LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The bond between Bears defensive players is a bit different than most.

That’s what defensive back Kyler Gordon believes after going through the spring and summer with this deep and talented group. He had no problem stating that as fact, clearly confident that this year’s defense can be special.

“I feel like there’s a surge of energy,” Gordon said during a Monday press conference. “That has been there since we came in the first day. Everyone’s starving. Everyone wants to eat in some type of way, to build off each other and start making plays and doing our job. That’s the culture we’ve all created in the locker room.

“It’s kind of uncommon. We don’t want to be the same as everyone else. We want to strive to be the best team we can be.”

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Uncommon. That’s the word that jumps out from this powerful quote. It also prompts a follow-up question. What makes it so?

“With the way I’ve seen it my rookie year to where we are now – the way that we do talk and the way we critique in a positive way,” Gordon said. “We get on each other in a way that promotes accountability. We hold each other to a standard on and off the field, 24/7.”

Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds took the podium next here at Halas Hall, with the agenda already set. Edmunds was asked about Gordon’s take and wholeheartedly agreed. That means something coming from an established, decorated vet.

Edmunds says there’s a unique feel to this ramp-up period, with heightened confidence and intensity building throughout the summer.

“It’s about finding ways to get better and learning about each other,” said Edmunds, a Bears captain in 2023. “I tell everyone to come in and be your authentic self. I trust and respect an individual who represents themselves as they are. …We have a group of genuine people. That bond, that energy is naturally going to feel different.”

Good vibes are important, if and only if they lead to performance and production. Edmunds says chemistry translates directly into good play.

“It’s about seeing guys play fast,” he said. “That’s defensive chemistry as a whole. All the time we spend in the building and all the time we spend outside the building getting to know each other, all that goes into playing fast.

“You can’t get to that speed without going through some turbulence. Developing that chemistry, that routine, was born out of guys working hard and spending time together. Guys are finding ways to learn more about each other. That’s the trust factor, when you know your guy is going to be there to help you and make a play.”

Post-practice thoughts

The Bears conducted a practice open to fans and without pads on Monday afternoon, a spirited affair that was my first as a Bears reporter. There’s clearly top-end talent on both sides of the ball, with plenty of depth on defense.

The session was highlighted by three red-zone touchdowns from Keenan Allen, who remains as savvy as ever finding ways to get open. Bears slot cornerback Kyler Gordon also had two interceptions off Caleb Williams. The first of which looked to be a miscommunication and the other was tipped, but Gordon made decisive plays on the ball in those instances.

Third-round offensive lineman Kiran Amegadjie practiced for the first time since coming off the NFI list Sunday afternoon.

Veteran safety and noted ironman Kevin Byard III did not participate in the main portion of practice, the most notable among a few sidelined players. As a note, the Bears are not required to discuss injuries during the preseason.

Follow Bears Insider Scott Bair on X at @ScottBairNFL.