ball out, being accurate and getting it to the playmakers,” Trubisky said. “It just seems like it fits my abilities so far.”
Trubisky did get to work on pass plays with 6-foot-6, 277-pound tight end Adam Shaheen, the team’s second-round draft pick from Division II Ashland.
“I’ve never thrown to a guy that big,” Trubisky said. “He has huge range to catch the ball, so it makes it a lot easier for me.”
While Trubisky said he’s comfortable in the offense, he’s not comfortable with the ideal of getting rid of his car. On draft day, he said his status as the second pick wouldn’t stop him from keeping a Toyota with 170,000 miles on it and driving it to Chicago. He said Friday it actually has 130,000 miles, but he did drive it from North Carolina to Ohio and Chicago.
“My agent and my mom made sure I got it worked on before I drove up to Ohio,” he said. “But it’s good to go.”
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