Chicago Bears Q&A: How much more comfortable does QB Justin Fields look? Will there be any surprise roster cuts?
The 2023 NFL preseason is upon us, with the Chicago Bears hosting the Tennessee Titans on Saturday at Soldier Field in the first of three exhibitions. Brad Biggs answers your questions before kickoff.
How much more comfortable does Justin Fields look in training camp this summer? — Jimmy N., Bensenville
Fields has definitely looked improved since last weekend in terms of execution, and that’s what the Bears are looking for. His comfort level ultimately will show in how well he performs. The Bears have upgraded the talent at wide receiver, tight end, running back and offensive line from last season. Based on that alone, Fields is almost guaranteed to be better, but you’re looking to see a significant jump in his third season and second in this offense.
He has connected with DJ Moore regularly — there was a nice shot down the sideline for a 29-yard gain during a two-minute period Wednesday — and I’ve recently noticed more completions on intermediate routes to move the chains. They had a nice one during a drill at the end of Tuesday’s practice when the offense started at midfield and had less than a minute to get a field goal. We didn’t see those 10- to 20-yard throws as regularly at the start of training camp.
It’s still early. The Bears have had five practices in full pads (the sixth will be Thursday morning). Everyone knows how dangerous Fields can be as a runner and how much stress that puts on defenses. It’s fair to say he has made gains as a passer. How much? We’ll have to wait and see. There are still snaps on which he holds the ball too long. Some are plays that, in a game, he probably would pull the ball down and take off. The goal is to reduce the number of times that happens.
If you had to guess positions where the Bears aren’t done adding talent, which ones and why? — @tropicalruin
I would remain pretty open-minded about what general manager Ryan Poles and his pro scouting staff put together in the coming weeks. The Bears will have the No. 1 position for waiver claims through the first three weeks of the season. After that, the order is based on the current standings.
I would be a little surprised if the Bears made a whole slew of waiver claims, but I’d be willing to bet they will make three or four. One position I wonder about is the swing tackle spot. Larry Borom has been working as the backup left tackle. If the Bears are not sold on him, that could be one position where they scan the waiver wire for help. They also could bring in a veteran cut loose by another team who is not subject to waivers.
With the exception of signing defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, it’s fair to say most of the recent moves have been due to attrition and injuries. I doubt they add a tight end after signing Marcedes Lewis, but most of the other positions are not so stacked that they shouldn’t consider the possibility of additions. It will be interesting to see what shakes out around cut time, but I definitely would keep an eye out for a move for a swing tackle. That makes sense to me unless they like Borom more than I imagine.
Is Yannick Ngakoue a three-down lineman? Lots of varying opinions on him. — @noflyzone_1
The Bears say he will be an every-down lineman for them. If Ngakoue wants to land a multiyear contract — he previously signed a two-year, $26 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021 — he needs to prove he can be a reliable base-down defender. Multiple personnel officials and coaches I spoke with suggested he’s at his best as a designated pass rusher.
Reality is the Bears don’t have a ton of competition for him to be on the field on run downs. He won’t be on the field all the time, and coach Matt Eberflus likes to use his linemen in waves. Knowing that and figuring a playing-time target for Ngakoue could be somewhere between 70% and 75% of the snaps, they can be calculated in when they give him a breather and pull him out on some first-and-10 and third-and-short situations. He will have the opportunity this season to prove he’s a better run defender than he’s given credit for.
Assuming the Bears don’t re-sign Yannick Ngakoue after this season, what does next year’s edge rusher market look like for free agency? Are there any notable edge rushers at this time coming out in next year’s draft? — Dave P., St. Joseph, Mich.
Wow. We are getting WAY ahead of ourselves here. Usually I would skip over a question like this. Want to dream big? How about Nick Bosa? Now please rejoin us in reality. My bet is the San Francisco 49ers will have a long-term deal with him before this season starts. If that doesn’t happen, guess what? He will wear the franchise tag before free agency opens.
Brian Burns will be a free agent. Similarly, I doubt the Carolina Panthers let him out the door. Montez Sweat and Chase Young of the Washington Commanders are entering the final year of their contracts. I doubt an elite edge rusher makes it to free agency because, well, they usually don’t. That doesn’t mean there won’t be options.
As for draft prospects, Penn State’s Chop Robinson, Ohio State’s J.T. Tuimoloau, Washington’s Bralen Trice, Alabama’s Dallas Turner and Florida State’s Jared Verse are a handful to keep an eye on. Remember, the Bears own two first-round picks in 2024.
One benefit of having Ngakoue on a one-year contract is the Bears will be the only team that can negotiate with him between the end of the season and the start of free agency.
