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BOURBONNAIS, Ill. — As players reported to Olivet Nazarene University, training camp got off to its usual start with general manager Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox holding a press conference to discuss the upcoming season. Here’s everything you need to know from the first day of training camp.

1. Pernell McPhee will start camp on the Physically Unable To Perform (PUP) list. This is a concerning, but not surprising development. McPhee didn’t participate in OTAs and minicamp after undergoing offseason surgery on his left knee and his absence created doubt about his availability for training camp.

“We just got to acclimate him into football activities so he’ll work with the trainers,” Pace said, adding that McPhee is in really good shape right now.

PODCAST — Intentional Grounding, Episode 39: Discussing McPhee’s Injury

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There a few valid questions here: 1) Was McPhee’s surgery more extensive than just an arthroscopic procedure? 2) Did he suffer a setback? Or 3) Does he have a chronic issue with the knee that the Bears are just going to have to maintain?

Given McPhee’s history of knee issues, which go back to his time in Baltimore, and how Pace immediately spoke about McPhee needing to play at a lighter weight, the guess here is that McPhee has a chronic issue that just needs to be maintained.

So will McPhee play in any of the preseason games?

“It’s too early to tell,” Pace said. “We got to see how he is as we’re kind of going through these activities out here.”

Pace said McPhee currently weighs in the high 270s. He played in the 280s last year, but the Bears want him in the 270s going forwards, relieving the knee of some stress.

“Just talking to our sports-science staff, we just feel if he can play in the 270’s, he’s just going to be quicker, better on his knee and still maintain the same power,” Pace said.

2. Marquess Wilson and newcomer Amini Silatolu will also start camp on the PUP list. Wilson fractured his foot in minicamp and could miss some regular season games, while Silatolu is coming off a torn ACL. The Bears signed Silatolu, a former second-round pick, last week to provide depth on their offseason line.

3. Pace doesn’t believe the franchise tag will have a negative impact on Alshon Jeffery’s attitude.

“He’s at a good spot right now,” Pace said. “And you know, those negotiations were friendly the whole time. I don’t think it’s uncommon when you’re negotiating off the franchise tag to sometimes not come to an agreement. But that doesn’t mean there’s any ill will. You know? So now we understand, we can revisit it after the season.”

4. Jay Cutler is excited to have both Jeffery and Kevin White healthy in camp this year, but he also knows they need to be cautious.

“It would be nice (to have them for the full camp),” Cutler said. “We have to be careful with both of them I think. Kevin is still in a position where he’s still learning the offense. Alshon missed most of the OTA’s and stuff so we’ve got to get both of them back up to speed, make sure both of them are in shape and good to go and we just need everybody healthy and ready by Week 1.”

For Jeffery and White, the Bears desperately need both of them for not only Week 1, but the whole season.

5. Not many outsiders believe the Bears will make the playoffs this year and Kyle Long isn’t sensing much respect around the league for his team.

“I’m not thinking about it. I know the team’s not thinking about it,” Long said. “I know that it’s not guiding our decision-making throughout the day, I will say that. But I will also say that we are aware of the fact that there’s kind of a league-wide disrespect on the Chicago Bears. I know that we’re not very appreciative of it and we’re looking forward to getting after it.”

Cutler was told about what Long said and added this:

“Whenever you’re coming off losing seasons back-to-back like that, that’s kind of how it goes,” he said. “There’s no reason for (outsiders) to really expect a huge change from our last two seasons, which is fine. That shouldn’t bother him or anyone else in that locker room.”

But that doesn’t mean it can’t be used as motivation.

6. A few times Wednesday, Pace candidly made attempts to lower expectations.

“To put expectations on — John (Fox) and I have talked about this — we just take it day-by-day,” Pace said. “From a personnel standpoint, we’ve just got to keep putting good drafts together. And we have to see how this draft unfolds. We’ve got to stack good drafts. We’ve got to be accurate in free agency. I feel good about where we’re at right now, but truth will be told as this plays out.”

Moments earlier, Pace was asked about the tight end position — a noted weak spot. He said he feels good about Zach Miller and the young talent in the room, but “to be honest with you guys, Year 2, where we’re at, you’re addressing a lot of needs, and sometimes you don’t hit every single one of them.”

In other words, you can’t address every position and tight end was probably a spot that didn’t get enough attention this offseason. Honestly, it’s refreshing to hear a GM be so honest when too many are conditioned to talk-up the last guy on the roster, thus creating unfair expectations to live up to.

That said, look for the Bears to try to add to their tight end group throughout the preseason.

“There’s still a lot of avenues to continue to do that. I’m confident in our scouting department to address needs as we identify holes going through the preseason. I like that group of younger talent. I’m excited to watch those guys and see who steps up and we’ll see,” Pace said.

7. Speaking of pick-ups, the Bears roster is now at 90 players after they signed defensive back Brandon Boykin and wide receiver B.J. Daniels. Both players were among a larger group that worked out for the Bears in Bourbonnais Wednesday.

8. How can the Bears replace Matt Forte?

“You can’t,” Cutler said. “Just his knowledge and him being here so long, his experience on the field, his experience playing with me. Most of the time I’d tell him something or just look at him and he’d know exactly what I was thinking. You can’t replace him, you can’t replace him in a year anyway.”

And yet, the Bears are going to have to find a way to replace Forte’s production and leadership with a group that includes young running backs Jeremy Langford, Ka’Deem Carey and Jordan Howard.

“I think it’s going to have to happen,” Cutler said. “I don’t think we can put expectations on it. That’s the emphasis we are putting on those guys and that’s what we expect out of them. Anything less isn’t going to work out for us and they understand that.”

9. The Bears first practice is scheduled for Thursday morning at 9:35 a.m. CT. As in past years, they won’t wear pads for the first two practices. The first padded practice will be Saturday.

10. A new episode of Intentional Grounding is now available. Adam Jahns and I discussed McPhee’s injury at length and also touched on Long’s comments about feeling disrespected. Make sure to listen to the podcast and subscribe for free on iTunes.