Latest news with #DevinDuvernay
New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Bears minicamp observations: Fun day at Halas Hall will fuel Ben Johnson's trick plays
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — One of the highlights from the third and final day of the Chicago Bears' mandatory minicamp was backup quarterback Case Keenum making a behind-the-back catch with two hands. It came after quarterback Caleb Williams caught a deep pass from receiver Devin Duvernay (who first made a catch on a throw from backup QB Tyson Bagent) and raced into the end zone where he screamed and celebrated. Advertisement It was a fun day at Halas Hall. Offensive linemen and quarterbacks caught passes during that one period in practice, while receivers, running backs and tight ends threw them. 'Yeah, I let those guys know, we only do this once a year, and it's an evaluation and we'll circle back in training camp and in the season to see who we can trust to catch the ball or throw the ball,' Johnson said Thursday. 'I think there's a couple guys on the (offensive) line that stood out. And then Case Keenum might have made the catch of the day, you know, behind the back about 50 yards down the field. So I think we've got some toys to work with.' 🚨 O-Linemen running routes 🚨 — Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) June 5, 2025 This is the Ben Johnson way. He's serious about the details but also about adding trick plays to his playbook. The fun and games from Thursday could be considered the starting point for the latter. Did Johnson see the one-handed catch that right tackle Darnell Wright made? 'Oh, I did,' he said, smiling. 'I did. I did.' Johnson was asked on Wednesday if any players stood out to him during minicamp. He asked for a day to consider the players. On Thursday, he provided his answer: defensive end Dominique Robinson, rookie linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II, tight end Joel Wilson and rookie running back Kyle Monangai. Robinson, inactive for most of last season, spent most of minicamp playing with the defensive starters opposite Montez Sweat, with Dayo Odeyingbo sitting out. 'Even without the pads on, (Robinson's) done a great job of consistently speed-rushing up the field or countering back to the inside,' Johnson said. 'He's done a really nice job there. And of course he's got some special teams value that he takes a lot of pride in as well.' Advertisement Hyppolite's opportunities increased with T.J. Edwards dealing with a soft-tissue injury. Johnson described him as 'the player we probably saw the most improvement from when he stepped in to now.' Hyppolite, the Bears' fourth-round pick this year, played with the starters as the weakside linebacker. He's also competing with Noah Sewell on the strong side 'There's a lot of moving parts there at linebacker play,' Johnson said. 'They're keying and diagnosing a few different deals, and just with (defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's) scheme, the match mentality that we like to play a lot of our coverages with, things change quickly. He's done a great job adjusting to that speed as we've gone through, and that's going to have to show up once we do get the pads on. But I think he's been improving every single day, and really, we're hoping that course continues.' Wilson, who initially joined the Bears' practice squad last October, caught a touchdown pass from Keenum during a situational period on Thursday. Johnson said he's made plays like that throughout the offseason program. Wilson went undrafted out of Central Michigan in 2023 before stints with the New Orleans Saints, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers and New York Giants. 'He's got a little savvy in how he moves,' Johnson said. 'He's got a nice route feel about him. The test will really be when we get going in camp, how he holds up in the run game and the pass pro game. But so far in the running route section of tight end play, I think he's stood out in a positive light.' Johnson said that Monangai, the Bears' final draft selection this year, has 'really stepped up' during minicamp. That included catching a touchdown pass from Williams during a situational drill on Wednesday. 'I appreciate the attention to detail and the pride he takes and how quickly he's picking things up,' Johnson said of Monangai. Advertisement Johnson has continued to quiz his quarterbacks on play calls. Quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett provides the play, and the quarterbacks have to repeat it and then go through its operation until they get it correct. Each quarterback gets three plays in a row. 'It's been intense,' Bagent said. 'At the beginning, when he was doing those quizzes, it was just kind of like putting somebody in a corner and pinning them there because we didn't really know what any of these words meant. So just trying to put together a play call when you don't really know what each word means is kind of hard. 