Reactions to getting cut by an NFL team often lead to similar emotions among players. They’re either angry the team didn’t give them a shot after they worked so hard, or they’re sad that their dream is dead yet again. Brett Rypien seemed to fall mostly in the latter category when the Chicago Bears brought him in for the talk on final cutdowns. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus loved the work he put in. The primary reason he was being released was because they only planned to carry two quarterbacks. Caleb Williams was obviously the starter, and Tyson Bagent would be his backup.
Surprisingly, Hard Knocks cameras showed Rypien in good spirits. While getting cut is never fun, he already had assurance the Bears wanted to bring him back on their practice squad. That was the original plan. However, things took a turn when the Minnesota Vikings called about offering him an active roster spot to help back up Sam Darnold. He couldn’t say no. While excited about the opportunity, it was evident Rypien was somewhat depressed. Why?
He admitted the feeling that he was leaving something special behind in Chicago.
To this point, the Bears haven’t done enough to justify such a stance in the eyes of skeptics. After all, they haven’t had a winning season since 2018. Last year, they finished 7-10. That season was characterized by some ugly 4th quarter collapses. Combine this with a rookie quarterback like Caleb Williams, and it’s easy to understand why people think the Bears might be a year away from actual playoff contention. Yet Hard Knocks showcased how tight-knit the locker room has become and also how talented the Bears are.
Preseason games never determine what a team will do, but going undefeated and winning three in blowout fashion at least proves the Bears are a much deeper team than years past. Head coach Matt Eberflus has guys playing hard, fast, and relentless. Brett Rypien had the best preseason of his career by a wide margin. New offensive coordinator Shane Waldron did some good things on that side of the ball. Together with an ascending defense, Chicago feels like a hungry team nobody wants to play.
Rypien’s reaction is easy to understand in that context.
