One player spared from Friday’s injury report was quarterback Mike Glennon, who ended practice on a high note according to head coach John Fox:
Fox states Mike Glennon has had an "exceptionally" good week of practice in preparation of #CHIvsTB.
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 15, 2017
This should be familiar territory for Glennon, who spent last season in the Buccaneers locker room and practicing against a defense coached up by Mike Smith as the team’s scout team quarterback.
Remember last week when we discussed Glennon’s career numbers against the Falcons? He put those up against Mike Smith, who was the head coach of all but one of the Atlanta teams Glennon faced in his career.
When asked about how his familiarity with the opposition could be beneficial to the Bears, Glennon played it cool, telling reporters: “I’m going to help in ways that I can, but I don’t have all the answers.”
Sure you don’t, Mike. (Wink, wink. Nudge, nudge)
Of course it cuts both ways. No team knows as much about Glennon than the Buccaneers. They’re a well-rested bunch who should be plenty motivated to get after a quarterback they couldn’t touch during practice drills last year.
This isn’t just any old game week for Glennon, who returns to Raymond James Stadium to face the team that drafted him in 2013, started him as recently as 2014, and stashed him behind Jameis Winston starting in 2015. Indeed, there was a time where Glennon looked to have that quarterback-of-the-future shine on him (he took over for Josh Freeman in 2013 and performed better than Josh McCown in 2014). He just didn’t perform well enough to keep the Bucs from drafting Winston first overall in 2015.
Naturally, what followed was Glennon making good on his self-described eagerness to play right away and signing with the Bears as a free agent this offseason. After nearly writing a storybook ending in Week 1, Glennon gets a clean page this Sunday, when he’ll put pen to paper and look to script a better finish.