The 2018 Chicago Bears preseason is nearing its end. While the games themselves have no bearing on the long regular season to follow, it has offered plenty of intriguing developments. Some good and some bad and some more than a little surprising. It comes down to how it will impact the outlook of the team as a whole.
So who were the big standouts of the past month? That’s what this will cover. Not just the players but the coaching staff and entire units as well. Nobody is left out. One thing is for sure. Plenty of debate will be caused by the statements below. It should be fascinating to see how this situation plays out in the next week.
Biggest winner: Javon Wims
Even though he was a draft pick, nobody could say for sure that seventh rounder Javon Wims would make the final roster for the Bears when training camp began. They knew he was talented coming out of Georgia, but he was also unproven with just one year of decent production. He was a high-upside talent they wanted to see if they could develop.
Four preseason games later and it’s not about whether he makes the roster anymore. That much is already set in stone. People are already asking if he can and should get legitimate playing time. That’s how good he’s been in the preseason with 15 catches for 227 yards and a touchdown. He has looked sharper, stronger and faster than anybody expected.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
Biggest loser: Aaron Lynch
Thankfully the Bears didn’t spend too much money when they signed Aaron Lynch because he’s fast becoming one of their worst investments in recent memory. Several people hailed him as a savior of the team’s iffy edge rush situation. A former Vic Fangio protege with still considerable upside that could reignite the promise he showed early in his career.
So much for that. Lynch barely made it through a couple practices before a hamstring injury sidelined him. It took over a month to finally get back on the field, at which point most of the preseason is already over. If one were being honest he may not deserve to make the roster, but the Bears are in no position to be picky.
Biggest shocker: Rashaad Coward
The Bears haven’t been known for successful projects in recent years but they may finally be onto something here. Coming into 2018, Rashaad Coward was a non-entity. He was an undrafted defensive lineman out of Old Dominion last year and his prospects of making the final roster weren’t great. So the coaching staff offered him an alternative: switch to offensive tackle.
Coward accepted the challenge and got straight to work in training camp. The shocker isn’t that decision, mind you. It’s how rapidly the second-year man has improved at it. From the first time he stepped on the field in game action, he stood out. Not only could he generate push in the run game, but he was surprisingly nimble as a pass protector. Not only does he look like a capable backup, but he could be a starter with more work. That’s stunning.
Two for one here as @Ryannall34 feels it and @RashaadCoward dominates his man @BearsBarroom @BearsHourLive pic.twitter.com/v6n5ggfREv
— Draft Dr. Phil (@FulphilO) August 3, 2018
Biggest concern: The pass rush
Don’t be fooled by the sack numbers. Those are always misleading because the Bears haven’t been playing against the full starting offensive lines of most of their opponents in preseason. The truth is their primary concern coming into 2018 was the pass rush and that hasn’t changed. They’ve tried to get around it with cheaper options but it doesn’t look good.
Leonard Floyd has already broken his hand. Lynch had his hamstring issue. That leaves Isaiah Irving and rookie Kylie Fitts. They’ve flashed in preseason but both are inexperienced and also undersized. It’s hard to say if either can be anything more than depth options. With Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and other studs looming? That’s not good. At all.
Biggest encouragement: Matt Nagy
The Bears head coach had plenty to prove when he arrived. He was taking over a team rebuilt from the ground up by longtime veteran John Fox and told one thing. Do with it what he couldn’t, and that’s win games. The first step towards that was getting the players to buy into what he’s selling. Early returns hint he’s done that.
Players have grown more vocal than ever in their support of Nagy. Adding to that is the impressive display of his new offense which recently cut up the Kansas City Chiefs for 24 points in the first half of the third preseason game. It’s rather amazing he’s gotten such results so quickly. Amazing and hopeful.
Biggest desire: A bold final stroke
The Bears have done a lot of good things for their roster in the past few months. Several position groups look substantially better than they did last year. It feels like a team that can go 8-8 if they avoid the injuries that have plagued them the past few seasons. However, it feels like they might be on the cusp of something more.
Like they could be another good player away from actually competing for the playoffs. Remember the pass rush concern? If they were able to fill that void somehow before the season began, then it could change the entire complexion of the season. That’s why the selfish part of fans is hoping that GM Ryan Pace does something he never has and that’s make a bold move for a quality veteran upgrade.