Any potential surprise cuts? — @joetusio
It’s a slam dunk this question arrives every August. My initial response is if I know of a cut that’s coming two-plus weeks from now, it’s probably not much of a surprise, right?
Some of the cuts that are surprising to the public probably don’t raise as many eyebrows in the locker room. Players have an idea what’s coming based on how certain players have performed and been utilized. When bigger-name veterans are let go, it generates headlines, but those moves are often telegraphed.
Surprise cuts often come when the team has an eye on a player outside the building. When the Bears cut Robbie Gould before the 2016 season, it was because they intended to bring in kicker Connor Barth. That was a true surprise cut. This will be a young roster, and I don’t see any moves right now that would catch folks off guard.
How many snaps are we looking at for Justin Fields against the Titans? — Nelson, Springfield
Matt Eberflus confirmed that Fields will play Saturday in the preseason opener at Soldier Field. He said playing time for starters will be determined on an individual basis rather than by unit (first team, second team, etc.).
My guess is the Bears want Fields to be able to leave the game on a high note. If he leads the offense on a scoring drive on the first possession, that could be it for him. If the Bears have a short initial drive, maybe they run him back out there for another series to see if they can get some positive momentum.
You can expect the starting offensive line to be on the field to protect Fields. It would not surprise me if rookie right tackle Darnell Wright and maybe left tackle Braxton Jones get a little more playing time than other starters.
Which player(s) on the 2022 team won’t make the 2023 team? — @bigtroublejack
A handful of players battling for reserve positions are holdovers from last season. A couple who jumped out at me when looking at the first depth chart the team released — which is unofficial and doesn’t mean a whole heck of a lot — were defensive end Trevis Gipson and cornerback Kindle Vildor. Both are due to earn $2.743 million this season as they hit the proven performance escalator in their rookie contracts. That’s a good chunk of money to be paying guys who aren’t No. 2 at their positions. I would think both will get a lot of preseason snaps, but they will have to perform well to show real value to the organization at that figure.
After that, basically anyone third on the depth chart at his position probably has a battle ahead of him for a job. That includes guard Dieter Eiselen, center Doug Kramer, wide receivers Dante Pettis and Nsimba Webster, running back Trestan Ebner, defensive tackle Andrew Brown, cornerbacks Greg Stroman and Jaylon Jones and maybe a few others.
How soon until Roschon Johnson takes that RB1 spot? Week 3 to Week 5? — @just_acy
We have to see the running backs actually play to get a better gauge on things. They haven’t done a single live rep in practice. The Bears said the preseason would help them sort out a backfield full of options with fourth-round pick Johnson, Khalil Herbert, D’Onta Foreman, Trestan Ebner and Travis Homer.
Herbert continues to get a good chunk of the reps with the starters. The Bears spent a good portion of Wednesday’s practice working on third-down situations, and Herbert was in the backfield with the starters for much of that action. He was also on the field in the two-minute offense. Those were indicators to me that at this early juncture — before any preseason action — he has done what is necessary to stake a claim to the RB1 position.
“He’s made improvements in the protection, made improvements in the passing game, the route tree is expanding for him,” coach Matt Eberflus said when asked about Herbert in the passing game. “I feel the trust happening with the quarterbacks, especially with Justin, and it’s starting to grow. I think it’s been growing over the last three or four weeks.”
I don’t know if the Bears will have a true featured back this season. Maybe Johnson eventually develops into that guy. But when I think of a featured back, I think of a player who rarely comes off the field and gets more than 60% of the carries.
Johnson got snaps with the second team in the two-minute drill and had a pass from P.J. Walker go through his hands. That turned into an interception for linebacker Micah Baskerville.
Are any of the current injured players guys that could be in doubt for the Green Bay Packers game in Week 1? — Terry L., Antioch
The Bears don’t seem overly concerned about any of the players who have been sidelined recently. Matt Eberflus was asked specifically about middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and defensive end DeMarcus Walker on Wednesday, and he was pretty clear that neither is in danger of being sidelined for the season opener. Right guard Nate Davis has missed seven practices so far, but the Bears haven’t indicated it’s a long-term issue. I’d be surprised, though, if Davis plays Saturday against the Titans after he sat out Wednesday.
Why are there still four QBs on the roster? Will Tyson Bagent ever take over for Nathan Peterman. — @staticinverona
Instead of four quarterbacks would you prefer seven tight ends? Or three fullbacks? Or how about eight safeties? It’s a 90-man roster right now and a lot of teams are carrying four quarterbacks.
Bagent and Peterman are getting a few reps a day in practice, and when I say a few, you can count them on one hand most days. Let’s see how they perform in the preseason. Bagent did pretty well in the two-minute portion of practice Wednesday, driving the offense inside the 10-yard line before a fourth-down throw in the end zone was incomplete.
