Probably the most pivotal stretch of the preseason is at hand for the Chicago Bears. Head coach Matt Eberflus wanted to make sure he got joint practices this month to help his young roster. The Indianapolis Colts became the team that stepped up. Chicago will hold two joint sessions with them this week before playing a preseason game this Saturday, August 19th.
It is a great chance for the Bears to see their players in action against new competition. No team should ever waste an opportunity to help guys prepare. There is also another reason. It will give GM Ryan Poles and his scouts an up-close look at several depth players on the Colts’ sideline. If there is somebody who stands out that happens to get cut, the Bears will know to make a move.
Here are some names to keep in mind.
Chicago Bears will have some big scouting opportunities.
WR Malik Turner
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The 27-year-old has carved out a journeyman career in the NFL with stops in Seattle, Dallas, San Francisco, and now Indianapolis. He’s always proven to be a solid reserve, posting 245 yards and a touchdown on 22 targets in 2019. He also had three touchdowns for Dallas in 2021. His 6’2 size stands out, and he’s a native of Springfield, Illinois. Last but not least, he has experience working with Richard Hightower on special teams. The Bears love adding local guys whenever possible. That and his experience could make him a desirable addition to the bottom of the wide receiver depth chart.
OG Carter O’Donnell
Considered one of the top players across Canada in 2020, O’Donnell accepted a contract as an undrafted free agent with Indianapolis instead. The last three years have seen him bounce between the main roster and the practices squad. Part of that lack of progression stems from a foot injury suffered last year. When he’s played for Indianapolis, he looks solid. He’s a big guy at 6’5, 305 lbs, displays power in the run game, and is a capable athlete. He’s only allowed one QB pressure in 41 pass-blocking snaps.
LB Grant Stuard
Smart teams are always looking for special teams help this time of year. The Chicago Bears take that part of the game seriously. Their scouts should be aware of Stuard. He made two special teams tackles in the Colts preseason opener. If that weren’t encouraging enough, he also made 12 tackles on defense, including five stops for no gain or a loss. The Colts may look to keep him for the same values, but if not, this could improve the Bears’ depth even further.
EDGE Khalid Kareem
Pass rush may no longer be a pressing need for Chicago. Despite not having Yannick Ngakoue or DeMarcus Walker on Saturday, they still collected nine sacks against the Tennessee Titans. Trevis Gipson, Terrell Lewis, and Jalen Harris all got in on the action. Even so, there is no such thing as too many pass rushers. Indianapolis already seems set at the position, so Kareem may not land a roster spot despite a terrific debut with a sack, a QB hit, and two tackles for a loss against Buffalo. The former 5th round pick isn’t a premier athlete, but he has the size, power, and length the Bears prefer.
