The joint practice revealed a lot about where the Chicago Bears sit midway through the preseason. Now they will face the Cincinnati Bengals in their second game. Lots of roster battles remain unresolved. That said, several are teetering on the edge of decisions. Certain players cannot afford a quiet weekend. Failing to make an impression could result in them losing their spot on the roster.
What makes this situation rather unique is that some of these names aren’t in this situation because they’ve been bad. Quite the opposite, in fact. They merely face a crowded depth chart or someone else outperforming them. It could make for some explosive television tonight in Cincinnati. Keep an eye on these six players once the action begins.
These Chicago Bears need to have a big game the most.
RB Roschon Johnson
The former 4th round pick has been a steady reserve since being drafted by the Bears a few years ago. They value his power running style, solid blocking, and special teams experience. Unfortunately, he’s also been dogged by health problems. Now, newcomer Salvon Ahmed seems to have stolen the march on him with an impressive showing in the preseason opener against Cleveland, highlighted by a 49-yard touchdown catch. Johnson needs a strong performance in Cincinnati, whether it’s with some big runs or a special-teams play, to remind the team that he still has plenty of value.
🔥 Subscribe to the Untold Chicago YouTube channel to hear Chicago legends tell stories you’ve never seen in headlines — real moments, real experiences, straight from the athletes themselves.
WR Scotty Miller
What stinks for Miller is that he hasn’t played poorly. He has looked good in camp and made some nice plays in the preseason opener, too. The problem is that Kaden Davis has outperformed him. The journeyman receiver, most recently of the UFL, has been tearing up practices for weeks, topping it with 88 yards in one half last week. He hasn’t slowed down. At this point, the only way to change the situation is for Miller to have a big game of his own. Saturday represents what is probably his last real shot to get back in it before the coaches make their final decisions.
OT Theo Benedet
Jedrick Wills and Kiran Amegadjie blew their opportunities to seize the left tackle job last week against Cleveland. Now, the only one who can possibly prevent Braxton Jones from claiming it is Benedet. Based on reports from the joint practice on Thursday, it didn’t go well for him. This game is his one and only shot at redemption. He must do everything in his power to have his best game, especially in pass protection. Even the slightest mishap is pretty much the whole ball game. It’ll be Jones’ job until Ozzy Trapilo is declared fully healthy and read to return within the next few weeks.
DT James Lynch
Lynch deserves some sympathy. He had one of the better performances on defense last week, applying pressure on the quarterback frequently. Under normal circumstances, he’d be in a great spot to make the roster. Unfortunately, these aren’t normal circumstances. The Chicago Bears already have Gervon Dexter and Grady Jarrett. Then you have 6th round pick Jordan Van Den Berg, who’s looked great in camp. That likely leaves only one spot remaining, pitting Lynch against fellow veteran Neville Gallimore. Considering what the Bears paid Gallimore, it’s pretty clear who the favorite is in that head-to-head.
EDGE Jamree Kromah
This is probably surprising to many after the excellent game Kromah had against Cleveland with two sacks and six pressures. Sadly, his fate changed when the Bears signed Marcus Davenport. It is now a safe assumption that he, Austin Booker, and Montez Sweat all make the final roster. That means it’s between Kromah and Daniel Hardy for the final spot. This isn’t ideal since Hardy is one of the best special teams players on the team. As promising as Kromah has looked from a pass rush perspective lately, he doesn’t offer much help in the third phase, which is a big deal for players at the bottom of the depth chart.
LB Ruben Hyppolite
This wouldn’t have been a discussion after Hyppolite’s game against Cleveland. He was all over the field, making tackles and getting stops. If he’s made it through that with no issues, he’d be a favorite to land a spot. Then he popped up on the injury report with a shoulder problem. One cannot forget that his rookie year also ended early because of injuries. The Bears had high hopes for the speedy linebacker, but are starting to wonder whether his body can handle the physicality at this level. D’Marco Jackson, Devin Bush, and T.J. Edwards are all locks. Keyshaun Elliott, their 5th round pick, is also probably safe. That leaves Hyppolite and Jack Sanborn. While Hyppolite might be the better athlete, Sanborn is more experienced and durable.
