WEEK 1 · Sat 08/15 · 12:00 PM CDT: Chicago Bears Network on FOX32; ESPN Chicago (English) | WVIV (Español)
Friendly reminder, NFL only has 3 [not 4] PS games now, and a majority of teams tend to sit everyone.
Used to be. Game 1, starters get a couple drives.
Game 2, starters play at least 1 QTR.
Game 3, starters play til 3 QTR to get used to halftime.
Game 4, all starters sit, scrub bowl.
Now it’s a bit less formulaic and more idiosyncratic. Ben Johnson specifically prefers sitting most projected starters. He apparently rides them hard in practice, so perhaps this is his way of balancing it out.
As such, Caleb is sitting vs Browns, and Burpee Champ Tyson Bagent is set to start.
Not sure we’ll see much of Caleb this PS, and if BJ isn’t going to roll out the starting Oline, that’s the way it should be.
That being said, it’s not as if our Oline is rock solid either. Last year it was the same 5 – set it and forget it.
This year much more question marks.
LT Battle – Braxton Jones, Jedrick Willis, Kiran Amegadjie
The only bright side is that Trapilo seems ahead of schedule on his INJ, but WTH knows what that means?
Due to the shocking Drew Dalman retirement, Center murky too.
Garrett Bradbury was the FA insurance, but I’m certain BJ wants to get a loooong look at rook Logan Jones.
I know Theo Benedet is all but forgotten, but he did start at LT, and I’m curious how he’ll perform. Maybe he bulked up or gained more power after a year of an NFL diet and training?
Since Mr. Glass-Gordon is out at NB, Cam Lewis will go. I’m not expecting much TBH. Most think he’s a CJ Gardner-Johnson jack-of-all-master-of-none archetype [sans the penchant for turnovers].
Naturally, like everyone, I’m esp excited to gauge the rooks, specifically SS Dillon Thieneman. Camp chatter espoused that he looked the part. Scouting reports frame him as a vet-type rook. Wanna see how smart and fast he plays.
Speaking of fast, same goes for SWR Zavion Thomas. Hopefully, his speed transfers to the next lvl AND ideally he can, you know, CATCH the ball. If a ball bounces off his hands, we’ll all get Velus Jones/Tyler Scott flashbacks. It would also make sense for Thomas to get return reps.
TE Sam Roush is another investment siphoned away from Dline, so he better not debut like Kellen Davis or Adam “Baby Gronk” Shaheen.
But the Belle of the Ball may be 3T Jordan van de Berg. Been hearing how he’s tearing it up all summer; well, now we get to witness if he’s a hit or hype. To say we desperately NEED dline fortification is an understatement. Who was the last Bears’ DT to out-play his draft grade?
PUP List:
LT Ozzy Trapilo, NB Kyler Gordon, S Elijah Hicks, LB Keyshaun Elliot, LB Noah Sewell, DL Shemar Turner [fuck, forgot about him].
Ironically, might be more intrigued by the Browns – specifically, the shit show which is their QB room. Shedeur Sanders, Watson, Dillon Gabriel…supposedly their WRs have been popping in PS, so should be a good test vs our MASH secondary.
Also get to watch S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren whom many mocked to Bears.
Frankly, as long as everyone walks off the field, I’ll be happy.
Bear down. Football is back, baby!












