Matt Eberflus Hints Bears Plan To Play Rookie A Lot More Soon

The Chicago Bears have gotten exciting returns from their 2023 draft class thus far. Darnell Wright looks like a fixture at right tackle. Gervon Dexter is starting to become a nuisance as an interior pass rusher. Tyrique Stevenson had an interception and forced fumble against Detroit. Roschon Johnson continues to fill vital gaps as part of the running back rotation. Tyler Scott has shown some flashes despite consistency issues. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus have to be happy with what they've seen to this point.

However, the work isn't done. The organization seems to have high hopes for another rookie. That is cornerback Terell Smith. A 5th round pick from Minnesota, he saw playing time last month and showed promise in limited opportunities. He finally returned from a bout with mono last Sunday, logging 13 snaps against the Lions. It was a minor surprise, considering how well Stevenson was playing. Eberflus revealed that was a deliberate decision to get him playing time.

The Bears have big plans for him.

"No, just the rotation. You know he is another guy coming off a break and we got him back in there. You know he's been practicing really well. We like Smitty a lot. We like Tyrique. For us being able to get those guys in, those young corners in there, is important. Just like we did with Gordon last year. Just like we did with Brisker last year. You know the development of those players and the secondary are really important to us, and Smitty is no different. …

With Smitty coming in there, again, great, really good young player that's developing. Needs to get, you know, those situations in there so he can continue to grow as a player going forward cause he's going to be a big part of our future."

Matt Eberflus deserves credit for one thing.

He is fully committed to developing young players. Nobody has doubted that for a second. Matt Nagy had a reputation during his time for favoring veterans and not giving young guys more opportunities. Eberflus isn't that way. He is willing to accept the early mistakes, knowing that gained experience will help transform them into quality football players down the line. Smith has all the ability necessary to be a starter in the NFL. He's big, long, and athletic. His growth in college was one of the main reasons Chicago liked him.

If he can blossom the way Kyler Gordon and Stevenson seem to be, the Bears may have one of the deeper secondaries in the NFL. Matt Eberflus' excitement over Smith is notable. He doesn't often gush too much over individual players. His comments shouldn't be dismissed. With the team sitting at 3-8, getting the young guys more playing time makes perfect sense. It will serve them and the organization well in the long run.