The Chicago Bears preseason for 2019 officially ended on Thursday night at Soldier Field. Now the team will begin preparations for the Green Bay Packers. No doubt a game most of them have been eager to get to for some time. While the preseason games didn't matter, they still offered excellent opportunities for evaluation. The coaching staff wanted to get an extended look at every notable backup on the roster and they most certainly did.
In fact, they got plenty of answers to several questions they had coming into the month. Critical ones too. So what exactly did they find out, good or bad? Here is a breakdown of 10 key things they learned and what it could mean for the upcoming season.
Chicago Bears preseason revelations with opener approaching
Eddy Pineiro is their guy
Matt Nagy refused to fully commit to saying it after the game, but all signs point to Pineiro being names the starting kicker for the Bears. He's only missed one field goal the entire preseason and his extra point gaffe last night looked like a freak occurrence. He has the kind of leg strength needed to handle the notorious conditions of Soldier Field. Not to mention a swagger and self-confidence required to handle the pressure. He's their guy, for better or worse. Now they'll have to stay patient with him.
Mitch Trubisky has to stay healthy
The Bears continue to express confidence in Chase Daniel as their backup. It could be that confidence comes more from their talented offensive roster being able to carry him. Daniel had a forgettable preseason, unable to move the ball much and taking a lot of unnecessary sacks. Tyler Bray isn't likely to stick on the roster. This only reinforces how critical it is that Mitch Trubisky stay on the field. Critics may love to bash him for their own reasons, but there's no question this offense will never pull their weight if forced to ride with Daniel.
The running back depth chart is DEEP
Nagy and his staff have some tough decisions to make at running back. David Montgomery, Tarik Cohen, and Mike Davis look like a great committee backfield with tons of versatility. Yet it doesn't stop there. Kerrith Whyte is an explosive option with kick returner ability. Ryan Nall is a big back with decent speed of his own. Now Josh Caldwell arrives late and he's proving to be a tough runner with really good vision. The Bears are likely to keep only one of them, which means two difficult decisions are coming.
Outside linebacker remains a concern
The Bears confused a lot of people when Aaron Lynch, who had played the entire preseason, played much of the first half against Tennessee in the finale. It led to some speculation that he might be on the bubble. Whether he is or not, it only reinforces how questionable their depth is at outside linebacker behind Khalil Mack and Leonard Floyd. Isaiah Irving has been with the team since 2017 and has just one career sack. James Vaughters, the preseason MVP at that position, looks good but has never played in an NFL game. It feels like the drop off from Mack and Floyd is substantial.
Deon Bush is emerging behind Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
Clinton-Dix is the starter for 2019, and rightfully so. He's a former Pro Bowler in his prime with tons of playmaking potential behind such a dynamic front seven. That said, the Bears have reason to feel quite comfortable if either he or Eddie Jackson go down with injury. That's because Deon Bush has established himself as a dependable backup. In fact, his standout preseason play that included two interceptions makes one think he could be poised to start for somebody next year.
Blocking at tight end is in short supply
The good news? Chicago seems to have a number of tight ends who are solid pass catchers including Trey Burton, Ben Brauncker, and now Ian Bunting and Jesper Horsted. The bad news? None of those guys can be called standout blockers. Adam Shaheen isn't the best at it either. This is why Bradley Sowell, despite a rough preseason, is likely to make the roster. Mostly because he's the only guy with blocking credibility they have. It would not be a surprise if they tried finding someone else who can.
Chuck Pagano's blitzing prowess is evident
One of the things that were expected to change under Pagano as defensive coordinator was a more aggressive approach on defense. That means heavier doses of blitzing. The veteran coach is known for his prowess at disguising creative blitzes to get a man free to the quarterback. There were a number of instances this preseason that proved this. Pagano wisely didn't do it too often but there were enough pieces of evidence to reinforce the fact that the Bears will be getting after people.
Pat O'Donnell could be ready to have a career year
Probably the most overlooked stud of the preseason was the Bears punter Pat O'Donnell. He was outstanding the entire way. On 22 total punts, he averaged a whopping 51.2 yards with four downed inside the 20-yard line. He's steadily improved since last year when Chris Tabor took over as special teams coordinator. Now the former 6th round pick appears poised to have the best season of his NFL career. The importance of this can't be understated given how good the Bears defense is.
Practice squad could be stacked with future offensive contributors
Sticking with the undrafted theme, Bars wasn't the only one who stood out. A number of other offensive players showcased their potential. Horsted had two touchdown catches and another ridiculous highlight-reel grab against Tennessee. He was joined by wide receiver Thomas Ives who made nine catches for 148 yards. Both look like they can be serious pieces on offense with more work on other factors of their game. Horsted needs to learn what blocking is. Ives has to sharpen his route running. They're perfect for the practice squad.
Alex Bars will be a starter sooner or later
The Bears 2019 undrafted rookie class appears to be one of the best they've had in a long time. To date, their biggest standout has undeniably been North Dame offensive lineman Alex Bars. He was excellent while playing guard early in the preseason, not surrendering a sack. Then he handled himself better than expected when forced to move to left tackle due to injuries. He's more than earned a spot on the roster and looks like he could be an eventual starter in the not-too-distant future.
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