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http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-spt-bears-chase-daniel-mitch-trubisky-questions-20180607-story.html
The Bears signed Chase Daniel to be an answer man for Mitch Trubisky.
The veteran quarterback has experience in the offense coach Matt Nagy is installing and has been well-regarded at every stop he has made, including in New Orleans, where he overlapped with Bears general manager Ryan Pace.
So when Trubisky asked on the first day of minicamp Tuesday the difference between Drew Brees and Alex Smith, Daniel was able to weigh in.
“They couldn’t be more different,” Daniel said. “Drew is like the ultimate in taking copious amounts of notes, has to rep it constantly and a lot of throwing after practice. The cerebral part of the game is there. Where Alex has such a photographic memory, he doesn’t need to take notes. He studies as much as anyone I have ever been around, but he doesn’t need to take notes. He can see it one time and go do it on the field. He could not get a rep with it all week and he just has a feel for it.
“And Alex was a little more relaxed on that part of the game, so take one part of me where I still take copious notes, and take one part of me with Alex and then you put a little of my flavor on it, and it’s a good mix. Alex really chilled me out when I got to Kansas City: ‘Just relax. Throw to the open guy.’
“There is a part of the game at quarterback where you can overthink things and it just comes down to playing football and throwing to the open receiver. Being with Drew for so long, I tried to almost overthink everything, whereas Alex was like, ‘Just let it rip, man.’ It was good. It was two opposite ends of the spectrum.”
Daniel’s response provides some insight into the dynamic he’s bringing to the quarterback room as the team spreads far and wide for a six-week break after minicamp concluded Thursday at Halas Hall. Entering his 10th season, this is only the second year in which Daniel has been the veteran in the position room. The first was in 2016, when he was the backup and sounding board for Eagles rookie Carson Wentz.
“I’m the oldest guy on the team, and that’s super interesting,” said Daniel, who will turn 32 in October. “I don’t feel it. I think with the experience in the offense and going into Year 10, I have just about seen at all, whether it be on the sideline or playing or film. I pride myself on being a film junkie and studying guys, studying quarterbacks, studying different defenses. I think I am able to bring that experience to the room for Mitch, and Mitch is able to lean on me.”
The Bears will resume work on building an offensive identity when they report to training camp in July at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais. There is a heavy influence from the Chiefs with elements sprinkled in from elsewhere, including the college ranks as coordinator Mark Helfrich has some input.
Perhaps no one is better qualified than Daniel to answer where the players are in the installation. He was with the Chiefs in 2013 when Andy Reid took over and the offense was at ground zero, so he has seen a precursor to this Bears offense put in.
“This offense has evolved so much from 2013 to now … and we’re constantly having to evolve because defenses are constantly having to evolve,” Daniel said. “We try to attack them; they have all these fronts, pressures, looks, etc., trying to attack us.
“There is a lot more in these two months that we installed than in 2013. We tried to just walk … just barely hit the surface (in Kansas City). Here, the coaches — and it is purposeful — are trying to throw a lot of things at us to see how we react. We scaled back this week for minicamp so guys can play fast, and that is what is happening.
“You can see the creativity brewing in the offensive staff room that’s just been out of this world. You get a little bit of Oregon stuff from Mark, you get a lot of Kansas City stuff and then you pull from Philly stuff, New Orleans stuff and you sort of make it your own.”
Now that Daniel has been on the field with Trubisky for two months, he’s able to say what impresses him most about the player to whom the Bears have hitched their future. He cites Trubisky’s athleticism and the way he can challenge defenses. Intangibles play a role as well.
“He has a real good presence about himself and I think breeds confidence and energy with his teammates because they see how he acts, how he reacts,” Daniel said.
The next step comes in Bourbonnais, where Daniel will surely be able to answer more questions for Trubisky.
bmbiggs@chicagotribune.com
The Bears signed Chase Daniel to be an answer man for Mitch Trubisky.
The veteran quarterback has experience in the offense coach Matt Nagy is installing and has been well-regarded at every stop he has made, including in New Orleans, where he overlapped with Bears general manager Ryan Pace.
So when Trubisky asked on the first day of minicamp Tuesday the difference between Drew Brees and Alex Smith, Daniel was able to weigh in.
“They couldn’t be more different,” Daniel said. “Drew is like the ultimate in taking copious amounts of notes, has to rep it constantly and a lot of throwing after practice. The cerebral part of the game is there. Where Alex has such a photographic memory, he doesn’t need to take notes. He studies as much as anyone I have ever been around, but he doesn’t need to take notes. He can see it one time and go do it on the field. He could not get a rep with it all week and he just has a feel for it.
“And Alex was a little more relaxed on that part of the game, so take one part of me where I still take copious notes, and take one part of me with Alex and then you put a little of my flavor on it, and it’s a good mix. Alex really chilled me out when I got to Kansas City: ‘Just relax. Throw to the open guy.’
“There is a part of the game at quarterback where you can overthink things and it just comes down to playing football and throwing to the open receiver. Being with Drew for so long, I tried to almost overthink everything, whereas Alex was like, ‘Just let it rip, man.’ It was good. It was two opposite ends of the spectrum.”
Daniel’s response provides some insight into the dynamic he’s bringing to the quarterback room as the team spreads far and wide for a six-week break after minicamp concluded Thursday at Halas Hall. Entering his 10th season, this is only the second year in which Daniel has been the veteran in the position room. The first was in 2016, when he was the backup and sounding board for Eagles rookie Carson Wentz.
“I’m the oldest guy on the team, and that’s super interesting,” said Daniel, who will turn 32 in October. “I don’t feel it. I think with the experience in the offense and going into Year 10, I have just about seen at all, whether it be on the sideline or playing or film. I pride myself on being a film junkie and studying guys, studying quarterbacks, studying different defenses. I think I am able to bring that experience to the room for Mitch, and Mitch is able to lean on me.”
The Bears will resume work on building an offensive identity when they report to training camp in July at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais. There is a heavy influence from the Chiefs with elements sprinkled in from elsewhere, including the college ranks as coordinator Mark Helfrich has some input.
Perhaps no one is better qualified than Daniel to answer where the players are in the installation. He was with the Chiefs in 2013 when Andy Reid took over and the offense was at ground zero, so he has seen a precursor to this Bears offense put in.
“This offense has evolved so much from 2013 to now … and we’re constantly having to evolve because defenses are constantly having to evolve,” Daniel said. “We try to attack them; they have all these fronts, pressures, looks, etc., trying to attack us.
“There is a lot more in these two months that we installed than in 2013. We tried to just walk … just barely hit the surface (in Kansas City). Here, the coaches — and it is purposeful — are trying to throw a lot of things at us to see how we react. We scaled back this week for minicamp so guys can play fast, and that is what is happening.
“You can see the creativity brewing in the offensive staff room that’s just been out of this world. You get a little bit of Oregon stuff from Mark, you get a lot of Kansas City stuff and then you pull from Philly stuff, New Orleans stuff and you sort of make it your own.”
Now that Daniel has been on the field with Trubisky for two months, he’s able to say what impresses him most about the player to whom the Bears have hitched their future. He cites Trubisky’s athleticism and the way he can challenge defenses. Intangibles play a role as well.
“He has a real good presence about himself and I think breeds confidence and energy with his teammates because they see how he acts, how he reacts,” Daniel said.
The next step comes in Bourbonnais, where Daniel will surely be able to answer more questions for Trubisky.
bmbiggs@chicagotribune.com
