Bears Who Need to Catch Eyes of Coaches

The flow for preseasons is Week 1 everyone gets some playing time, Week 2 a dress rehearsal for the opener and Week 3 is the mop-up/check-out game.

The last week is for the bottom of the roster and possibly looking at a few starters who weren't able to play earlier due to injuries. It's usually a brief look if they are starters, but it's more likely if they're playing in the preseason finale the team has questions about them. Think Danny Trevathan and Eddie Goldman playing extensively against Tennessee in the final 2021 preseason game with a lineup around them of substitutes.

The old schedule with four preseason games allowed the third preseason game to be the dress rehearsal, but teams have relied more on the second one now and made the third into the nuisance game. They're actually working toward the opener during that week of practice so no one is concerned about the final preseason game.

In fact, many teams have decided most or even all but a few spots for the bottom of their roster before the final preseason game, so it takes a real effort to open coaches' eyes if players haven't done it in training camp, off-season or the first two preseason games.

The Bears enter Saturday's preseason game with some players really in need of an eye-catching performance because time is running out on their legitimate chances to impress coaches.

Here are Bears who need to make a stand in Week 2 of preseason. Note: They need to be healthy enough to do it.

QB PJ Walker

Walker had a poor first game with 4-for-8 and 19 yards but it was the bad interception he threw that hurt most. Still, the Bears are not getting what Walker brings from either of the other two quarterbacks. That's successful experience, recent valuable experience leading and a playing style not completely unlike Justin Fields. The second one is the most important. Walker last year went through five games working with an actual game plan and then executing it as the starter. No one is really doing this in preseason. He's more mobile than either of the other two backups and neither of the other two have a significant arm strength edge. Also, consider Walker came into last week's game when the Bears backup offensive line was struggling. He was hurried into some mistakes. The line was having its most problem blocking the run at that point, as well. Still, it would be good to know he can avoid silly throws for interceptions on deep passes.

WR Velus Jones Jr.

From reading social media, this 2022 third-rounder is half cut already based on his two misplayed punts and one fumble. Here's reality: Jones is an explosive enough athlete that he's going to be given every chance to play a role, even if it's only as a fifth receiver and gadget player. The Bears need to know he can contribute in multiple ways. They have no kick returner as good as he is, and he has advanced with offensive knowledge enough so his chances of making bigger plays on offense are greater. Tyler Scott lacks the long-distance explosive speed Jones has, the kind kick returners need. He's more of a shifty runner with quick bursts, similar to the kind a punt returner needs. It's a strength for a slot receiver. However, it would sure help Jones to show he can field a punt.

WR Tyler Scott

Talk about stock drops. With one play, Scott's momentum built over the course of a strong training camp seemed to stop. Everyone wanted to see him in a real game after he stood out at family fest and throughout all the practices. Then he fumbled after a catch over the middle against the Titans. The "T" in the HITS principle is taking care of the football for offense and Scott failed at this in Week 1. It wasn't just the fumble. Pro Football Focus gave him the third-lowest grade by any Bears rookie on offense, ahead of only tackle/guard Gabe Houy and fullback Robert Burns. And both of those players were on for less than a dozen snaps, but Scott had 23 plays. He could use a few plays like he's made in training camp in Week 2 in order to get back into the good graces of fans if not coaches. Most of all, he needs better ball security after receptions.

WR Dante Pettis

After missing everything before Aug. 9 while on the non-football injury list, Pettis should be ramped up enough to do something in this preseason game. There is an opening for him after last week when a few other receivers struggled. A wide-open punt return job is there for the taking but there's no guarantee seven receivers will be kept on the 53-man roster. Pettis was playing with starters during the off-season, with Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool sidelined. He should be able to quickly form that connection again with Justin Fields. Pettis' problem last year was a low catch percentage per target and he's not going to prove he can get past this by standing on the sideline.

S Kendall Williamson

With a Pro Football Focus grade of 31.0 for the first game, the seventh-round pick out of Stanford has plenty of ground to make up at a time when the Bears could really use another safety to ascend. His PFF grade was the worst of all rookies in the first preseason game, drafted or otherwise. He had 27 plays, so the grade wasn't the product of too small of a sample size. Williamson hasn't been impressive in camp and often has been on the field after the backup Elijah Hicks and also A.J. Thomas or Adrian Colbert. With an injury of unknown severity affecting Eddie Jackson now from Wednesday's practice and one already bothering starter Jaquan Brisker, the Bears need to know this draft pick can step up.

DE Trevis Gipson

Gipson had one of the best games on defense in Week 1. How could he really need a strong second game? Because he had fallen so far on the depth chart prior to the first game and because he had a really poor practice in family fest that seemed to signify something bad to coaches. He can't afford to slack off or level off now. Gipson needs to be a difference maker again because Terrell Lewis is competing with him at defensive end and Lewis had two sacks, including a strip-sack last week.

DE Terrell Lewis

Just like with Gipson, Lewis was impressive stat-wise in the preseason opener. However, coach Matt Eberflus pointed out immediately after the game that while Lewis made plays, he also committed an unpardonable offsides penalty with the Titans facing third down inside the 5-yard line. The flag made it easier for the Titans to score a touchdown. Lewis is at the bottom of the roster and can't afford mistakes or a poor Week 2.

DT Bravvion Roy

The Bears brought him in as an insurance policy, more or less. They had three rookie defensive tackles behind Justin Jones and Andrew Billings. They needed someone who has played and knows what it's all about in case someone didn't pan out, particularly seventh-rounder Travis Bell. Of all the players who stood out last week, Bell might have been the most pleasant surprsie. The Kennesaw State product showed surprising bend for a tackle and was quick into the gap. He had half a sack and played with great energy, as both Eberflus and GM Ryan Poles had promised based on scouting. Roy got only 10 plays last week and had a tackle, but he really needs to make an impact now because it would be unlikely they would keep more than five defensive tackles on the roster.

G Alex Leatherwood

It's not that Leatherwood had a poor first game specifically, but the players who could keep him from being on the roster definitely didn't have poor games. So he didn't keep pace. If he's considered a backup tackle besides backup guard, the current swing tackle Larry Borom has made a statement ahead of him. Borom is someone he needs to keep up with and Borom tied him for the most offensive snaps, but also Borom was judged by Pro Football Focus to have tied for the best grade by any Bears player in the game at 93.9. That's a score above excellent. Also, if Leatherwood is battling to be a backup guard behind backup Lucas Patrick, he's got to be worried because second-year draft pick Ja'Tyre Carter is a backup guard and he tied Borom in the view of PFF for best Bears grade at 93.9. Leatherwood can't put up decent efforts. They're going to need to be excellent considering what teammates are doing.

CB Kindle Vildor

With just a tackle to show for his first day, Vildor needs to step up more to make it obvious he should be kept as a backup cornerback based on experience rather than one of the younger cornerbacks fighting for a roster spot. He had an interception in practice on Monday, which was a good start. Now he needs to follow up in a game.

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