Bears’ All-Pro Issues Detailed Statement on ‘Intense’ New Standard

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Chicago Bears safety Kevin Byard #31.

For veteran safety Kevin Byard, who’s heading into his 10th season in the NFL, training camps are usually nothing new. He’s seen the grind, the heat, the collisions, but what’s happening this summer is different. The two-time First Team All-Pro, who joined the Chicago Bears last offseason, called Tuesday’s practice “the most intense” he’s ever been a part of, describing it as a turning point in camp.

“I’ve never been a part of training camp like this before in my career, honestly,” Byard said. “Most practices have felt like they’ve been live. It’s just a constant reminder: keep getting better.”

That intensity, Byard said, was fueled by new head coach Ben Johnson’s energy and attention to detail. Having lived through a culture reset before, when Mike Vrabel took over the Tennessee Titans in 2018, Byard knows the importance of establishing a standard early.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re Year 1, Year 10, you gotta come in and show improvement every single day,” Byard said.

And it’s paying off, with a dominant performance against Miami’s offense in joint practice on Friday.

Dominating Against Miami’s Offense

Here’s how Bears team writers Gabby Hajduk and Larry Meyer described the Bears’ defensive performance against the Dolphins:

“From pass breakups in 1-on-1 battles to sacks and tackles-for-loss to takeaways during team periods, Dennis Allen’s defense was firing on all cylinders.”

Going back to Byard, he even intercepted one of Tua Tagovailoa’s three INTs off a tipped ball by emerging cornerback Nahshon Wright, who he described as someone playing “big time ball.”

“I think if we play the way we practice today on defense, we’re gonna be pretty damn good,” Byard said. “I feel like we just came out with the right intensity.”

The Bears ended their stellar performance against Miami’s offense on a high note, with an interception from linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and holding strong in the red zone thanks in part to a mixture of new and old faces, including Grady Jarrett, Dayo Odeyingbo, Montez Sweat, and Tyrique Stevenson.

Kevin Byard Highlights the New Standard in Chicago

For Byard, the real significance isn’t just one intense practice; it’s making that level of focus the norm.

“We’re going to try to keep that standard as high as we can, and it’s consistency, just making sure we’re consistent as a team and as a defense.”

That consistency is made easier by the group’s veteran core. While the defensive scheme is new under Allen, many of the key players have experience playing together. That familiarity has helped communication and allowed the defense to gel quickly.

“We don’t have a whole lot of rookies out there with us on defense, so guys that have been in the league, we understand how teams are going to try to attack us, especially in Dennis Allen’s defense,” Byard said.

If the Bears’ defense can continue the intensity from this week and sustain it through the season, Johnson’s first training camp in Chicago as head coach might end up being the foundation for something bigger than just a few spirited August practices.