LAKE FOREST, Ill.-- The Bears' eighth OTA session saw quarterback Justin Fields and the offense author an uneven performance on a day focused on situational football.
The passing game had a few hiccups. Some were caused by the wind, others by the Bears' defense, and others by poor execution on the offensive side.
But let's start with the positive.
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The Bears' offense ended the day with a two-minute drill in which Fields and Co. had to move the ball into field goal range with limited time.
The offense was notoriously horrific in two-minute situations last season, but the operation executed its game plan successfully in shorts and t-shirts in early June.
Fields opened the drill with a dart to DJ Moore across the middle of the field for a big gain. He found tight end Robert Tonyan on the ensuing play to get the offense into field goal range. Fields' last pass of the drill, which was intended for running back Trestan Ebner, fell incomplete.
Kicker Cairo Santos drilled the kick to finish the drill.
The big connection to Moore was the final hook-up in another successful day for the Bears' new 1-2 punch.
Fields found Moore for a big gain earlier in drills when the wide receiver broke free from Jaylon Johnson on a deep cross over the middle of the field. Moore beat second-year corner Kyler Gordon on a quick slant later in the team period for another solid gain.
The bond between Fields and Moore has developed quickly from the moment the receiver touched down in Chicago.
"Justin is just such a cool dude and a great teammate," quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocki said. "He brought him right in. And then DJ, he’s got the same makeup and the same drive as far as having that dog. So, I don’t think we really needed to do anything there. They came in and went right to work.
"Obviously, the more time you spend around somebody, the better you’re going to grow and going to know. Brady and Gronk didn’t just happen. That grew. So, I think there’s always going to be more growth. You’re always going to want more growth. But what we’ve seen so far has been really good. We try to put them in situations where they’ll be at, where we think they’ll be at, come August, September, October, and let them grow in those situations, and they grow on the field and off the field."
Safety Jaquan Brisker has noticed Fields and Moore taking off.
"It looks like they got that chemistry going very fast, earlier than I expected," Brisker said. "They look good, though. They look like they best friends. Justin’s definitely throwing him the ball. [Moore is] getting the ball, no doubt."
It wasn't all sunshine and daisies for the Bears' offense Wednesday, though.
During one of the team periods, Fields threw left intended for rookie Tyler Scott. Linebacker T.J. Edwards saw the route developing and was able to tip the pass away from Scott and into the hands of safety Elijah Hicks. Hicks easily took the interception back for an OTA pick-six.
Here are more notes from Wednesday's OTA session at Halas Hall:
-- Rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson saw a lot of time with the first-team defense but had a tough day in coverage. Velus Jones Jr. beat Stevenson on a go route down the right sideline, but Fields saw the receiver break open late, and his throw sailed long out of the end zone.
Scott later beat Stevenson on a vertical route, but the wind made Fields' throw flutter, and Scott couldn't come up with a diving catch.
-- Safety Eddie Jackson returned to the field this week. Jackson has been rehabbing from the Lisfranc injury he suffered in Week 12 against the New York Jets last season. Jackson participated in individual drills and some team drills.
-- Right guard Nate Davis and cornerback Jaylon Johnson both were present after missing the first two weeks of OTAs. Johnson communicated to Bears coaches that he would be absent to spend more time with his daughter, who lives in California.
"At the end of the day, everybody knows I have a 3-year-old daughter back at home in California, and I'm a dad before I'm anything else," Johnson said. "Before I'm a football player, before I'm anything. I'm a dad first. I don't get to spend too much time with her during the season because she's back at home in California. Me in the offseason, I take pride in being a dad. I'm not just any old type of dad that just comes and sees their kid. I'm present. I'm spending time. I'm putting my heart into my daughter.
"When it comes to the offseason, I take that serious. I communicated that to the coaches and they understood and hopefully respected it. At the end of the day, I'm gonna be there for my daughter because they can find another corner. My daughter can't find another dad. I take pride in that."
Davis declined to speak with the media.
-- Wide receiver Chase Claypool was not seen at practice. Claypool was present but not participating when the media was present last week as he deals with a "soft tissue" issue. Wide receiver Darnell Mooney, cornerback Terell Smith, and safety Kendall Williamson were also not present.
-- The Bears' rookies are coming along at the expected rate. Receiver Tyler Scott has already made a positive impression on offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.
"The way that he came in, he's got some stuff to him that you like," Getsy said Wednesday. "His approach — he's got toughness. He's a smart guy. I've been really pleased with him. By no means is he where he needs to be, but where he's going and his approach and the way he attacks every single day."