Chicago Bears practices down in Bourbonnais remain ongoing. The Hall of Fame game is right around the corner now. Not only will people get to see Brian Urlacher reach Canton, but they’ll also get their first taste of real football too. The end result means nothing of course, but it will be a chance to see how much progress this roster has made in the past few months.
Don’t expect any starters to see action in that game. It will be a gloried scrimmage between reserves. At the same time, it will be a huge opportunity for those lower on the depth chart to get noticed, improving their odds to make the final 53-man cut in August. That would explain why several positions in camp have seen their competitions get heated over the past few days.
Who has turned up the juice? Here are the groups seen the most action and the names that bear watching as the first game action approaches.
*All videos below are provided by @GBraggsJr on Twitter. If you haven’t followed him already, do yourself a favor and change that.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
Running back: Ryan Nall gaining on Bennie Cunningham
The Bears are set at the top of the running back depth chart. Jordan Howard is a consistent competitor for the Pro Bowl. Tarik Cohen is one of the most exciting dual-threat backs in the league. Still, a team can never have enough good depth at that position. It would seem the Bears have some nice things going even at the back end.
Veteran Bennie Cunningham, who held the #3 spot last year, still seems like the prohibitive favorite to win the job again thanks to his special teams value. That said, some newcomers aren’t making it comfortable for him. Taquan Mizzell has looked interesting in the new system, but it’s been undrafted free agent Ryan Nall who has really impressed with a number of big runs in drills.
BIG TIME RUN BY THE WRECKKNG NALL! @Ryannall34 with a nasty cut for the touchdown!
The team loved it!#BearDown pic.twitter.com/vo1v6RrNN1
— Greg Braggs Jr. (@GBraggsJr) July 26, 2018
With the benefit of an extra preseason game, this presents a big opportunity for guys like Nall and Mizzell to get work in. If they can take what they’ve done in practice to games, Cunningham might be in trouble.
Wide receiver: Tanner Gentry refuses to go away
The training camp darling of 2017 was unquestionably wide receiver Tanner Gentry. The former undrafted free agent from Wyoming seemed like he was set to make the roster and become a steady contributor. Instead he was relegated to the practice squad most of the season and barely made an impact. Then the Bears made a series of moves at the position this offseason, leading many to think Gentry was all but done in Chicago.
The only one who disagrees seems to be the man himself.
WHAT A CATCH BY @Tanner4Gentry!#BearDown #HandsAllDay pic.twitter.com/zl75xqDzYI
— Greg Braggs Jr. (@GBraggsJr) July 26, 2018
Gentry has continued to make a handful of nice catches each practice. Enough to keep himself in the running as the Bears try to figure out the bottom of that depth chart behind Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, Anthony Miller and Kevin White. Making plays in offensive drills is great, but if Gentry wants to survive it will be special teams that decides his fate.
Defensive end: Bilal Nichols sends a message to Bullard and Robertson-Harris
Right now the Bears defensive line situation is fairly clear. Akiem Hicks and Eddie Goldman are locked in as starters. The only open spot is the other defensive end position, vacated by veteran Mitch Unrein who left for Tampa Bay. The prohibitive favorites to fill it are former third round pick Jonathan Bullard and former undrafted free agent Roy Robertson-Harris. Their competition remains ongoing.
One man who doesn’t seem content to let them duke it out alone? That’s rookie fifth round pick, Bilal Nichols. After a slow start to camp, he’s turned up the juice of late.
Defense stopped Howard at the goalline. pic.twitter.com/cYKixxuRu6
— Greg Braggs Jr. (@GBraggsJr) July 26, 2018
Nichols has flashed his considerable ability to shoot gaps more and more often, not just against the run as the play above shows but also as an interior pass rusher. This was a big reason the Bears drafted him. Though winning the job outright is unlikely, he’s making the competition more interesting.
Cornerback: Cre’Von LeBlanc re-emerges into the picture
Kyle Fuller and Prince Amukamara are firmly established as the starting cornerbacks on defense. Where things start to get a bit hazy is at the #3 and #4 spots. Bryce Callahan has been the primary nickel corner the past couple years but his health issues have made it hard to stay on the field. Meanwhile, the depth chart behind him has grown more interesting by the day.
Undrafted free agent Kevin Toliver was the early darling of camp. Now a somewhat forgotten name is getting back into the mix in Cre’Von LeBlanc.
GREAT PLAY BY @Strap_Ent!#BearDown pic.twitter.com/y6F0aM0iGR
— Greg Braggs Jr. (@GBraggsJr) July 26, 2018
The third-year man had trouble seeing the field in 2017 and seemed to struggle with consistency. This was the first sign during camp that he’s regaining some of that swagger he had as a rookie. The play above against Cohen was one of several positives during practice. He also did well to break up what would’ve been a touchdown pass by knocking it from the receiver’s hands.
It will be interesting to see how many of these players are able to duplicate what they’ve done in practice in games. Too often there are plenty of practice legends who completely disappear when they go against actual opponents That’s why it’s important to keep a clear head and not get sucked in too far by the optimism.
