BOURBONNAIS, Ill. — Early in Monday’s practice, rookie wide receiver Javon Wims looked to get a step on cornerback Kyle Fuller and streaked toward the end zone and the ball was in the air during a one-on-one drill. The pass, though, was under thrown, and Fuller hauled it in for an interception.
Fuller then jogged back toward the line of scrimmage and went to high-five the guy who threw the pass, who happened to also be his head coach.
“He got me,” Matt Nagy said with a grin. “I can’t believe he got me. That’s ridiculous that I let that happen. That’s unacceptable.
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“The thing with Fuller is he doesn’t have to say much. He just kind of gives you that look. It’s actually worse by him not saying anything. I’m going to go back and watch it. I’m going to evaluate myself and see where I was and if there were any drops in there those guys are going to hear it. I’m going to get on them.”
This was a fun part of practice, with Nagy and quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone throwing passes to receivers and tight ends going against cornerbacks and safeties. Nagy started strong, finding wideout Malachi Jones — who beat cornerback John Franklin III — on a deep fade near the end zone, but then hit a string of incompletions. He finally got back in the groove with a deep ball touchdown to wideout Bennie Fowler before Fuller picked him off.
"He looked as awful he did when we played," wide receiver coach Mike Furrey, who was an Arena League teammate of Nagy's, laughed. "He might've thrown the ball better today than when we were playing."
There was a purpose behind the drill, though: First, Nagy wanted to bring some levity to the long grind of camp; and two, he wanted to at least for a brief moment break down the wall between coaches and players.
NFL
“For the players to feel like, hey, there’s no separation between players and coaches, we’re all one,” Nagy said. “And I think it just kind of brings you together. It just kind of happened for us and I hoped they enjoyed it, hope they had fun with it. The wideouts were coming up to me and telling me what routes they wanted instead of listening from the quarterbacks. They were excited. I could tell. It was cool.”
Still, Nagy might be paying the price later in the day for all the fun he and his players had.
"He actually threw the ball really well today. There were a couple times where you could see he was kind of feeling it," Furrey said. "But the cool thing is -- not the cool thing, but I can guarantee you, about seven o'clock tonight, he's going to be really feeling it because I know that elbow is going to be hurting."
An O-Line Update
James Daniels was eased back into practice over the weekend after missing about a week — including Thursday’s Hall of Fame Game — due to a shoulder injury. While that week in an extended training camp may seem insignificant, it’s not for a rookie trying to win a place in Harry Hiestand’s starting five.
For Daniels to do so, he’ll have to prove he’s a more reliable option than Eric Kush, who Hiestand said is becoming a “really reliable guy” with the first-team offensive line at left guard. Earl Watford, too, has played both guard positions and is in the mix for a starting gig as well.
“It’s a progression and when you’re not on the field, you’re going to be behind and he’s a little bit behind right now,” Hiestand said of Daniels.
Daniels will work at center this week, Hiestand said. How much, and where, he plays on Thursday in Cincinnati will be worth monitoring.
Briefly
There is nothing new to report on Roquan Smith’s holdout, coach Matt Nagy said.
Taylor Gabriel (foot) missed practice for the second consecutive day, as did fellow wide receiver Josh Bellamy (shoulder). Outside linebacker Isaiah Irving (ankle) was among those who missed practice, too.
Notably, linebacker Joel Iyiegbuniwe (shoulder) has been worked back into practice over the last few days and could potentially be in line to play Thursday in Cincinnati.
“He's moving around, trying to get that strength back and jus get into football shape,” Nagy said. “He's working every day and hopefully we can get him out there.”
As expected, quarterback Mitch Trubisky will play against the Bengals, though Nagy said he and his coaches haven’t finalized the list of participants in the true first preseason game of 2018 yet.