Bears training camp diaries with Sam Roush, Neville Gallimore | Week 2
As told to Gabby Hajduk

Tight end Sam Roush — a third-round selection from Stanford — and defensive tackle Neville Gallimore — a seven-year veteran who signed with the Bears in free agency — share their training camp experiences from rookie and veteran perspectives exclusively on ChicagoBears.com. This series will feature both players giving first-person accounts once a week throughout training camp.

When we all got back to building Monday morning after our first off day Sunday, the messaging was clear.

This week was all about physicality.

Before we got going, coach Ben had made it clear that while all practices are important, some practices mean a little bit more. And when you put the pads on, that means more.

Obviously, this week of practice was fun. You put the pads on, and it gets more physical, more intense. It feels a little more game-like.  You're doing a lot more gap scheme runs; you're hitting harder. As a tight end, you're blocking defensive ends. A lot of that is what my game is about, so it was nice to be able to show some of that on tape. It was a good week of work.

Luckily, I don't think I've had that "welcome to the NFL moment" in practice where I've gotten popped super hard or anything. I've just been enjoying hitting again, because it's been a while, really since my last college game. Obviously, I'm looking forward to when I'm hitting other guys rather than my teammates, but for the time being, this is a lot of fun.

I'm fortunate to be going up against real strong competition on our defense, whether it's when we're hitting at the line of scrimmage and I'm trying to block our D-ends or I'm running routes versus our linebackers or DBs. Coach always reminds us that iron sharpens iron, and right now, both sides of the ball are just trying to get better and make one another better. It's great that we're all in it together.

It was clear that Thursday would be the toughest day. In our team meeting Tuesday, which was a long, intense day in itself, Ben had told us, "All right, we're gonna take the pads off and go shells tomorrow. We're gonna give a little bit back to you guys, but then Thursday you've gotta give back to us." So we all knew the last day before our day off would be a grind.

Then Wednesday night in the team meeting, coach got up to the front and all he said was, "we all know what we're looking for tomorrow, right?" Everyone was just like, "yeah, coach." And he said, "good," and literally just left. That was the team meeting. So everybody knew, "okay, tomorrow is gonna be serious." And it was. I'm excited to keep going and pushing further.

As a rookie, it's been a blessing to go through my first camp with two vets like Cole and Colston. When I was at Stanford, I was part of a really good tight end room, but obviously this is the NFL. It's different, so of course this is the best group I've been a part of.

They're both real savvy dudes and being able to learn some of the niche stuff that they're looking for when they line up or their thought processes on a play I may be struggling with has been super helpful. I've also been able to take a lot from their routines because they're both such pros off the field, too.

Cole, especially, has helped me a bunch with my pre-practice fueling and hydration. I'm a heavy sweater and he's a heavy sweater, so we have to do a little bit extra. When you're a big dude and you're blocking people but also running routes and running downfield, you're using a ton of energy.

There was a practice at the start of OTAs in the spring, and it wasn't even that hard of a practice, but I wasn't in as good of shape as I normally am because I lost some of my conditioning while combine training. And I remember, in between drills, I was throwing up on the side. I think Cole saw it, and he was just laughing. He came over to me and was like, "I'll help you out after practice."

He's helped me find the right ways to fuel up before and after practice to make sure I can get through these long days without being overly fatigued, and even in the last period, I'm still executing at a high level.

I've been able to learn from all of the pass-catchers, really, because we have such a talented group of young and veteran guys. One thing I added to my routine once I got here was catching JUGS before and after practice. I'm not trying to overdo it, but catching some before practice is a good warm-up for my hands, and then catching some after helps build the mindset of being prepared even when I'm fatigued.

We're getting right back to it this weekend, but the off day Friday gives us some time to recover, get our bodies right and spend some time outside the facility together. I know Caleb was planning to get everyone together to see a movie, I think The Odyssey, so that should be a good time. During practice days, we're all so tired by the time we get back to the hotel, you pretty much go to your room, study up for the next day and go to bed. So, as we keep going in camp, it'll be cool to do more of these fun things together and just build that connection off the field.

Man, I've got a lot of love for this team. I know I said it last week, but the standard here is different. The way we go out and compete and get after it, everybody's just trying to get better. Whether it's a walk-through, a long practice, a short practice, pads on, pads off, the standard is still the same.

