The first padded practice of Chicago Bears training camp was an enjoyable affair. There was lots of stuff happening from a positive point of view. The quarterbacks threw just one interception combined on the day but the defense still performed well. Rookies like Adam Shaheen and Tarik Cohen looked like instant contributors and (knock on wood) nobody came out of the action with an injury. That includes Bryce Callahan.
Most have become familiar with the third-year cornerback by now. An undrafted free agent out of Rice, he might be the best cover man they have in the secondary. Unfortunately he might also be the most brittle. In two seasons Callahan has missed a total of 12 games with a variety of injuries, most often hamstring or calf problems.
It’s hard to see where he stands for 2017 after signing a one-year deal to stick around. He should make the roster, but anything beyond that is a mystery. One thing is for sure though. The guy certainly knows how to perform under pressure.
Bryce Callahan punt return display wows fans
That became clear during the latter half of the practice. One area of the Bears roster that is wide open at present is their punt returner position. Being able to secure that would almost guarantee him a roster spot. It’s little wonder several players stepped up to try fielding punts. Soon though it developed into a unique competition. Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times explains.
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“In a punt return competition, Cohen and Daniel Braverman caught a third consecutive punt while still holding the first two; but Bryce Callahan outdid them with four straight, catching the fourth while still holding the first three.”
Bryce Callahan fielding punts. This is impressive. All the returners trying it pic.twitter.com/gJSr9hEYuG
— Andrew Link (@BearsLink82) July 29, 2017
This displays offers a variety of intriguing features from Callahan. First and foremost is the obvious. He seems to have strong hands and body control. He catches each ball without jerking too much to drop the others. Then there’s the concentration under the eyes of what was reportedly 20,000+ fans. Never mind the fact he was a defensive player.
Well then again so was Devin Hester so forget it.
Point being it was a fun moment and showcased how loose this Bears team could be in the face of pretty strong pressure. Callahan especially. His NFL future is on the line this year. An inability to step up could mean his last, best chance petering out. If that’s true, then might as well go out having fun.
