5 things we learned from Chicago Bears position coaches, including Justin Fields processing mental reps and Larry Borom suddenly in the mix at left tackle

The Chicago Bears position coaches spoke Thursday after practice at Halas Hall.

Here are five things we learned from the assistants’ first media availability of training camp.

1. Rookie quarterback Justin Fields is getting nearly as many reps as starter Andy Dalton.

And when Fields is not taking snaps, the first-round draft pick is doing a good job of processing information.

“I think it’s a combination of him pushing himself and knowing that he has some development to go, like all of these guys do,” quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo said. “Twelve-year veterans still have ways to go at playing the position and are always learning. It’s a fine line of Justin understanding that and also being not hard enough but critical enough of himself to be able to want to push to where he wants to be.

“He is really buying into the mental reps when he’s not in there. He and I will talk a lot. Like going into the two-minute, we are driving, down two with two minutes to go. Well, as soon as we crossed that 40-yard-line, we knew at some point a Cover-0 (blitz) was coming, and sure enough the Cover-0 came the next play. So those are the situations we are always talking about.”

2. DeFilippo said he’s enjoying the back-and-forth with Dalton.

Dalton is entering his 11th season in he NFL and is one of the more veteran quarterbacks DeFilippo has coached, along with Carson Palmer with the Oakland Raiders in 2012.

“If you’re willing to learn and willing to have discussions with guys like Andy Dalton, you can learn a lot about yourself as a coach,” DeFilippo said. “We are always looking to improve every day as coaches as well. I love hearing Andy’s point of view how he sees certain plays, how he sees certain coverages, because you can learn a lot from guys like Andy.”

3. Rookie fifth-round pick Larry Borom is suddenly a candidate to be the starting left tackle.

With second-round draft pick Teven Jenkins yet to practice — he missed his seventh day Thursday — and Elijah Wilkinson temporarily sidelined on the reserve/COVID-19 list, Borom was thrown into the mix Tuesday for the first practice in full pads at Soldier Field.

“He’s contender because of what he did the other day,” offensive line coach Juan Castillo said of Borom. “That’s the way things happened. He got in there with the first group and did a great job. … We’re very fortunate to go against a defensive line that we’re going against. He’s (been) been doing a good job on the right side too. He went over (to left tackle) and did a really good job and so now that gives me the confidence that he’s in there in a dogfight for that position.”

4. Defensive lineman Bilal Nichols wasn’t shy about the personal goal he’s set for himself this season — All-Pro status.

First-year defensive line coach Chris Rumph believes Nichols’ best football remains ahead of him entering his third season.

“This guy is just scratching the surface,” Rumph said. “I’ve been really impressed with his intelligence. He’s a really, really smart player, so I’m not surprised when I see some of the things he’s accomplished so far. … He absorbs things from anybody. It could be a vet, a rookie, a coach, an assistant coach, anybody, he’s absorbing information.

“He’s a big guy that can move but he does a really good job getting skinny in holes and things like that and understanding where the block is coming from. I’m really excited about that.”

5. Everyone is eager for the preseason to arrive so the quarterbacks can be evaluated.

Preseason games are going to be huge not only for roster decisions but for depth-chart choices at positions such as wide receiver, at which Allen Robinson and Darnell Mooney are clearly the top two. After that, it’s wide open, and competition will begin to separate itself in game action.

“I think it’s just going to play out here as we go through preseason,” wide receivers coach Mike Furrey said. “We’ll have to figure that out once we get into preseason games and let it unfold.

“That’s going to be big for all of us. Preseason games are going to be important for everybody in our room.”

Extra points

The Bears practiced without pads Thursday, but the next three practices — Friday through Sunday — will be conducted in full pads with coach Matt Nagy saying each day will feature some live tackling drills. … There was a heavy emphasis on red-zone action at practice. Fields made one really nice throw into a tight window, connecting with Jester Weah in the back of the end zone, but Dalton was generally more effective. … Outside linebacker Robert Quinn (back) was sidelined for the second consecutive practice. Right guard James Daniels (quad), cornerback Artie Burns (quad), offensive tackle Badara Traore (knee), defensive back Michael Joseph (hamstring) and linebacker Josh Woods (quad) also missed practice. … Lachavious Simmons continued to get work with the first team at right tackle after a solid showing in run drills Tuesday at Soldier Field.

baiduhai’s Colleen Kane contributed.

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