Despite there being no live-action within the sport, the NFL has had no shortage of impactful news within the past few weeks. Including Patrick Mahomes earning the richest deal in sports history (10 years, $503 million), Derrick Henry and Chris Jones leaving the franchise-tag deadline with massive extensions, Jamal Adams trade request, and the damaging allegations and controversy against the (what now was) Washington Redskins organization. Whether good or bad, the NFL world has managed to provide attractive headlines for their fans to view upon.
However, fans are craving for more as we are waiting for the start of the season. Similarly, with every other major sport, Coronavirus is forcing a cloudy future for the upcoming football season. Commissioner Rodger Goodell, team owners, and the NFLPA have been negotiating back and forth on how the league should handle the season and conduct safety protocols. Players have vocally displayed their desire to play, but prioritize the health and safety of everyone involved. Thankfully, the two sides agreed and announced that training camp will officially start on July 28th, so (as of now) we will have football start on time. With that being said, the NFL also announced that the maximum roster size entering training camp will be cut from 90 to 80 players. Even worse, the NFL also announced that there will be zero pre-season games played before the regular season starts.
It honestly does not come off as a shock, as the elimination of the pre-season is expected to be one of the many drastic changes for the upcoming season. Growing up, before I knew any better, I always despised the pre-season. Having to wait and go through four long, grueling weeks for meaningful games to arrive was forever troubling. I always wished the league would cut a game or two from the pre-season. I got my wish this year, but not the way I was expecting it to be, as we will see no pre-season games whatsoever. The pre-season is mostly a showcase for unproven players and those trying to win their respective position battles. Having those games eliminated will help decrease the risk of the virus's potential spread, which helps everyone involved. Unfortunately, it also forces players who already had minor shots of making an NFL roster to now have minimal shots of making one.
That concept will certainly apply to the Chicago Bears along with the other 31 teams in the league. But they also have plenty of their position battles that are well-worth monitoring on their current roster. Within this article, I will give my preview and predictions for the most crucial training camp battles for starting spots within the Bears for what will surely be a tough next few weeks to predict.
If you haven't already, please feel free to check out my introduction article, I had a blast putting it together. You will get to know more about me, my background, and my plans for this website here:
Right Guard
I have decided to start with a spot on the offensive line because to truly aid the state of the pass and run game, it starts up front. The starting five was 30 or younger, coming off a successful and promising 2018 season. Sadly, I mentioned in previous articles, this unit has considerably under performed and failed to live up to expectations in their 2019 season. Despite the under-performance, four of the five spots on that line are locks to start where they are at week one. The lone spot that is currently up in question is at Right Guard.
The heart and soul of the Chicago Bears, 3x Pro Bowler Kyle Long, retired after seven seasons with the team, leaving a vacancy at his position. To fill such a significant void, I had high hopes in Ryan Pace and the company to fix the position via free agency or the draft aggressively. Pace answered with signing former Seattle Seahawks first-round bust Germain Ifedi and...that is pretty much it, nothing significant. Really?! I am very disappointed in the way they handled trying to find a proper replacement for Long. But the belief from Pace, coaches, and Ifedi himself is that he is genuinely a Guard and not a Tackle, where he played at for his four seasons in Seattle. Matt Nagy also hired Juan Castillo, a respected Offensive Line coach within the league, in hopes of revitalizing Ifedi and the entire unit.
Kyle Long, Waving At Fans After A Game At Soldier Field (Credit: Bleacher Report)
Pace also signed former Green Bay Packers bust Jason Spriggs, who was drafted the same year as Ifedi, and drafted Tennessee State’s Lachavious Simmons and Colorado’s Arlington Hambright with their final two picks in this year’s draft. Nothing for me or any Bears to brag about, as I worry about the position. But there are two silver linings in my eyes: 1) Ifedi and Spriggs were signed to friendly one-year deals, as Ifedi in some cases was considered a bargain for what the Bears got him for (one year, $1.0475 million). 2) While it is a long-shot, a change of scenery (and positions, for that matter) could turn the two failed draft picks’ careers around.
Prediction: Because Pace brought in underwhelming help at Right Guard, Ifedi is the front-runner to earn the starting nod, as I believe he will become the starter. No one within this group is a lock whatsoever, but he has the best resume out of his competition, which includes 2019 leftovers Alex Bars and Rashaad Coward. Coward started ten games in relief of Kyle Long while Bars is an alumnus of the Offensive Line Capital of the NCAA: Notre Dame. But neither guy will likely beat out the experience of Ifedi. This position battle may be one of the least hyped battles we will have, but it is by no means unimportant. As I previously mentioned, for there to be a revitalization within the passing and running game, it all starts up front. The team cannot afford to give promising second-year Running Back David Montgomery another year full of minimal holes to run through. Most importantly, they must do whatever it takes to protect Trubisky or Foles as much as possible.
