NFL Notes: Bears, Jets, Steelers

Bears

Bears first-round QB Mitch Trubisky is one of just 10 draft picks (NFLTR) who have yet to sign their rookie contracts. However, he made it clear that he won’t hold out of training camp for the best possible terms.

“I’m not going to miss any practices or anything like that,” Trubisky said, via Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “I’m excited to sign my contract as soon as possible, however that goes down. But I don’t see that being held out through training camp; even if it did, I’m going to be practicing and all that. I’m looking forward to getting it done as soon as possible. I’m a Chicago Bear, no matter if they let me sign or what. I guess not, but I am.”

Trubisky added: “It’s going to get done.”

Trubisky also mentioned during an interview with Sirius XM NFL Radio that Mike Glennon is the starter and he’s here to learn from him.

“Mike’s a great dude. He’s an absolute pro. We’ve got a great quarterback room with him, Mark Sanchez and Connor Shaw. So we’ve all been helping each other compete and getting better every day,” Trubisky said, via NFL.com. “But Mike’s the starter and I’m behind him all the way.”

“It’s my job to come in, learn the offense as fast as possible and then just go out there and compete,” Trubisky added. “[Glennon’s] helping me with anything I need help with and I’m there for him, just being another set of eyes on the field.”

Jets

Jets new running backs coach Stump Mitchell clearly has high expectations for RB Bilal Powell this year.

“Bilal is a Pro Bowl back if playing by himself,” Mitchell said, via Connor Hughes of NJ.com. “Make no doubt about it.”

Mitchell fully expects Powell and Matt Forte to average 100 yards per game and doesn’t think this is asking too much of them.

“I expect those guys each to average 100 total yards a game,” Mitchell said. “That’s not asking too much. That’s production. That’s whenever you get the ball, make something happen. That’s managing your runs. That’s making correct decisions. Those guys are going to be a big part of the offense.

“I have high expectations for them,” Mitchell added. “But my expectations can’t be higher than the expectations they have for themselves.”

Steelers

The Steelers currently have six outside linebackers — James Harrison, Bud Dupree, T.J. Watt, Arthur Moats, Anthony Chickillo and Kion Adams — competing for what could end up being four or five roster spots in the end.

Moats, Chickillo and Adams will be the ones fighting for roster spots in the next few months, but neither is willing to pay any attention to the numbers game they’re faced with.

“You can’t,” Chickillo said, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “Guys who look at the numbers don’t stay around long. You’ve got to come out, stay focused, keep the horse blinders on and keep working.”

“When I first came here, we kept three (outside linebackers),” Moats said. “We’ve also had five. Why do the numbers? At the end of the day, if you’re productive, everything is going to take care of itself.”

“Every year there’s competition,” Moats said. “They are either drafting somebody or bringing somebody in — undrafted free agents, rookies, whatever it may be. You have to compete. You can’t worry about the numbers. If you’re productive, you’re going to be able to play whether it’s here or somewhere else.”