LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Here are 10 things you need to know after the first day of Bears minicamp at Halas Hall:
1. Martellus Bennett is back, but his contract dispute is not over. The tight end avoided getting fined by showing up to mandatory minicamp — a decision he said he made “the other day” — but he still wants a new contract.
“I’m always working on a new contract. All sides of business,” Bennett said.
Bennett is two years into a four-year, $20.4 million contract that will pay him $4.9 million this year, and after catching 90 passes for 916 yards and six touchdowns last season, he believes he deserves a raise.
“If your performance is at a high level and you’re playing to a high level, then you want to be compensated for the level that you play at,” Bennett said.
To help make his case, the tight end went as far to compare his situation to cell phone contracts and apartment leases.
“Most people don’t honor their damn phone contract,” Bennett said. “They switch from Sprint to T-Mobile, so I mean it’s just like being in an apartment and getting out of your lease because you want to find a better apartment or something better.
“I think every American, every person in the whole world should be trying to get a new contract, and if they’re not, it’s silly.”
2. Bennett committed to showing up to training camp on time — sort of. Asked point blank if he’ll be in Bourbonnais on time, Bennett simply said, “Yeah.”
But when asked if there’s a possibility he wouldn’t be there on time, he added: “There’s always a possibility. I take it one day at a time.”
3. It’s unclear whether or not Bennett asked to be traded. The Bears explored the possibility of moving him, but Bennett wouldn’t say if that was at his request.
“I don’t know. My agent, that’s between them and upstairs,” he said.
4. You didn’t have to dig too deep to realize Martellus Bennett and the Bears are still not on the same page.
Asked how far behind Bennett is with the offense after missing OTAs, head coach John Fox said after Tuesday’s practice: “I think he’s been looking at his iPad, that was evident.”
Apparently not.
“No I didn’t look at it,” Bennett said later. “Today was my first day looking at the offense.”
5. Kyle Long is still working at right tackle. Left tackle Jermon Bushrod and right tackle Jordan Mills were still out with injuries Tuesday, so that kept Long at tackle.
With both starting tackles out, the Bears’ No. 1 offensive line had Charles Leno, Jr. at left tackle, Matt Slauson at left guard, Will Montgomery at center, Vladimir Ducasse at right guard and Long at right tackle.
“I know he’s enjoying it,” quarterback Jay Cutler said about Long playing tackle. “We’ve got a few guys banged up, so we’re moving guys around, and I think it’s safe to say he’ll be on the field at one of those five positions when we open up.”
6. There was no sign of first round draft pick Kevin White Tuesday. He evidently is battling an injury.
“Everybody’s day to day with me,” Fox said. “I’ll meet with the medical people and we’ll make that call and he’ll be out here when he’s ready to be.”
7. Second-year cornerback Kyle Fuller took punt return reps. Fuller only returned three punts during his college career at Virginia Tech, but one of them went for a touchdown.
8. Don’t sleep on Marquess Wilson. It seems many have given up on the 2013 seventh round pick, but Wilson didn’t really get a fair shot last year after breaking his collarbone in training camp. He was having a great camp before the injury and by the time he returned in Week 11, Marc Trestman’s offense was a mess. Despite that, he still had a seven-catch game in Week 16 after Brandon Marshall suffered a season-ending injury.
The new coaching staff seems to like Wilson too. Even when White was healthy and practicing, Wilson was getting the bulk of the reps with the first-team.
“I think he’s back on track to where he was last training camp, progressing every day and making big plays for us,” quarterback Jay Cutler said Tuesday.
9. Former Dolphins running back Daniel Thomas is working out with the Bears on a tryout basis during this week’s minicamp. Defensive back Sherrod Martin is also at Halas Hall this week on a tryout. Both players are former second round draft picks.
10. David Bass continues to look good at outside linebacker. He showed flashes of potential lining up at defensive end in the Bears’ old 4-3 defense, but the third year pro really seems to fit well at linebacker in Vic Fangio’s 3-4. It’s a crowded position group, but he’s someone to keep an eye on during the preseason.
Adam Hoge covers the Chicago Bears for WGN Radio and WGNRadio.com. He also co-hosts The Beat, weekends on 720 WGN. Follow him on Twitter at @AdamHoge.
