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Bear Digest

Bears Rookies Who've Come the Furthest Since Training Camp Began

Opportunity has helped give some Bears rookies a better chance to make an impression since camp started and here's how they rank at taking advantage.
Gene Chamberlain|
Bears rookie QB Miller Moss rolls out last week against Cleveland. Moss should get plenty of reps from here on out.
Bears rookie QB Miller Moss rolls out last week against Cleveland. Moss should get plenty of reps from here on out. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Chicago Bears

When rookies come into their first rookie camp and the process of development begins, about anything can happen.

Injuries play a huge role in this. Last year Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III had to cope with the aftermath of injuries all offseason and failed to make impacts until the regular season hit the month marker. Then they more or less exploded.

Some rookies ascend differently. They gradually make the climb into position. They do it at different rates.

Here's a ranking of who has come the furthest among Bears rookies heading into Week 2 in preseason. It's also a gauge of who has the most ground to cover as preseason ends with the finale against Tennessee.

The missing player is fifth-rounder Keyshaun Elliott, who has been shelved throughout camp with a back injury. There must be something about fifth-rounders. The Bears never got a look at their fifth-round pick last year, cornerback Zah Frazier. And they never did.

1, DT Jordan van den Berg


Coaches have lauded his play throughout training camp, or at least since the players could wear pads. He did nothing to disappoint in the preseason opener, although his impact was probably less than in some of the more physical practices held. This isn't to suggest van den Berg is a special player. He simply had the longest climb to make of all Bears draft picks this year, and as a result any progress seems greater than it would for others drafted earlier. He had only one tackle in the opening preseason game but the goal for his position is pushing the line of scrimmage back. The Bears had seven tackles for loss in the first game and he figured prominently in helping make those possible.

The best way to put it is van den Berg has been physical, violent and made the most of every rep he has had. No one can say he is dominating at anything but in the first preseason game and in practices he makes a bigger impact than your average sixth-round pick.

2. S Dillon Thieneman

His interception off a deflection in practice at Cincinnati was exactly the kind of awareness and reaction they needed from a player who will eventually have most of the deeper safety responsibilities in this scheme.

He continues to both struggle and impress, as any talented rookie would when thrust into action with starters on a daily basis in practice and in preseason. What he has done more than anything else is give consistent effort.

"He's a guy that has came in and just worked," linebacker T.J. Edwards told reporters in Cincinnati. "He's got all the tools and all the things that they were saying about him in college, coming in with his speed and the physicality."

3. CB Malik Muhammad

Muhammad hadn't shown a lot early on in camp but within the last few weeks his versatility has been a real asset because of injuries He has had to play slot cornerback with starters and outside with backups. Although he doesn't figure to be an actual slot, his athleticism has been more and more apparent.

"Well, you just try not to overload him between myself and (nickel cornerbacks coach) Cannon Matthews," said DBs coach Al Harris. "You just try not to give him too much, you know what I mean?

"We have a complex scheme, so you got to give them the details, but also you got to remember that you know you want them to be functional in both spots."

4. C Logan Jones

What can best be said about the second-rounder's play is he has always been there, taking every play with backups and learning the position at an NFL level. The Bears didn't run it especially well when he played last week and their pass blocking throughout the game was at issue. It hasn't been eyeopening but he hasn't had a steady stream of gaffes, either. Obviously, at this point he's not really taking away the starting center position from Garrett Bradbury as many preseason predictions had said. He needs to be ready because that's what his first season is about while Bradbury is playing.

5. WR Zavion Thomas

Thomas' injury caused him to slip down this chart. He's back now and apparently healthy enough to begin to exhibit the speed he flashed before being hurt. The final preseason game might be a better chance for them to get a better look at his speed in game action as he has worked gradually back into the mix this week in practices but hadn't done a full all-out session since his return before they went to Cincinnati.

6. TE Sam Roush

Roush makes his catches when he has the opportunity. He did have this ability at Stanford but all the Bears ever wanted to talk about from draft day on was his blocking. His blocking has looked solid except in one special teams drill when they asked him to hold a small blocking pad and he was smashed by Jeremiah Martin. That probably never even happens without the blocking pad involved.

7. S Skyler Thomas

The undrafted Oregon State player didn't figure to get much more than a look with the backups and third team heading into camp. Little did they know he would be logging more reps than just about anyone in the secondary. Thomas has had to become a fixture with the backups and even had a share of first-team reps. He has a lot more misses than hits but he's learning. What he needs to show in the end of preseason is special teams ability because this secondary injury situation won't last forever and then the need for all those rookie practice reps is diminished.

8. LS Beau Gardner

The rookie long snapper won the job for training camp and preseason when they cut Luke Elkin, but this doesn't mean it's his position. The Bears could easily decide to bring someone with more experience in for the regular season after roster cuts. This isn't a position where learning the system is a factor. He has generally been solid but a few snaps off the mark helped lead to Cairo Santos misses in practices. His snap on Santos' miss from 50 in the first preseason game wasn't spot-on.

9. G Caden Barnett

The Vanilla Gorilla has been at the center of plenty of shoving in practice. He's willing to mix it up with veterans and rookies alike. He showed up in the preseason game as mobile on screens and stretch runs but needs to be better in short yardage. The first and second offensive lines really do both need to be better at this.

10. QB Miller Moss

The rookie passer hadn't had many practice reps, so it's been tough to judge his arm strength. He'll get his chance now and in the final preseason game. While it's unlikely he makes the roster, he can at least give them causse to think he could develop on a practice squad. Moss only got to throw eight passes in the opener, compleing three for 48 yards.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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