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The One Bears Position Still Bothering Ben Johnson More Than Others

The Bears coach took a look at the coming start to the season and indicated where he is most concerned. Could the Bears be looking to make a trade or signing?
Gene Chamberlain|
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Xavier Restrepo tries to elude Bears safety Cam Lewis in the first half Saturday night.
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Xavier Restrepo tries to elude Bears safety Cam Lewis in the first half Saturday night. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Chicago Bears

Bears coach Ben Johnson labeled quarterback Caleb Williams ready to go for the start of the season
even if he had only five passing attempts in preseason and none as he watched Saturday's finale against the Titans from the sidelines.

Johnson has bigger headaches as roster cuts come Sunday and then the Carolina Panthers.

"If I didn't feel good about him Week 1 he probably would have played tonight," Johnson said after the 24-15 win over Tennessee. "So I think he's probably right where he needs to be right now.

"I know when we get into at true game-plan process and we have defined plays and we have to watch tape and back it up, I think he plays even faster than he's showed so far in camp."

Is tackle or safety the real issue?

Quarterback wasn't really where the Bears had their big questions. While they'll have a few tough cuts to make on Sunday, and already landed a significant trade acquiring CB Clark Phillips for Gervon Dexter, the real questions they faced were whether their safety situation and left tackle situations were good enough to let them challenge in the NFC North.

Johnson's answer to where they're at with these situations might raise a few eyebrows.

"This game was going to be a big part of the equation," Johnson said. "So we've got to go back and look at this tape.

"I think we'll probably feel better about the tackle conversation right now than safety."

So safety is the position really worrying Johnson. This is not surprising considering left tackle Braxton Jones didn't have to play Saturday and sat out with other starters. This situation is solved, and they have last year's starter, Ozzy Trapilo still working toward his return from knee surgery.

How it looks in back and must change

The safety situation now is Cam Lewis playing in back with rookie Dillon Thieneman. Thieneman makes rookie mistakes and nearly got beat deep on Saturday night.

They obtained free agent Xavier Woods but he hasn't really impressed and has played with the backups behind Lewis. At 5-9, 183 pounds, Lewis is 20 pounds lighter and 3 inches shorter than the average NFL safety. He is built to be a slot cornerback and not a safety, and has played that position well in the past.

The Bears are getting backup safety Elijah Hicks back to start game-week preparation. He could also fit into the mix. They also have undrafted free agent Skyler Thomas, who played with backups Saturday and had excellent Pro Football Focus coverage grades in the first two preseason games. An undrafted rookie teamed with a drafted rookie isn't exactly the kind of situation to make everyone feel at ease.

If Johnson is not satisfied with the safety position and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen feels the same way, it looks like a position to pursue for a roster move. A trade or signing a cut player could be a possibility.

The Coby Bryant injury continues to hit the Bears hard and finding a way to solve this issue is going to be up to GM Ryan Poles in the next few days.

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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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