Garrett Bradbury Finds Positives in Bears' Ground Game Emphasis

Then they went goal line and although the backs found sledding tougher, they eventually scored. Even Roschon Johnson got a goal-line carry and flashed his old form from 2023-24, when the team used him as the power back in close and short-yardage situations. He plowed into the end zone, then came out and Brittain Brown replaced him.

"You can't really see sometimes in training camp, except the live periods, exactly like what runs can look like sometimes," Bradbury said. "But I think we had a few today bust (for big gains), which was exciting."

The line was moving bodies out on crucial downs and it's what the ground game is all about.

A lineman's dream

Bradbury, a former Vikings center before his year with the Patriots, knew when he came to Chicago how Johnson would be committed to the run. It's an offensive lineman's dream, since they'd all rather tee off on defenses with the running game.

"I've seen coach Johnson's offense from afar for several years and there's a commitment to the run game, there's a commitment to the outside-zone game, and things that I feel like I excel in," Bradbury said. "I'm excited to get going with that. It feels like we've been in it forever but we're just getting started.

"It's going to take days like this. It's going to take more walkthroughs. It's going to take some joint practices. it's all gotta come together, but it's heading in the right direction."

It didn't get a lot easier as the running mixed with passing throughout one of the toughest and longest workouts the Bears have had this camp. It wasn't quite on the level of last year's famed practice when Johnson turned everyone loose for an entire practice at full speed in pads. Still, it was a battle.

"Coach hit it on the head at the end of practice: We needed one of those days," Bradbury said. "You do during training camp. That’s what training camp’s for. You find out where you’re at mentally, physically, from a toughness level. You’ve got to dig deep.

"He said something last night like, ‘There’s two people on your shoulder: One that’s telling you to quit and one that’s telling you to keep going, and you’ve got to listen to the one that says 'keep going.’ So I had some of those inner dialogue conversations today, but it was good. We got some good work in."

Bradbury's efforts are part of the reason for some early practice success on the ground. He was known for his mobility as a blocker in the running game.

"We're cooking right now with him out there," Johnson said. "Really pleased with what that's looked like and you can tell that he and (guard) Joe (Thuney) have played together (in college). There's natural rapport there and I think he's really taken to the (O-line) room.”

Getting the work in now with the running attack is preferable to later. Last year the Bears came into the regular season and the offensive line struggled to open holes. They averaged only 102.2 yards rushing in the first four games, then 153.3 yards a game on the ground from Game 5 through the playoffs.

The idea needs to be to hit the ground running, and the Bears showed in Tuesday's practice they're serious about being in that mode from the outset.

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