Keenan Allen’s presence is already making an impact at Bears training camp. Known for his typically calm demeanor, Allen occasionally shows a different side, as seen during his time with the Chargers. The vocal Bears secondary might be drawing this out of him. This was evident on Saturday during the Bears’ longest practice yet, lasting over two hours. Near the end of practice, Allen was on the sideline, yelling at second-year corner Tyrique Stevenson, who was a step behind a Bears receiver during a rep. Allen repeatedly said, “You are checked out, Rique. You checked out a little bit ago.”
While it seemed like Allen was just trying to get under Stevenson’s skin, it also appeared to be a veteran’s way of motivating. Stevenson initially chirped back at Allen but then also raised his intensity, finishing Saturday’s practice strong. It’s encouraging to see Allen’s ability to motivate players like this.