LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) - The Chicago Bears are ending their offseason program early.
Coach Matt Nagy said nine weeks are enough and he wants his players to focus on training without having to worry about video conferences four days a week. The team will hold its final virtual meeting on Thursday - a week and a half ahead of schedule.
“We’ve done so much, we feel like we’re in a really good place right now,” Nagy said Tuesday on a conference call.
With Halas Hall off limits because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the team has been conducting two-hour video meetings Monday through Thursday. Veterans will be off after Thursday until training camp, though rookies will still be required to meet.
Training camp is expected to open in late July; the Bears first preseason game is Aug. 15 against Cleveland.
The NFL allowed coaches to return to facilities last week, pending local law. But Nagy isn’t sure when he and his coaches will be back there.
“We wouldn’t do this if we didn’t think that we didn’t have what we needed in offensively, defensively and special teams,” Nagy said. “But I meet every morning with the coordinators and we all feel we’re in a really good place right now. … Let’s let them go work out. Lets let them train. And when we come back for training camp, we’re going to be be ready to rock and roll.”
The Bears missed the playoffs at 8-8 last season after going 12-4 and winning the NFC North in 2018.
___
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Please read our comment policy before commenting.