Wide Receiver
No need to worry about Allen Robinson, here. The underrated star Wide Receiver was the ONLY bright spot on a life-less 2019 Bears offense and attempts to double down on another successful campaign. After him? Well, that is where it gets somewhat tricky.
I have been a substantial fan and advocate of the talent and potential of Anthony Miller, who is pegged as our clear-cut #2 receiver. He has shown glimpses of what he could be, specifically his hot stretch of weeks 11-15 last season. Hell, after the Bears drafted Miller, I predicted that he would be the best Bears receiver at this point, I loved and believed in him that much. However, he has yet to put it all together for a full year and live up to his full potential, and I look like a clown for that prediction (a good problem thanks to Robinson’s strong play). Someone needs to step up and help take some pressure off of A-Rob, and Miller has the best shot to do so on the squad.
After Miller is where a battle begins at the position, the Bears signed long-time speedster and recent New Orleans Saint Ted Ginn Jr. and drafted Tulane’s Darnell Mooney in the 5th round (#173rd overall) this year to add to a Wide Receiver room of (outside of Robinson and Miller) Cordarelle Patterson, Riley Ridley, and Javon Wims. Patterson should be considered a lock to make the roster given his immense special team’s value and occasional big-play ability on offense. He is never going to be a player that commands a large chunk of volume on offense but put him on the field and he is always a threat to blaze past defenders and take it to the house. Wims is a 2018 seventh-round pick with slight glimpses of promise in both the pre-season regular season. Finally, Ridley is a 2019 fourth-round pick that only had six receptions in his rookie season.
Riley Ridley, Catching A Clutch 4th Down Reception v.s. The Minnesota Vikings Last Season
(Credit: Windy City Gridiron)
Ridley is a man that many believe the Bears must utilize more, including me. When they selected him with the 126th overall pick last year, many experts labeled him as a value pick, expecting him to go a round or two earlier than where he was selected. Coming out of Georgia, Ridley was regarded as a strong, big-bodied receiver with one of the best route-running capabilities in the country. Not a single person can downplay those traits and what they can do to help the team. The Bears need to let Ridley loose and give him a legit shot to finally prove himself in this league. Fortunately for him, his position coach, Mike Furrey, has high hopes for him. In June, he stated that out of everyone in his group, he believes that Ridley will show the most significant growth this season. That quote alone has enough for me to expect more volume for Ridley, now it will be up to him to make good use of the potential opportunity. It may take a while for Ridley to take off, but I expect much more from him this year.
Heading into camp, the Bears will have a packed room full of wide receivers that I approve. There is by no means a legit threat outside of Robinson, but each guy offers something decent at best. Unfortunately, it is not likely that Pace will be able to keep all of them aboard.
Prediction: Miller is the clear choice for the #2 target behind Robinson, as is expected to take over slot duties. Ginn is my pick to start at the opposite side of Robinson but will lose snaps to Ridley as the year goes by. Patterson will not go anywhere based on his special team’s value alone, but we hope that Nagy and his staff utilize him more as an occasional spark for the offense. The Bears decide not to immediately waste their 5th round draft pick and give Mooney a shot. This means that I believe Javon Wims will be the odd man out, as the Bears release him and keep six receivers, instead.
Cornerback
Similarly to Wide Receiver, the Bears have no worries with a clear-cut #1 option at Cornerback in Kyle Fuller. Buster Skrine will operate slot duties as he always has throughout his previous nine seasons in the league. On the opposite side of Fuller, however, will be a wide-open competition, as the release of Prince Amukamara forced the Bears to search for a replacement. They spent their second draft selection (#50 overall) on Utah’s Jaylon Johnson, who was widely regarded as a first-round talent by many experts. They also drafted Georgia Southern’s Kindle Vildor in the fifth-round (163rd overall) while signing CFL standout Tre Robertson and former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round bust Artie Burns in free agency. Those two will be added to an already-crowded group that consists of Kevin Toliver, Sherrick McManis, Duke Shelley, Stephen Denmark, Michael Joseph, and Xavier Crawford.
Jaylon Johnson, Staring Downfield In A Matchup While With Utah (Credit: 247 Sports)
As long as his nagging shoulder injury is not an issue, there is just too much to like with what Johnson brings to the table. His top-notch physicality and good ball-skills should coexist perfectly with a player like Fuller. The only obstacles that would be in his way from a starting spot are inexperience and (as just mentioned) health. If those two factors immediately kick in for Johnson, then anyone from his competition will attempt to swoop in, and the only person I can genuinely see doing that is Artie Burns.
