Greg Olsen among Bears denied Halas Hall workout

With the NFL lockout lifted for now, some Bears players are making an effort to get back to work. Tight end Greg Olsen, kicker Robbie Gould and running back Kahlil Bell were among the players who arrived at Halas Hall on Thursday morning.

However, the players were unable to work out, with the weight room being off-limits while the Bears prepared for Thursday night’s draft.

Bell, who stayed at the facility for about 15 minutes, said the Bears told him he wasn't locked out but that the weight room was closed and no one could work out. He chatted with Olsen briefly.

"Pretty much all you could do is walk in, walk around, and walk out," Bell said. "I didn't see any of the coaches. Just the training staff and the strength coach."

Bell, who has yet to sign his one-year tender as an exclusive rights free agent, said he received an e-mail from Gould encouraging all the players to start working out together, with the lockout lifted. After being denied at Halas Hall, Bell said he planned to return to a fitness facility he has been using in Vernon Hills.

"I mean, it's been a long time, and we've never spent this much time apart," Bell said of not being able to work out with his teammates. "I was figuring everything would be cool. But I guess that's not happening."

Afterward, Gould wrote on his Twitter account: "Went to workout facility locker room and weight room closed."

Olsen tweeted on his account: "If the roles were reversed in labor dispute on eve of training camp and a player didn't show up to camp would he be fined?"

Olsen is one of the players hoping to secure a long-term deal this offseason, and the Bears would like to keep the talented tight end in the fold.

"I know there’s a lot that goes into (an extension), with the situation with the labor agreement or what not,’’ Olsen told the Tribune in March. "I would love to have that security and be here for a long time. There are a lot of things right now kind of out of all of our hands. We’ve got to let it play out. Once we get all this situated and get to free agency and all of that out of the way, we’ll see what happens.’’

Defensive tackle Matt Toeaina and offensive lineman Johan Asiata also showed up at Halas on Thursday morning. Gould and defensive end Israel Idonije came to Halas on Tuesday after the lockout was first lifted by Judge Susan Nelson.

Some are proceeding under the assumption that the league year has begun, as ordered by the judge, but with the NFL going to appeals court to seek a reversal, teams are awaiting guidance fom the league.

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(chicagobreakingsport.com)