With the BEARS preseason finally in the books, now we get down to the nitty gritty. In the last BEAR NAKED TRUTH column, the BEARS just concluded their 1st of 3 preseason games. Since that win versus the Titans, the BEARS have dropped their last 2 contests. A handful of starters have missed practices and game time with “undisclosed” injuries that have left the coaching staff patching in replacements left and right. Head Coach Matt Eberflus was his usual tight-lipped self when it came to disclosing the injuries and the seriousness of said injuries. Through this carousel of musical BEARS we saw some players get reps they otherwise may not have gotten (which will be great for player evaluations). Though you’d love to see your 1st units on both sides of the ball get valuable work, in preparation for your 1st regular season opponent, you also get to see who the next man up would be if a starter had to miss time during the regular season.
That leads us to the 5 BEARS I’ve been most impressed with during this training camp. Some of these names will be no surprise to people that have been following this team from the 1st spring practice to now. There were players I expected to have in these slots that got bumped by some lesser knowns coming into this preseason. Of course you’d like to see your top draft picks and high dollar free agents in these spots but some of the players mentioned might surprise you. Let’s see if some of my names and your 5 are the same.
In reality, you can put these guys in any order you want. With that being said, I’ll start with a guy that has been tearing things up to the extent he’s made Trevis Gipson trade-able. I mean Gipson by no means was “untouchable” but he was having a pretty good camp. Hearing that the BEARS alerted his representation to seek trade options (during the final preseason game versus Buffalo) was a telling sign, considering how well he’d been playing? Oh well, that’s life in the NFL. This is a business and number 5 on this list has been handling his since he set foot on the practice field in the spring.
Terrell Lewis was a player I didn’t know much about coming into camp but a name I would hear quite a bit. The 4th year, 6’5” edge rusher from ‘Bama has been lauded all camp for his quick first step and ability to get after the passer. This has been evident all through training camp during individual drills and in games (he had strip sacks in back to back games against the Titans and Colts). This type of pass rusher is something this defense desperately missed last year and is a welcome sight for Defensive Coordinator Alan Williams. I think Lewis has solidified a spot on the final 53 and should be a regular in the edge rush rotation this season. The BEARS are focusing on taking the ball away more on defense this year and Lewis and his ability to make QBs put the ball on the ground improves those odds.
The guy coming in 4th won’t be a surprise to anyone. All this kid has done since being taken in the 2nd round of this year’s draft was hit the ground running with the 1st team defense and hasn’t looked back. He did “look back” to snare his 1st interception in the BEARS final preseason game versus the Bills (that should’ve been his 3rd of the preseason but whose counting). The pick was an impressive play as he read the receiver’s eyes and turned around last minute to secure the catch and keep both feet in bounds. Cornerback Tyrique Stephenson has had his share of penalties thrown (for holding and unsportsmanlike conduct) but those are more a product of his aggressive, physical play that he’ll no doubt have to tone down. I like the way Stephenson attacks his position from a physicality stand point and love his ball skills. He’ll definitely get his chances this year, opposite Jaylon Johnson, as QBs will look to test the rookie and stay away from number 33 (Johnson) as much as possible.
The next guy that’s impressed me is another rookie that came into camp under the radar, as an undrafted free agent, and at a position the BEARS might not carry 2 of. Fullback is the NFL’s “dinosaur” these days, as few teams carry a true fullback (let alone 2), but that hasn’t stopped former UConn FB Robert Burns from excelling as a runner and receiver out of the backfield. Though the 222 pound Burns had a costly fumble (in a late comeback attempt against the Colts) he’s shown some athleticism as a rusher and pass catcher (finding the end zone this preseason as a runner and receiver). Though the BEARS have a veteran FB in 5th year pro Khari Blasingame, and a pretty deep haul at RB, it would be interesting to see if the team carried 2 FBs on their final roster. Burns is no doubt putting them in a position to make a tough decision in the next few days after turning heads this preseason.
Number 2 on my list is another rookie that shouldn’t be much of a surprise to anyone. This kid fills an immediate need no matter where he falls on the depth chart. I love the fact he plays like “he’s using his body as a weapon” and it has shown through camp and these preseason games. This 4th round pick out of Texas has been the talk of the town since draft day and should be a viable contributor on special teams and as a running back right out the gate. Roschon Johnson is everything you want in a running back. He’s 225 pounds of physicality and has a QB background (can’t wait to see a few HB pass plays with him) and brings his load downhill. He’s a “Chicago type of back” and comes to this team with not a lot of tread off his tires backing up all everything Bijan Robinson last year at Texas. He’s a superb athlete that provides a nice change up from Khalil Herbert and is going to be a problem to tackle in late game situations when defenses start to wear down. Johnson earned himself some reps late in camp with the 1st unit and adds another hammer to a potent rushing attack this season.
Last and certainly not least of my camp surprises is another undrafted rookie that played football at a school I didn’t even know had a football program? The likelihood of undrafted free agents making the final roster is becoming something we’re seeing a lot more of these days and lets you know your scouting department is doing their job. When I first heard of QB Tyson Bagent I thought of him as just a “camp body” and really didn’t give him a chance to make the team (let alone be in the mix to be the BEARS QB2???). With the signing of veteran PJ Walker in the offseason and bringing back veteran holdover Nathan Peterman I didn’t give Bagent much of a chance to make the final roster at all. All the 6’3”, Chicago area product from Shephard has done is shown command of Luke Getsy’s offense and become a camp favorite of reporters and fans alike. Bagent not only has shown off a lively arm and poise but has mustered a few redzone scores with his legs (showing surprising mobility). The BEARS coaching staff and front office will have their hands full, these next few days, trimming their roster to 53 (and 16 practice squad spots). There will no doubt be some tough decisions made by BEARS brass as they not only have to evaluate their own players but also players other teams may cut they feel can improve their roster.
There are other players that almost made the list like rookie DT Zaach Pickens and LB Noah Sewell and veterans like Safety AJ Thomas, WR Daurice Thomas and CB Greg Stroman Jr. It will be interesting to see which players are still standing for the BEARS, after the dust settles and smoke clears. With game one of the regular season a little more than 2 weeks away (and against the hated Packers no less) the BEARS will roll their sleeves up and get to work putting this final roster together. They’re dealing with a myriad of nagging injuries to players that they’re expecting BIG things from this year so I’m sure they’ll be meticulous in their final evaluations of not only their starters but the backups that may be looked upon to step in for injured starters. We’re finally on the cusp of regular season NFL football and can let the REAL games begin. With all the expectations heaped on the shoulders of 3rd year QB Justin Fields, we’ll see if the BEARS will be in position to seize a division title that has eluded them since 2018… Bring on Green Bay!!!
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