“There was zero hesitation from him,” offensive coordinator Bill Lazor said.
Stuck on injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain suffered Week 1, rookie right tackle Larry Borom worked on his technique in slow motion. He moved the furniture out of his living room and practiced keeping his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage. He recorded the actions with his phone and sent it to offensive line coach Juan Castillo, who evaluated the movements over the past seven weeks.
”It’s becoming natural,” Castillo said, “even though you’re not going full speed.”
Borom got to full speed quickly — and then hyperdrive.
The Missouri alum returned to Bears practice Oct. 27 — and four days later was blocking 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa in his first NFL start. The 49ers moved Bosa over from his natural side specifically to test the rookie. The Steelers could do the same with all-world edge rusher T.J. Watt, who Borom said “can do things other people can’t” because of his strength and speed.
“It didn’t really faze me that much,” Borom said Friday when asked about his first start. “I knew I had to fall back on my technique and things I’ve been taught, and that’s what I did.”
Offensive coordinator Bill Lazor liked what he saw.
“There was zero hesitation from him,” he said. “There was zero fear from him. When we called quick protections he went and was aggressive and got his hands on him. I thought for the scenario he went through of missing so much time and having played so little NFL football, to be up against such a good player and play the way he did was very good. You just have to expect it’s only gonna get better.”
If he does, the fifth-round pick can be their starting right tackle for the next four years. He’d make an affordable tandem with second-round pick Teven Jenkins, who is recovering from back surgery, at left tackle. Jenkins was spotted running up the Bears’ training hill during practice Friday, an uptick in public activity from recent weeks. The Bears haven’t ruled out his return from IR at some point this season.
Injury report
Outside linebacker Khalil Mack, who’s been fighting a foot problem since Week 3 and missed Sunday’s game, and safety Eddie Jackson, who hurt his hamstring against the 49ers, both remained out of practice Friday for the second-straight day.
Inside linebacker Alec Ogletree (ankle), tight end J.P. Holtz (concussion) and running back Damien Williams (knee) didn’t participate for the second-straight day, either.
Receiver Darnell Mooney was added to the injury report Thursday with a groin issue. He was limited in practice.
Still no Foles
Third-string quarterback Nick Foles was not in attendance for the second-straight day for what the team calls a personal reason.
Bears coach Matt Nagy has not been available for comment since before Wednesday’s practice to provide any further detail on Foles, whose absence, perhaps coincidentally, corresponded with the passing of the NFL’s trade deadline Tuesday.
from Chicago Sun-Times - All https://ift.tt/3wlplsT
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