Being in the league for seven years now, you pick up on stuff like that quickly. And it's no fluke that things have taken a turn here for the better as fast as they have with people like Ben Johnson and Dennis Allen leading. They have a different sauce to 'em, and this week with the pads on, that stood out in a bunch of ways.

This league is big, but it's also very small, so I've heard stories from guys who have played under Ben or DA about the demands and the style of play that is required. Now, being in the thick of camp here, me getting the call from the Bears in the spring is all making sense. I actually consider it a real blessing that they gave me an opportunity to be a part of what they're building here, that they felt like who I am and how I play matches their standard.

I'm really loving the structure of our days in camp, too. There's a real sense of urgency. I love that the first thing we do every day is practice. From the moment you wake up, you have between then and 8:00, 8:30 a.m. to get your mind right and put this work in.

This week, practice was physical. It was faster. For some teams, training camp is tough because of the elements, because it's super hot or humid. We've actually had great camp weather, but we're making up for it with how we're practicing. Obviously, playing D-line, we make contact every play, no matter if pads are on or not. We're striking; we're getting off the ball.

But still, when the pads went on this week, it was different.

The pace was something I hadn't experienced before. We're going from pursuit drills to individual to one-on-ones to team to a two-minute break, back to individual, then team and another team and another team. At my position, physicality is a requirement, but there's levels to it. And we're at a different level.

Even the live periods, those are intense, but you almost get to a point where the live periods and non-live periods feel the same. The only difference is during live, you're tackling to the ground. The coolest part though, is even when there's little scuffles or after a long practice of hitting each other, the whistle blows and we're dapping each other up, saying, "Hey, you got me there today, but I'm coming with that tomorrow."

That mindset all goes back to the message the coaches are delivering. It's constantly being reiterated that no matter the type of practice we're having, the standard is the same. And we're all a team, but in camp on that field, it's offense versus defense. We're trying to make each other better. So, respectfully, it's us versus them. And I love that competition. I love knowing that you don't have to get anybody going. There's no pulling teeth at any position.

We're operating with the mentality that if all else fails, are we physical? Are we flying around? Can we do the dirty work? We're building calluses up. And it's a lot easier to gain each other's respect when you're being physical out on that field. Because if you're not bringing it day in and day out, you will get called out, and no one wants to be the guy that isn't putting violent stuff on tape.

That's the fastest way to raise the bar because if you're not physical, you're not helping me get better and vice versa. You don't want to go out to the first game of the season and feel that intensity for the first time. We're feeling it every day, whether it's practice, film study, installs, walk-throughs.

Walk-throughs are a big one because we know these coaches are constantly holding you to a high standard. Sure, it's "just" a walk-through, but is your stance correct? Is the technique what it needs to be? Are we communicating the calls? They're clocking all of that. It's not like that everywhere. But here, when we go to walk-through, it's not time to mess around. Get the call, get lined up, be intent with your steps. Let's get something out of walk-through as opposed to letting 50 minutes pass by. That starts with having great coaching and the right players in the locker room.

One of the highlights of my week outside of putting those pads on came Thursday. My wife came out to practice for the first time here and brought our son and her father-in-law. I love those kind of moments, man.

I have to give a shoutout to my wife, Chelsea. When I'm here working, she's the one getting everything settled up. I'm just waking up and playing football. She's holding everything else right now and I just appreciate her.

Last year during camp, my son was only six months old. He couldn't walk or anything yet, so this is a new experience. They came out on the field after practice and I'm just laughing because Nas is sitting in his stroller, looking around, taking it all in. As soon as I took him out of the stroller, he lit up like, "Yes! Open grass."

I'm sitting there like, "Yo, this is why you do it." I needed that reminder to just be where my feet are. I'm seven years into the league. My son is old enough to run around the field I'm practicing on. He's starting to grasp like, this is dad's job. That is special. And then seeing my teammates with their families and kids.

You're doing all this football stuff together every day, but seeing everyone run around with their kids or sit and talk to their parents or significant others, it brings you back to why we're all here. I was laughing because I really got lost in the track of time where I was like, "oh snap, it's noon. I've gotta get to meetings in 30 minutes." It was great. And really, just the best way to end the week.