Trio of Bears Defensive Players to Watch
Former Wisconsin linebacker and Lake Zurich native Jack Sanborn actually had the highest Pro Football Focus grade of any defensive rookie in the NFL last week.
This is what preseason football is all about, unknowns becoming known.
Sanborn rated a long shot at the roster coming into camp but the more he has played the more he has shown he can be a special teams contributor at the very least and possibly a reserve defensive player. He had two special teams tackles in addition to his fumble recovery and interception last week.
When the Bears play their second preseason game Thursday, the attention defensively will shift to their first team and not the backups.
Starters will only be on the field a short time but one of the problems of their Week 1 19-14 win over Kansas City was their overall defense, particularly against the pass. Patrick Mahomes put them in a 7-0 hole right away with a game-opening TD drive.
"Opportunities were there," middle linebacker Nicholas Morrow said. "We just had practice so I can't sit here and think about the game, but I know there's a couple times we had them in third-and-long, third-and-8, scramble drills, they would get one in on us. Third-and-short, were able to get like a fullback dive in there.
"So there was a couple times we had 'em. I think we've just got to clean up our communication on third down. We've got to win our one-on-ones when we can. We've just got to be more efficient in the red zone, as well."
That first-team Bears defense didn't have rookie cornerback Kyler Gordon on the field, either in the slot or the outside. They played Jaylon Jones and Lamar Jackson at those spots.
Seeing how the Bears use Gordon Thursday night should be interesting because they have used him all over the place.
So where will he play now?
"Probably all over the place," Gordon quipped.
Their No. 1 draft pick from Washington is not the only player to watch on defense Thursday night but is center stage. Here are the top three Bears on defense to watch against the Seahawks.
1. CB Kyler Gordon
Gordon most likely won't get to make his debut alongside fellow rookie Jaquan Brisker, who missed both practices this week after suffering a minor injury against the Chiefs. He and Brisker look like the long-term future for this defense.
"Yeah, I mean we haven't really talked a whole lot about it," Gordon said of their future together in the secondary. "We just be talking about doing our jobs and the way we work together and just being able to know film and stuff like that. Just becoming smooth and communicating.
"That's just really been the emphasis right now."
Brisker wanted to make an interception in his debut but came up just short of one. Will Gordon? The two have been around the ball all offseason and training camp.
2. DT Angelo Blackson
The interior of the Bears defense was respectable stopping the run but not pressuring the first unit for Kansas City against the pass. For the first half, the Chiefs averaged only 2.1 yards per run. The Bears have been trying to use Khyiris Tonga and Mike Pennel at nose tackle but this week Angelo Blackson returned to practice for the first time since the first week of training camp. Tonga lacks experience in this type of defense but his ability to be active and occupy centers breaks down the defense so three technique Justin Jones can get free. Jones had a mediocre debut, as well, with one tackle, but has been out injured this week.
3. DE Dominique Robinson
The fifth-round rookie made it on the field and flashed with a spectacular sack for a 12-yard loss in the second half. Expanded playing time against different competition should show more of what this quarterback-turned-wide-receiver-turned-edge rusher can do.
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
