Chicago Bears: What to watch for in Week 1 vs San Francisco 49ers
Do the rookies step up right away?
As mentioned before, the Chicago Bears had 11 draft picks. They also brought in some undrafted rookies. Of the rookies on the roster, four of them, Jones, Jaquan Brisker, Kyer Gordon, and Trenton Gill, are starters. Others, like Velus Jones Jr, Trestan Ebner, and Jack Sanborn will play a big part.
How the rookies perform will go a long way to deciding whether this season is a success or not. Again, wins and losses aren’t of great concern. The important thing is to see these rookies (as well as the second and third-year players) develop.
Jones looks to be a star on the offensive line. He has really impressed the coaching staff. The more snaps he sees the better he will become. Reiff will be behind him just in case, but he should be a star.
Brisker and Gordon will be critical for other veterans. Brisker seems to be a perfect complement to Eddie Jackson. Brisker looked like a star in his preseason debut. He’s been out after surgery on his hand but he should be good to go. If he continues to impress, Jackson will be able to return to his All-Pro form.
Last season, opponents decided to go away from Jaylon Johnson. With Gordon on the other side, though, quarterbacks will have to go Johnson’s way. That will be good news for the Chicago Bears’ defense.
Poles decided to part ways with Pat O’Donnell and drafted Gill. Gill had a terrific preseason punting the ball. We can only hope that continues into the regular season.
The other rookies will be important backups. The linebackers unit is thin so Sanborn needs to continue to play as well as he did during the preseason so the starters can get proper rest during games.
Jones could play a big part in the offense. The Bears plan to give the speedster the ball as much as possible. He’ll play the same role that Samuel does in San Francisco. He’ll also be the main returner.
Ebner should play the same role that Tarik Cohen played when he was in Chicago. He has good speed and is a good pass catcher.
We’ll see if the rookies play a big role in the season starting this week.