'But I think that just that act in itself was like, at least for me … when I would go home, I would go straight into my iPad and try to figure all that (expletive) out. So I think it served wonders for the quarterback room going down the line, just what the expectation is of having to be on top of your (expletive) every day that you walk into the building, so I thought it was great.' Two years ago, Bagent was a rookie who beat out veteran P.J. Walker to be the Bears' No. 2 quarterback behind Justin Fields. But this year, it's apparent that he's fighting to maintain that spot against Keenum. 'Just compete my ass off and try to put myself in the best position possible, and I'm sure everybody in that room and in the building will do the same,' Bagent said. Keenum, though, has also turned into a great resource for Bagent, who shared a story from the first NFL game he attended: The Giants' 41-35 win in overtime over Washington on Dec. 22, 2019. Keenum led a 14-play, 99-yard scoring drive for Washington that day to force overtime. 'I'm about five rows up behind the end zone and they're backed up on their own 1,' Bagent said, recalling how Keenum nearly stepped out of bounds before one of his best completions. 'And just the angle and the drive that followed was something that I didn't forget.' Advertisement Bagent brought that game up to Keenum the moment he met him. 'What a guy,' Bagent said. 'What he brings to the room, really just an encyclopedia of information. Just somebody that's been in every role that a quarterback could possibly be in in the NFL, and I've just been trying to take advantage of that. … He's been great with answering every question that really everybody in the room has so far.' Rookie tight end Colston Loveland could be getting closer to returning after shoulder surgery. He was spotted in uniform, accompanying staff members to other practice fields at Halas Hall while the rest of the team practiced on Fields 1 and 2. 'I just knew the springtime here, he wasn't going to be available,' Johnson said, 'and at some point here in camp, we should get the green light.' (Top photo of Darnell Wright, left, and Jonah Jackson: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
USA Today
22-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Bears to sign Devin Duvernay: 5 things to know about Chicago's new WR
Bears to sign Devin Duvernay: 5 things to know about Chicago's new WR The Chicago Bears continue to add to their roster this offseason with the signing of wide receiver and return specialist Devin Duvernay, who signed a one-year contract. Duvernay, who spent his first four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens and most recently with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joins a Bears receiver room led by DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, who is looking to grow into a bigger role in his second season. The team also added veteran Olamide Zaccheaus in free agency, adding more depth with the likely departure of Keenan Allen, who spent just one season with Chicago last year. Here are five things to know about new Bears receiver and return specialist Devin Duvernay: 1. Duvernay is a former third-round pick Even from the beginning of his collegiate career as a true freshman, Duvernay found playing time and considerably got better each year at Texas. Duvernay finished his Longhorns career with a total of 176 receptions, 2,468 receiving yards, and 16 touchdowns. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. 2. Duvernay is a former first-team All-Big 12 selection Duvernay's best collegiate season came in 2019 with the Longhorns, where he earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors after leading the entire conference in receptions (106) and yards (1,341) as a senior. Duvernay's college success was a precursor to his success at the NFL level when he began his career with the Ravens. 3. Duvernay is a 2-time Pro Bowl selection, All-Pro selection While he didn't have the same success as a wide receiver in the professional ranks, Duvernay established himself as one of the top return specialists in the NFL early in his career. He was a two-time Pro Bowl selection in 2021 and 2022 as a specialist, and, in what was the best season of his career on special teams, Duvernay was also named a First-Team All Pro in 2021. 4. Duvernay's first career touchdown went 93 yards How's this for a fun fact. Duvernay, similar to fellow newcomer Olamide Zaccheaus, scored his first career touchdown on a 93-yard play. For Zaccheaus, it was a 93-yard touchdown reception from Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, while Duvernay showed his special teams prowess on a 93-yard kickoff return touchdown. 5. Duvernay ranked in the Top 10 as a return specialist in 2021 During his All-Pro season in 2021, Duvernay was the only return specialist in the NFL to rank in the Top 10 in two separate categories -- finishing seventh in kickoff return yardage (24.1) and first in punt return yardage (13.8) on the year. Duvernay will now join a Bears special teams unit that retained two core pieces of their roster from last year in Josh Blackwell and Amen Ogbongbemiga, and the veteran's arrival likely means less opportunities for Tyler Scott.
