Bear Digest

Seven Chicago Bears to watch against Buffalo in preseason Game 2

Analysis: The tackle battle takes center stage, of course, but a few other players bear watching when Chicago faces Buffalo Sunday night.
Gene Chamberlain|
Theo Benedet takes his stance during pre-practice stretching last week. Suddenly, he's prominent in the Bears' tackle battle.
Theo Benedet takes his stance during pre-practice stretching last week. Suddenly, he's prominent in the Bears' tackle battle. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

The first preseason game and subsequent practice against Buffalo brought a different cast of players into the spotlight as the Bears head into Sunday night's game with Josh Allen and the Bills.

There are players fighting for roster spots and this is expected. However, the Bears have drama elsewhere. They have the worst possible thing going, and that's starting offensive line drama.

This was supposed to be addressed long before now. Fortunately, they have the ideal way to do it and that is a plan to use starters in Week 2 of preseason. Ben Johnson hasn't said the length of their playing time, though.

"It might be one of those things where when we make that decision, and it's not final for the season," coach Ben Johnson said. "It could be that we have to reassess after a couple of weeks of the season, or by the bye week, we might have to reassess. That might be something that goes on.

"Wouldn't be ideal, but that's the name of the league."

It's not the name of the league when the personnel department/coaching staff has failed to adequately fill a position. Right now this appears the case at left tackle.

They spent so much cap cash and time in filling the guard-to-guard hole they had coming out of last season that they failed to properly address the position often regarded as the most important. That would be protecting the blind side of the quarterback at left tackle.

As a result, and because starters will get a good share of playing time Sunday night against the Bills, it's easy to see the main players to watch for this game.

Here are the top seven players to watch for Sunday's Bears-Bills matchup.

1. LT Theo Benedet

The Canadian Eagle has landed as a threat to start as an undrafted free agent in his second year. If you're looking to start a second-year undrafted free agent from Canada ... yeah, it's not looking good. Of course, that comment isn't really being fair to Benedet, who has made remarkable strides according to coaches.

"He's had probably as much improvement as any player we have in the group," line coach Dan Roushar said. "With that, there's a lot of things for him to improve on and he knows that, and we've gotta work on it.

"He is working his tail off. He has put himself in a position to go compete for a job somewhere in this group."

Benedet hasn't won anything yet and he has extremely short arms for a left tackle at 32 1/2 inches. However, he has momentum. It's going to be interesting to see if they start the game with him at left tackle or with Braxton Jones there, and if they alternate. Remember, Benedet's strong play last week came at right tackle.

2. LT Braxton Jones

Can he make contact on some blocks? It's a valid question after last week's horrible block attempt that nearly got Tyson Bagent knocked onto IR. Jones needs to show the injured ankle has strengthened and hold his ground for pass blocks.

He had a few outstanding blocks on running plays and screens during the week's practices, but now it's on display nationally.

3. RT Darnell Wright

Where has the player gone who many projected with Pro Bowl potential?

Coaches have talked about inconsistency and slow play. That's hard to believe with Wright, who was consistent his first two years.

Too much messing around went on at practice last week for a team with offensive line issues.

How cute. They sent offensive linemen on pass patterns again, except with defensive linemen as DBs.

Maybe coaches can make sure the entire line can block properly first?

Bears coaches are not above reproach. They need to be more serious about this line issue themselves and make sure both tackle spots are secure before they have people clowning around and chasing passes. The pass catchers they have are sufficient. The pass blocking is not.

4. WR Jahdae Walker

That really was a fantastic catch by Walker for a touchdown and nicely timed throw by Case Keenum in last week's preseason game, and few practices go by without Walker making a mark as a receiver. This past week, he became more focused in special teams as a coverage man. The Bears need to give him some reps against better players to find out more of what he can do. Until last week, J.P. Richardson looked like the top undrafted receiver they had brought aboard but Walker has made plays. Even more important, he has some skills other receivers might lack. He was an outstanding defender in high school with 55 tackles and nine pass breakups as a senior. So, he should be able to play special teams like they would want from a fifth or sixth receiver.

5. CB Terell Smith

There were enough gaffes among Bears secondary players in the second half last week that the game wound up in a tie when they should have won. Smith went through two seasons touted by coaches as being as good as second starting cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. They didn't let him be the starter, though.

Smith has made interceptions in practices over the last two weeks and provided coverage. Unlike competition Nick McCloud, he is not really a player who can cover the slot. He's more an outside DB at this point. It could come down to Smith or McCloud for a roster spot, so the 2023 fifth-round pick needs to show he's the one who should stick.

6. RB Ian Wheeler

The poor guy had his best run for a TD called back last week but still made some hard runs. They need to see more of this from him after chief roster competition Travis Homer went out last week with an injury. Wheeler appears to have made the one-year recovery from ACL surgery but they need to see the burst live in a game.

7. QB Caleb Williams

Can he complete 70% like Ben Johnson wants? Seeing some consistency throwing the ball from inside the pocket would be more important than some silly abstract number considering it's only preseason.

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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.