Top Bears draft picks discuss first rookie minicamp practice

Thieneman will have a strong support system while working to become fluent in coordinator Dennis Allen's scheme, thanks to the tutelage of defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator Al Harris and safeties coach Matt Giordano, both of whom experienced lengthy NFL careers.

"I love that because they know exactly what we're going through," Thieneman said. "They've done it to an extremely high level, like playing in Super Bowls. So they know exactly how to coach it, they know how to play it, so they understand it from a player's point of view."

While the Westfield, Indiana, native understands the jump from college football to the NFL will come with a learning curve, he believes his experience transferring from Purdue to Oregon ahead of his junior season will aid in that transition.

"You kind of get a whole reset," Thieneman said. "So coming from college to the NFL, it's like a whole reset, new scheme, so I kind of got that a little bit early. And then I think the Oregon scheme was very helpful to translate because you play almost all the coverages and going to different systems, it's almost just learning a new language, like what they call certain things terminology wise. But a lot of stuff is pretty similar."

Logan Jones

Through his first 24 hours at rookie minicamp, Jones already sees a resemblance in how everyone at Halas Hall operates compared to his college days at Iowa.

"Even just being here yesterday, me meeting with coach Johnson, there's a special resemblance to the way I was coached and taught at Iowa – the importance of the little things,showing up on time, the stuff that you might not think matters, matters here," Jones said. "That's why I think they're so successful, because they do things right, and that just clicked with me and why I loved it. From the coaches, sports staff, everything, it's just been amazing."

Having spent six years with the Hawkeyes under longtime, highly-respected coach Kirk Ferentz, Jones took away several learnings to prepare him for the NFL, such as establishing professional habits and never taking the game for granted. While Iowa runs its program in a similar capacity to an NFL club, Jones knows being with the Bears is a whole new level and will require him to improve in a lot of different areas.

"Our offense, they put a lot on the center's plate, which is honestly kind of fun. I kind of like that," Jones said. "To be able to learn and grow and go through all that and just continue to learn the game, it's going to be a lot of fun. I know I've got a long road ahead of me, but it's something I look forward to.

"I'm not going to be perfect. Nobody's going to be perfect, it's an imperfect game. But as long as I continue to grow, learn, have fun, and then at the end of the day just play some football, keep it simple, run off the ball and block some guys."

Jones will be competing for playing time on a veteran-laden offensive line that includes left guard Joe Thuney, center Garrett Bradbury, right guard Jonah Jackson and right tackle Darnell Wright. The rookie described the balance of having both urgency and patience as a "race against time," adding that everyone is "trying to get better as fast as you can" knowing that training camp will be here before they know it.

For Jones, that means putting in extra work now to prepare himself for when it's time to compete and soaking in any and all learnings from veteran players and coaches alike.

"The offensive line here is very talented — Joe Thuney, Garrett Bradbury, everybody on the offensive line," Jones added. "So I've got to go out and earn everything. So to be able to come in with that group and to be able to learn under veterans, obviously we're competing but we're having fun at the same time.

"It's such an honor for me to come in and be able to learn from those guys. Obviously you compete, and that's part of the game as well. That's why we're here, right, to compete as if you're a starter. It's going to be a lot of fun and I look forward to it."

While Jones will have to work diligently to earn playing time, he will most certainly be noticed on the field quickly because he is sporting No. 54, the number Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher wore during his legendary Bears career.

"When you think of the Chicago Bears, that's kind of who you think of," Jones said. "To see that number out in practice and stuff, it just lets everybody think, 'Oh, that's Brian Urlacher's number.' So it's kind of supporting his memory and letting everybody see the legacy he left. So to be able to wear that number is really cool, and hopefully I get the chance to meet him one day, too."

Roush is already diving headfirst into Johnson's complex offensive playbook. He believes that having the chance to take what he's learning on paper and apply it on the field is key in fully grasping the scheme. While he is still in the early stages of the playbook, Roush feels it pairs well with his play style.

"It's a run-first offense, and then a lot of the passing game happens off that play-actions and whatnot," Roush said. "I pride myself in my ability to run-block, and that's something I'm definitely going to do a lot of. I think I'll be able to showcase that in the offense."

For Roush, this weekend is all about competing, learning and growing. Having been drafted by the Bears in the third round just two weeks ago, the Stanford product isn't focused on material goals such as stats or playing time yet. His main goal right now is to simply "do whatever the coaches ask me" and, soon enough, begin learning from his fellow tight ends Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland.

"I'm just here to compete," Roush said. "Especially as a young guy coming in, your mouth is going to be closed and ears going to be open. I'm coming to listen and absorb as much information as possible. Every day I go out there and compete to the best of my ability."

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