CBS News
20-03-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Bears sign return specialist Devin Duvernay, re-sign RB Travis Homer
The Chicago Bears signed former Baltimore Ravens All-Pro return specialist Devin Duvernay to a one-year contract and re-signed running back and special teams contributor Travis Homer to a one-year deal on Wednesday. Duvernay has 1,053 yards on punt returns and 2,162 yards and two touchdowns on kickoff returns over four seasons with Baltimore and one with Jacksonville. He also has 977 yards receiving and five touchdown catches. A third-round draft pick by Baltimore out of Texas in 2020, Duvernay was first-team, All-Pro the following year. He averaged a league-leading 13.8 yards on punt returns, with 26 for 360 yards, and ranked seventh in kickoff return average at 24.1, with 676 yards on 28 attempts. Duvernay made the Pro Bowl again in 2022. He was mostly a non-factor on special teams with Jacksonville last season, finishing with 19 punt returns for 167 yards and 14 kickoff returns for 351 yards, and barely played on offense. The Jaguars released him two weeks ago. Homer has 476 yards rushing and 475 receiving in four seasons with Seattle and two with Chicago. He played in 10 games last year and recorded six special teams tackles.
Associated Press
19-03-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Bears sign former Ravens All-Pro return specialist Devin Duvernay, re-sign RB Travis Homer
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The Chicago Bears signed former Baltimore Ravens All-Pro return specialist Devin Duvernay to a one-year contract and re-signed running back and special teams contributor Travis Homer to a one-year deal on Wednesday. Duvernay has 1,053 yards on punt returns and 2,162 yards and two touchdowns on kickoff returns over four seasons with Baltimore and one with Jacksonville. He also has 977 yards receiving and five touchdown catches. A third-round draft pick by Baltimore out of Texas in 2020, Duvernay was first-team, All-Pro the following year. He averaged a league-leading 13.8 yards on punt returns, with 26 for 360 yards, and ranked seventh in kickoff return average at 24.1, with 676 yards on 28 attempts. Duvernay made the Pro Bowl again in 2022. He was mostly a non-factor on special teams with Jacksonville last season, finishing with 19 punt returns for 167 yards and 14 kickoff returns for 351 yards, and barely played on offense. The Jaguars released him two weeks ago. Homer has 476 yards rushing and 475 receiving in four seasons with Seattle and two with Chicago. He played in 10 games last year and recorded six special teams tackles. ___
USA Today
19-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Report: Bears to sign former All-Pro returner Devin Duvernay
Report: Bears to sign former All-Pro returner Devin Duvernay Sources: The #Bears are in agreement on a 1-year deal with WR and 2x Pro Bowl returner Devin Duvernay. Another key addition in Chicago. — Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 19, 2025 The Chicago Bears reportedly have a new return specialist, and he comes with some impressive accolades. According to FOX NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Bears are signing former All-Pro returner Devin Duvernay to a one-year deal. Duvernay spent the 2024 season with the Jacksonville Jaguars after making a name for himself with the Baltimore Ravens. Duvernay broke into the league with the Ravens in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Texas. He quickly became the team's primary kick returner, scoring a touchdown during his rookie season. From there, Duvernay became one of the best return specialists in the game, leading the league in yards per punt return with 13.8 in 2021 and never finishing with fewer than 11.5 yards per return during his tenure with the Ravens. In fact, his career 12.0 yards per punt return is higher than Hall of Famer Devin Hester (11.7). Duvernay earned All-Pro honors in 2021 and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2021 and 2022. In addition to his returning duties, Duvernay saw time on offense as a wide receiver. In four seasons, Duvernay totaled 94 receptions for 898 yards and five touchdowns with the Ravens. He signed with the Jaguars in 2024, where he saw a dip in his special teams production while playing in 13 games. Duvernay also added 11 receptions for 79 yards for Jacksonville. Now in Chicago, Duvernay gives the Bears their most dynamic return specialist since Tarik Cohen and Jakeem Grant in the late 2010s and early 2020s. He's still just 27 years old and provides plenty of speed at both kick and punt return positions while adding depth to the wide receiver position. If Duvernay can bounce back and look like he did during his days in Baltimore, the Bears could have a dynamic weapon at their disposal for the 2025 season.
