Trevis Gipson Was Even More Dominant Vs. Titans Than We Thought

One of the biggest shocks of the past week came when the Chicago Bears released their first unofficial depth chart of the preseason. While it's never wise to read too much into such things, it still offers an idea of where the heads of the coaching staff are at. So when Trevis Gipson appeared near the bottom of the defensive end pecking order, it caught many by surprise. Most had figured the third-year edge rusher would be one of the primary backups behind DeMarcus Walker and Yannick Ngakoue.

This was an indication Gipson was on the roster bubble. He hadn't shown enough of what the coaches wanted to see in training camp. That meant the game against the Tennessee Titans was of vital importance. He certainly played like it too. Gipson was unquestionably the winner if there was a Player of the Game award for the opener. He was everywhere for the Bears, finishing with five tackles, a tackle for a loss, a sack, three quarterback hits, and a whopping eight total pressures. Every big defensive play the Bears made for most of the game seemed to have his fingerprints on it.

Trevis Gipson answered the bell when he needed to.

It felt like his role on the team was fading. Walker and Ngakoue are now the unquestioned starters. Dominique Robinson appears to have made strides in his second year. Veteran Terrell Lewis has had a terrific camp. Undrafted rookies like Jalen Harris and D'Anthony Jones have also flashed. Gipson was in danger of getting lost in the shuffle. Not anymore. That performance was a reminder of how good he can be. It is easy to forget Gipson had seven sacks in 2021. There was already evidence he could play.

What happened last season was a classic case of the sacks not telling the whole story. Trevis Gipson only had three sacks, but his pressures (30) and quarterback hits (7) were higher in 2022 than the previous year. The man himself admitted his frustration at so many near-misses. He needed to be better about finishing plays. It seems he's starting to figure it out. Either way, it's clearer than ever he's a disruptive force the Bears can still make great use of, even if it's no longer as a starter.