The Chicago Bears are probably two or three years from getting back into the playoff picture. New GM Ryan Poles clarified his intentions when he gutted large swathes of the roster this off-season, jettisoning several key veterans and letting others walk in free agency. He wants to build his own roster made up of homegrown talent. That isn’t a bad thing, but such an endeavor takes time. This early stage often leaves the current lineup filled with holes.
So which ones are the most concerning as training camp approaches? Much depends on position importance and who is available to play it. Bears fans might be shocked to hear quarterback isn’t on the shortlist for once. Justin Fields is firmly in place, and Trevor Siemian is a solid backup. The secondary is also in a good spot. Sadly the same can’t be said for these other areas.
It might not be the most crucial position on any defense, but it still has considerable value. With the departure of Eddie Goldman and the shift to a 4-3 defense, the Bears are left with no clear solution at nose tackle. The current favorite is Angelo Blackson, with Khyiris Tonga and veteran Mike Pennel as the primary contenders. The previous regime acquired Blackson and Tonga for a different defense. Pennel was a late addition this off-season and has loads of experience but is also 31 years old. Considering the importance of the defensive line in this system, that problem needs a clear solution.
Yes, the Chicago Bears wide receiver position is not ranked among the best in the NFL. However, the widespread declaration that it is the worst feels overblown. They have a 1,000-yard target in Darnell Mooney and one of the best slot options in the league last year in Byron Pringle. If Velus Jones flashes that vast potential this year, the team has a nice trio of explosive options for Justin Fields. The trouble is the depth. There isn’t much competition behind them as it’s mostly journeymen veterans who failed to make impacts with other teams. It feels like the position needs one more body with credibility before people can take it seriously.
When a rookie 5th round pick is the favorite to win the left tackle job going into training camp, somebody screwed up. That is not an indictment of Braxton Jones. The work he’s done has put him in this position. Yet do the Bears really want to trust him against guys like Danielle Hunter and Nick Bosa to protect Fields’ blind side when the season begins? That feels like a significant gamble. Larry Borom is their other option, and he has even less overall experience on the left side than Jones. Options to correct this are decreasing too, especially after free agent Duane Brown was arrested this week on gun charges.
Base defenses aren’t as prevalent as they’ve been in the past, but they’re still important. Right now, the Bears have the middle and weak-side linebacker spots settled with Roquan Smith and Nicholas Morrow. The strong side is another story. It looks like veteran Matthew Adams is the favorite and has minimal playing experience outside of special teams. Either Eberflus believes he is more capable than people think, or the team trusts a competition will sort things out. If such an alignment hold, it’s hard not to feel like that spot will be a weak link on defense.
1. Right guard
When your best option going into training camp at right guard is a career center, that feels like a problem. After Dakota Dozier injured his knee, Sam Mustipher is the default favorite right now. Mustipher wasn’t overly impressive at the position he’s known best for last season. Outside of him, the Chicago Bears have rookies Zachary Thomas and Ja’Tyre Carter as options. Not exactly a group that inspires confidence. Unless somebody impresses in camp, this situation may have to be solved by an outside acquisition before the season begins. Offensive line coach Chris Morgan has his work cut out for him.
