Chicago Bears 3rd-round draft pick Kiran Amegadjie will not practice during spring

LAKE FOREST – Bears third-round draft pick Kiran Amegadjie is not participating in rookie minicamp this weekend. The offensive tackle out of Yale is dealing with a quad injury he suffered during his final college season.

Amegadjie was present during Friday’s practice but did not participate. Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said the team was aware that Amegadjie still was recovering from the injury. Eberflus said the 6-foot-5, 326-pound tackle might miss much of the spring practice period.

“He won’t be available to practice pretty much all through the offseason,” Eberflus said. “We knew about this injury, this quad injury that he had at his college, and we want to get that process in terms of the whole rehab and everything so he’s healthy for training camp.”

Rookie minicamp is only two days long, but the Bears will begin organized team activities later this month. OTAs will include practices with the veteran players, as well. Amegadjie might not be back in a practice uniform until training camp begins in late July.

Amegadjie grew up in Hinsdale and played high school ball at Hinsdale Central. Once he’s healthy, he’ll likely be a backup tackle behind starting offensive tackles Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright.

Practice begins

Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze took the field together for the first time Friday at Halas Hall. Rookie minicamp continues Saturday.

The two first-round draft picks have been all over town lately, including courtside at a Chicago Sky preseason game. Some fans spotted Williams at Target this week, too.

Friday marked the first time they could start working through the offense together. Their blossoming connection should be fun to watch throughout the spring and summer ahead of the 2024 season.

“Just coming in with a rookie quarterback allows us to grow together and allows us to learn this offense together as well,” Odunze said. “So when he’s studying, I’m there right next to him studying and getting his mindset on different routes and concepts and learning his sort of perspective on the whole offense.”

Odunze said his goals for rookie minicamp are to be dialed in and detailed with his approach to the game.

Friday’s practice did not include any live action or hitting. Williams and Odunze made a couple of nice plays during 7-on-7 action.

So when he’s studying, I’m there right next to him studying and getting his mindset on different routes and concepts and learning his sort of perspective on the whole offense.”

—  Rome Odunze, Bears wide receiver

Rookie tryouts

The Bears signed nine undrafted rookies Thursday and brought in two dozen undrafted rookie tryouts for minicamp. For those players, this weekend is a big one.

Those undrafted rookies will be trying to prove themselves in hopes of making the 90-man roster for training camp. For the rookie tryout players, Eberflus said he wants to get a good look at how they move on the field.

“You have to have a certain skill set to be able to play up here, and you have to have that to get your foot in the door,” Eberflus said. “And then it’s all going to be about development, about the work habits, about playing smart, playing the right way, but it has to be that first.”

The Bears have 81 players on the roster, meaning they could add up to nine players for camp.