More Chicago Bears tryouts occurred this week with the Green Bay Packers on the horizon. By this point people shouldn’t be surprised. It’s stand operating procedure. GM Ryan Pace constantly likes to churn the bottom of his roster, shoring up areas that might need help and possibly bringing on players that could be useful to the teams’ efforts on Sunday.
This week seemed defensively focused. Not a surprise given the unit suffered a couple injuries headlined by safety Quintin Demps. So who are the young men the Bears brass might be looking to add? Here are their names and what they might be able to for the roster in the short and/or long-term.
Datone Jones
A first round pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2013, Jones spent four seasons in green and gold. During that time he collected nine sacks and an interception. Despite having great talent and versatility, the Packers could never get the light to turn on for him. They even switched him from 3-4 end to outside linebacker. It just didn’t click. Since then he spent a brief time in Minnesota and has been awaiting his next opportunity. Vic Fangio is usually quite good at utilizing such types of players.
Howard Jones
It’s hard to tell what happened to Howard Jones. The former undrafted free agent spent his rookie season out of football after a brief stint with the Steelers. Then in 2015 he was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he’d deliver five sacks and a forced fumble. It looked like he was on his way. Then last year he hardly played despite a strong preseason. Coming out of college he was noted for his good size, long arms and athleticism. He could be a great fit at outside linebacker.
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Doran Grant
Thus far its been a difficult run for Doran Grant. Things started out so promising for the former Ohio State cornerback. He was a fourth round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2015. However, after spending three weeks with the team during the regular season he began to bounce between practice squads and free agency over the next three years. Part of the problem is his 5’10” size and playing a bit stiff in man coverage. He’s much better when allowed to keep plays in front of him. This would make him an interesting fit for the Bears who tend to employ a lot of zone concepts in their coverage.