After having a decent rookie season in 2016 and starting all 16 games for the Steelers in 2017, Burns would eventually lose his starting job and went free-falling down the Steelers depth chart. They would let him walk off the team without hesitation in free agency. Like fellow 2016 draft-class busts Ifedi and Spriggs, Burns joins the Bears to revitalize his career. The odds are not in his favor, but he should have the edge in experience over his competition. In his first four seasons, Burns started 32 total games in his career. Nothing mind-blowing, but it certainly bodes better than the rest of the competition. If the defensive coaching staff can re-discover some of the talents that made Burns a first-rounder and (at minimum) provide quality depth at the position, I will consider that a win for the team.
Prediction: Johnson shows he does not need the pre-season and enters the year as the #2 corner. Burns stays put in hopes of a career turnaround. Kevin Toliver has shown glimpses of becoming another great undrafted free agent find by Pace, as they will give him another shot. The longest-tenured Bear and special teams ace, Sherrick McManis, adds another year to his career in the Windy City. Finally, the Bears decide to choose to keep their draft pick, Kindle Vildor, over Shelley, Denmark, Joseph, and Crawford for the final corner spot.
Strong Safety
Last season, HaHa Clinton-Dix came in and did a serviceable job with the team, but it could have been better. Most fans could agree that he was not the best complement to the elite talent that is Eddie Jackson. The Bears let Clinton-Dix walk in free agency and brought former Pro Bowler and recent Houston Texan Tashaun Gipson and Super Bowl 54 champion Jordan Lucas to compete with Deon Bush.
Tashaun Gipson is an interesting name that I certainly was not expecting. I was expecting more of a player like fellow free agent Safety and recent Baltimore Raven Tony Jefferson, but injury concerns are likely the main reason why he has yet to sign with a team. On paper, I like the signing of Gipson, but he is not an ideal fit to complement Jackson in the secondary. To correctly compliment a ball-hawking player such as Jackson, you would need a player who can step in the box and be a force against the run. Former Bear Adrian Amos perfectly fit that role, which allowed Jackson to play deep centerfield with his biggest strength: taking away the football. Gipson, much like Clinton-Dix, is more a coverage Safety than a run support Safety. His fit forced Jackson to play closer to the box and limit his coverage ability, and it showed.
Deon Bush, on the other hand, arguably best fits the desired mold of what a Strong Safety should be for our defense. Bush is a 2016 fourth-round draft pick that, despite only eight career starts, is still on the roster heading into 2020. Back on a one year deal, he now has the best opportunity to finally crack into the starting lineup, or at the very least, gathering up the highest amount of playing time he has ever seen.
Kyle Fuller, Watching His Potential Starting 2020 Safety Duo Celebrate A Defensive TD
v.s. The Buffalo Bills In 2018 (Credit: Bleacher Nation)
Prediction: Gipson starts the season at the position, but do not be surprised if Deon Bush slowly eats into his playing time, while Jordan Lucas stays put for his special team’s value. Of course, Gipson could prove me wrong and become an excellent complement to Jackson. Gipson is always a ball-hawking threat when on the field, as he and Jackson could pile up interceptions left and right. All fans ask for is not only a good performance from their Strong Safety, whoever it may be, but for Eddie Jackson to return to the elite form we saw from him in 2018. Overall, Defensive Coordinator Chuck Pagano will have plenty of decisions to be made to repeat another great defensive season, and then some.
Quarterback
Finally, the moment we have all been waiting for: the QB battle between Nick Foles and Mitch Trubisky.
If there is one thing that SUCKS with there being no pre-season action, it is not about to see those two go at it and fight for the starting job on TV. Like every other position, all we will have is training camp to determine who the team should start.
I wrote an article about the upcoming battle between the two on June 17th, so most of what I would say about the two will be in there (link to that article: https://nolanbul2.wixsite.com/mysite/post/welcome-back-qb-controversy-you-were-not-missed).
While my opinion of who I want to win has not changed, my prediction of who I think will start the year has changed.
Prediction: Trubisky enters Week 1 as the QB1.
Trubisky might not have been the QB we hoped he would be to this point; there is still an insurmountable amount of pressure on him this year. But he has the experience with his weapons, which will have me give him the edge over Foles.
Mitch Trubisky, Knowing Damn Well That A Cancelled Pre-Season Helps His Chances Of Beating Nick Foles
(Credit: Chicago Magazine)
I have no worries about Foles developing chemistry with his new team; he already has extreme familiarity with the offensive system and its coaches. But he is now with a brand new team and will not be able to show off what he could do in a live, full-contact setting. No matter where you are, it takes a while to get that together.
Who knows, maybe a lengthened training camp could help, but no one should underestimate what the pre-season would have meant for the competition. I will go with Trubisky as the week one starter, but Foles will be breathing down his neck. The same would apply if it were the other way around. We have seen what Foles has done as a backup before; it might be time to send up a prayer for him to repeat his success in that position.
No one knows what to expect these next few weeks, but we know that things will not be the same. Fans must adjust to the temporary norm and anticipate several curveballs thrown our way. Starting this Tuesday, training camps will open up, and we will see how players will handle this new norm.
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