The Chicago Bears have entered the most critical phase of their roster evaluation process. Practices are a time-tested way to get an idea of what you have, but nothing works better than legitimate game action. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus got plenty of tape to devour after the Bears' win in the preseason opener against Tennessee. Several players with questionable roster statuses played well, helping their cases. Conversely, more than a few didn't do themselves any favors. Two more preseason games remain.
However, the most important stretch of this month might already be at hand. The Bears will spend the next two days in Indianapolis, holding joint practices with the Colts. It is something Eberflus has desired going back to last year. Former Bears scout Greg Gabriel knows exactly why. A case can be made that joint practices are more valuable to roster evaluation than actual preseason games.
He explained why this is the case in detail for Windy City Gridiron.
"A few years ago, when the League dropped the fourth pre-season game, I felt that it was very important to have at least one set of joint practices and perhaps two during training camp. It gives both the coaching staff and the front office a much better evaluation of players. Each joint practice is like having an extra pre-season game.
In the joint practices I have been involved with, each club goes through stretching and the individual periods by themselves. Once they get into one-on-ones, nine-on-seven, seven-on-seven, and 11-on-11s, it's one team against the other. The intensity level of the players gets much higher to the point where it is very similar to a game. In reality, each team can get more reps done because one field will have the Chicago Bears defense against the Indianapolis Colts offense and the other will be the Bears O vs the Colts D. That alone is invaluable."
The Chicago Bears will squeeze two preseason games into two practices.
That is essentially what Gabriel is saying. The number of reps Eberflus and the coaches will get for players in those drills against fresh competition will go much further than Saturday's actual preseason game could. There is a strong possibility some players will see their roster status decided even before it kicks off. Indianapolis has plenty of good players on its roster. Performing well against them in practice would go a long way in showing a player can probably translate that to Sundays. The same goes if you can't.
The next 48 hours will be fascinating to follow. Updates figure to come out in bunches from those practices. We've already seen that happen with teams like Baltimore, Washington, Cleveland, and Philadelphia. The Chicago Bears need to know where they're at. This is one of the best ways they can do it. Guys better be ready for a level of intensity they haven't experienced for months. Pride will be on the line with every rep. If guys don't play like it, they won't have a roster spot much longer.
