What to expect when the Bears head to Indy for joint practices

LAKE FOREST – The Bears’ first road trip of the season will be an extended one.

They will be spending four days in Indiana ahead of Saturday’s preseason matchup with the Indianapolis Colts. On Wednesday and Thursday, the Bears and the Colts will hold joint practices at Colts training camp in Westfield, Indiana.

The Bears can, arguably, learn more about themselves during the two joint practices than they will in the actual preseason game. All NFL teams are cautious with their starters during preseason games. Nobody wants to risk their stars suffering injuries.

While injuries still can happen in practice, Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy called these joint practices “a controlled environment.”

“Your quarterback is still wearing a different colored jersey, all that stuff,” Getsy said. “But everything’s happening faster, and it’s a different opponent, so you get to play the game speed.”

The Bears last participated in joint practices in 2021, when they hosted the Miami Dolphins for two practices at Halas Hall in Lake Forest.

Quarterback Justin Fields and the starters likely will play more against the Colts in practice than they will during the game, which kicks off at 6 p.m. Saturday from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Although the actual preseason game still has value, especially for players trying to make the team, the practices are where the starters will test themselves.

The most obvious benefit of practicing against another team is that, up to this point, the players have been practicing against their own teammates for weeks. Rookie right tackle Darnell Wright has gone up against Rasheem Green, Terrell Lewis and Dominique Robinson a few hundred times already. He probably has all their moves memorized after going against them every day and watching the tape afterward.

When a Colts defensive end lines up across from Wright, just about anything could happen.

“I know what Cody Whitehair is going to do, he knows what I’m going to do,” Bears defensive tackle Andrew Billings said. “So, it just keeps you thinking. Now, I’m going against a guy I don’t know nothing about him. I haven’t watched any film, and he hasn’t watched any film on me.”

Bears head coach Matt Eberflus planned to meet with Colts head coach Shane Steichen to discuss what they want to accomplish with these practices. Eberflus said the most important thing is getting the right matchups.

“That’s a big benefit all the way around,” Eberflus said. “You get to do one-on-ones in the red zone. You get to do one-on-ones in the field. You get the pass rush, the pass protection.”

The Bears will want to see Wright against the Colts’ defensive linemen, rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson against a receiver such as Michael Pittman Jr., Fields against a defense that isn’t his own.

Bears receiver DJ Moore participated in several joint practices when he was a member of the Carolina Panthers. He said it always feels as if one team punches the other in the mouth on the first day, metaphorically speaking.

We’re going to learn a lot about the team. How strong we are together on the road and, especially for training camp, it’s dog days.”

—  DJ Moore, Bears wide receiver

“We’re going to learn a lot about the team,” Moore said. “How strong we are together on the road and, especially for training camp, it’s dog days. So when we go out there, it’s going to be two dog days back-to-back, and we’re going to see how good we are.”

There can, of course, be actual punches in the mouth, too. Joint practices tend to be known more for the occasional fights that break out between teams.

“It’s definitely a very emotional sport, especially when you put everything into it,” right guard Nate Davis said. “So you have to toe that line, know when to bring yourself back a little bit.”

The Bears are dealing with numerous injuries, although none is expected to be long term. Starters such as receiver Chase Claypool, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, defensive end DeMarcus Walker and safety Jaquan Brisker are among a dozen or so players who sat out practice Monday.

Eberflus said he would prefer if the injured players make the trip to Indiana, but the Bears will look at each one on a case-by-case basis.

“It depends on where their injury is, but most of them we would like to go with us if they can,” Eberflus said.