Rod Marinelli a welcome guest at Bears minicamp

Matt Eberflus has keeping away from remaining weighty-handed about the protection he will be rebuilding as mentor of the Bears. It’ll have his stamp on it, but he has all but handed over the day-to-working day reins to defensive coordinator Alan Williams.

Eberflus turned to a further former coach this week to assistance position that protection in the correct course, and he couldn’t have picked a much better one — previous Bears defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli, who was a visitor at veteran minicamp Tuesday and will converse to the team Wednesday.

Marinelli’s credentials as one of the ideal defensive line coaches in the NFL more than the previous two decades are nicely-proven — with the Buccaneers (1996-2005), the Bears (2010-12) and the Cowboys (2013-19).

He and Eberflus overlapped as Cowboys posture coaches from 2013-17.

As was obvious with the Bears, there could not be an NFL place coach whose gamers swear by him a lot more than Marinelli’s players, who have experienced a Yoda-like reverence for him.

“I put in five a long time with him in Dallas and I can’t say adequate superior matters about Rod Marinelli,” Eberflus explained. “What he taught me with the participant-mentor partnership — to be able to exhibit the participant that you care as a result of action. And to get ready the participant to participate in his finest on Sunday.

“And then you are able to problem them and push them earlier the place they just can’t take by themselves, and that is what I acquired from Rod. Most people who talks about him just enjoys him to dying. I know when he was [with the Bears] he pushed the men previous the point they couldn’t get themselves and that’s what I discovered from him. He’s a diamond in the tough, Rod Marinelli.”

Maintain that line

Rookie still left deal with Braxton Jones remained with the very first group in observe, future to remaining guard Cody Whitehair, middle Lucas Patrick, right guard Sam Mustipher and suitable tackle Larry Borom.

Teven Jenkins, the 2021 second-spherical draft pick envisioned to begin at both tackle placement, remained with the second workforce. But Eberflus said the offensive line continues to be a fluid circumstance.

“We’re heading to complete camp with this alignment,” Eberflus stated, “and then we’ll determine, ‘We like this alignment, that alignment or [we] don’t like both a single — let’s go with a new 1.’ ”

Questioned if Jenkins or Borom could move to ideal guard, Eberflus mentioned, “All mixtures are open up. We’re just hoping to come across the most effective 5.”

Dozier injured

Guard Dakota Dozier remaining the discipline on a cart soon after struggling an harm late in follow. Per his offseason plan, Eberflus did not comment on the extent of the injury.

Buzz machine

The large receiver space statistically is the the very least completed group in the NFL. But the chief of that group, 3rd-yr wideout Darnell Mooney, gave a ringing endorsement of rookie Velus Jones, the speedster from Tennessee who was drafted in the third spherical (71st in general).

“I adore the place,” Mooney stated. “There are a great deal of fellas that are going to carry some good things to the table. Velus, gentleman — when he will get the ball, y’all are going to see. He can fly. He can be a playmaker for guaranteed for us.”

Gordon out

Cornerback Kyler Gordon, the Bears’ initially-round draft select, did not participate —though he was in attendance and functioning on an workout bike. Eberflus did not seem worried about the undisclosed harm.

“He’s undertaking wonderful, “Eberflus reported. “He’s undertaking awesome.”