The Chicago Bears confirmed promising symptoms in their preseason opener Saturday, defeating the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs 19-14 at Soldier Discipline as a handful of young players stepped up and played with the aggressive edge coach Matt Eberflus is searching for.
Another examination awaits Thursday night time at Lumen Industry with the Seattle Seahawks welcoming the Bears for a nationally televised match (7 p.m., ESPN). Below are four storylines well worth tracking.
1. Justin Fields’ presence
Fields will not have a great deal of time to establish considerably with Eberflus preparing to participate in his very first-device offense for a person or two collection. But it’s continue to really worth zeroing in on each individual of the plays the second-year quarterback is asked to operate.
From huddle command to pre-snap vision to his ability to course of action and make good selections, Fields’ preseason reps remain under a microscope. The Bears are pushing him to elevate the bar as the year nears, demanding improved footwork and sharper timing and sense in the pocket.
Thursday’s video game is yet another likelihood for Fields and the offense to get greater, and the coaches appreciate how open up Fields has been to becoming coached really hard.
“He loves it,” quarterbacks mentor Andrew Janocko said. “You converse about a guy that just enjoys football and wants to be fantastic and needs to elevate most people around him. It’s really amazing.”
2. Teven Jenkins’ progress
At the outset of coaching camp, Eberlus promised he would blend and match combos on the offensive line to discover the most unified and trusted quintet. The most up-to-date mixture has Teven Jenkins, who was drafted in the 2nd round in 2021 to be a starting left deal with, auditioning at proper guard.
Jenkins played 36 snaps at ideal tackle against the Chiefs but was bumped within this week for his most current obstacle. He is possible to commence Thursday but will get much more actively playing time than the rest of the projected Week 1 starters on the line.
“Like any place, if you are not an expert dude at your situation, we’re going to attempt to get you a minor bit extra (playing time),” Eberflus stated Tuesday.
As the Bears test to locate a posture wherever Jenkins can aid them, the coaching team has praised his intelligence as an asset to this most current transfer. Offensive line mentor Chris Morgan sees a mix of size, power and pace in Jenkins that he’s intrigued to take a look at within.
“It’s a tiny bit of an adjustment,” Morgan stated. “But we wouldn’t check with him to do anything at all he couldn’t deal with. He has some characteristics that can definitely glow in there. So we’re psyched about it, fired up to see how it appears to be like.”
3. The rookies
A pair of Working day 2 draft picks — cornerback Kyler Gordon and receiver Velus Jones — are envisioned to make their preseason debuts right after lacking Saturday’s sport with accidents. It is an exciting homecoming for Gordon, who’s from Everett, Clean., and places him back again in the metropolis where by he played his faculty ball for Washington.
“It was meant to be,” he claimed.
Jones, meanwhile, is envisioned to perform a amount of roles for the Bears in the course of the period. So getting a chance to take a look at him in game situations on offense and exclusive groups will be important.
As for the relaxation of the rookie course, preserve tabs on fifth-round decide on Dominique Robinson and undrafted rookie Micah Dew-Treadway on the defensive line. It also will be intriguing to see no matter whether managing again Trestan Ebner can create on his effectiveness in opposition to the Chiefs he experienced a 12-garden landing reception to go with a 27-lawn operate and a 34-garden kickoff return.
On the very long operate, Ebner made a sweet slash in the backfield, juking cornerback Jaylen Watson as he burst into the open field. But it was his shoulder-down, tooth-gritting finish to that operate that amazed offensive coordinator Luke Getsy a lot more.
“It was an spectacular slash,” Getsy said. “But I just consider when you have 1 of these youthful children (working) on that sideline and there’s a male there and you can operate out of bounds … but the way he place his foot in the ground and acquired us 5 extra yards, which is the mentality we’re hoping to establish below. That is a single of people philosophical performs we’ll put up in the offensive device room.”
4. The punters
Yes, yes. It’s a big ask to ask for you give up aspect of your Thursday evening to observe punting in a mid-August preseason sport. But, hey, everything for a soccer correct, appropriate?
This is a next possibility for Bears supporters to familiarize by themselves with Trenton Gill, a seventh-spherical draft choose who released seven punts in the preseason opener. Gill confirmed a great blend of leg energy and touch and compelled the Chiefs to start belongings at the 12-, 5- and 3-property strains. His growth is worth checking. The Bears may possibly want to use him a good deal this time.
Seahawks punter Michael Dickson, in the meantime, is in his fifth season. The Aussie signed a four-calendar year, $14.5 million extension final season and followed with a powerful yr in which he averaged 46.9 yards per punt and had a league-significant 40 punts pinned within the 20-property line.
Dickson will present a problem to the Bears as they seek a winner of their punt return job. Dazz Newsome, Dante Pettis and Chris Finke took cracks Saturday.
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