LAKE FOREST, Ill. — As the Bears completed the stretching period of their first workout of training camp, the entire defense headed to Field 2 at Halas Hall to rip off 40 up-downs – a symbolic start to camp for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s unit.
Returning players who first experienced it last camp were not exempt.
New players – like safety Coby Bryant – embraced the symbolism along with the physical challenge.
“I’m actually going to go up to DA’s office and tell him that was pretty easy,” Bryant said after Wednesday’s practice. “I’m not gonna do that, I’m just playing. It wasn’t bad. It’s a mindset thing, honestly. Like I told the guys, we’re going to deal with way harder stuff and 40 up-downs is just allowing us to buy in. No one was on their own out there. We were all together.”
If you think that sounds like the mentality of a captain, that’s because it’s an intentional effort on Bryant’s part.
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