One of the Bears 3rd round picks, Zavion Thomas, has seen a lot of hype around his name since the start of OTAs. Now that the whole team is together, Thomas has been wowing the media and his coaches with his speed and playmaking abilities.
Regardless of ability, the one thing that Ben Johnson has been clear about over and over has been trust. And that's exactly what coach Johnson said when asked about Thomas at a minicamp press conference.
Speed gets attention, trust earns playing time
"He's got a long highlight reel in terms of showcasing that speed in the SEC, and he tends to make a play almost every single day right now that says, okay, if we can harness all this energy and make sure that we can trust him and that he's going to align where he needs to and run the route the way we need him to, that we really could use him and he could be a big weapon for us this year. But that's what we're trying to harness right now."Ben Johnson
Johnson clearly does his homework on his new incoming players. He's aware that Thomas was capable enough in college to make headlines, but we're talking about the NFL. To survive in the NFL, you need to exhibit a certain work ethic, you need to earn your place by doing, it's not bestowed upon you. Johnson's comments show clearly that Thomas has grasped the idea, and he's right where he should be as a rookie.
When it comes to the offense, Ben Johnson is a madman, and a genius. The offense works as a cohesive unit, and each layer needs to work together, lest the whole thing fails. Johnson has consistently emphasized the details, accountability, and trust. Those explosive plays are excellent, but it's truly the trust that matters.
Most players don't pull this many eyes in their direction this early in season workouts. The Bears already know that Thomas has the ability to make big plays happen, but now is his chance to show that he has the discipline aspect of the game as well. The wide receiver room has been tied to a question mark, but if Thomas lives up to the hype, the receiver corps could end up being one of the Bears top strengths.
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