The Chicago Bears hit the road to take on the Tennessee Titans in the final game of the preseason. Here are some storylines to watch.
The Chicago Bears get closer to the start of the 2021 regular season. This weekend, they travel to take on the Tennessee Titans. It will be their final game of the preseason. That means their next game after this one will actually count.
Before we get into all of that, we first must see what happens in this final preseason game. While for many it is a meaningless game, for some players it could mean their career. Those players are on the bubble and trying to have the honor of wearing a Chicago Bears uniform.
While some of them can eventually get a job with another team, there are others who may see the end of the line if they get cut. No other team will call them and their dream of being in the NFL likely comes to an end. To them, this is not a meaningless game.
Also, there are players who are assured of their place on the roster, but their role is not defined yet. They’re battling for a main backup spot. While they will make the team, the question for them is whether they spend time on the field on offense/defense, or become special teams specialists.
After the game, the Bears have until August 31 at 4 PM Eastern to make their final cuts. A lot of players will be on pins and needles until then to find out their fate.
Until then, let’s go over some storylines to watch for in the Chicago Bears’ final preseason game.
5. Who completes the Chicago Bears safety rotation?
The Chicago Bears need to decide on the rotation of the safety position. Eddie Jackson, Tashaun Gipson, and Deon Bush are locks to make the roster. That means the Bears have to decide between DeAndre Houston-Carson, Marqui Christian, and Teez Tabor for the final two slots.
On the other hand, with questions about the depth at cornerback, Chicago could go with just four spots instead of five.
Looking at the battle between Houston-Carson, Christian, and Tabor, each has done a pretty good job in both camp and preseason games. Houston-Carson hasn’t had a lot of tackles but he had a crucial interception in the end zone in the first preseason game against the Miami Dolphins that helped in the victory.
When you look at other places players could contribute, all three have experience on special teams. Houston-Carson played his entire five-year career with the Bears so he has a good grasp of the system. Additionally, new defensive coordinator Sean Desai was previously the Bears’ defensive secondary coach so he and Houston-Carson understand each other well.
Christian spent last season on the Bears’ practice squad after the New York Jets cut him in October. He’s done a good job in the preseason games but hasn’t stuck out enough.
Tabor is an interesting case. He was a second-round draft pick of the Detroit Lions in 2017. He was drafted as a cornerback, however. Now he’s making a transition to safety and has done a good job so far.
If the Bears go with five safeties, it’ll be Christian and Tabor battling for the final safety spot. Christian plays well in the slot, but Tabor can be utilized in more positions (free safety, special teams, and cornerback). Whoever does the best in the final game likely gets the job.