Bear Digest

What to watch in preseason practice week No. 2 for Chicago Bears

Analysis: The first preseason game changes the dynamic and now the full Bears team hits the practice field with circumstances changed as Buffalo comes to town later this week.
Gene Chamberlain|
It's pass blocking and not pass catching that the Bears need to see from Kyle Monangai this week.
It's pass blocking and not pass catching that the Bears need to see from Kyle Monangai this week. | David Banks-Imagn Images

In this story:

Chicago Bears

The work week begins in the NFL regular season on Wednesdays, after Mondays are for picking up the pieces following a game and Tuesday for days off.

The Bears are in an odd position because of an unusual preseason schedule. They're imitating a regular season to a tee. Instead of playing Saturdays or Thursdays in preseason as they've traditionally done, they playing the first two games on Sundays.

So, Wednesday's practice is the start of Buffalo Week.

The game against Miami and it's aftermath have set up new scenarios for this week. Here's what to watch for with two practices before Josh Allen, Mitchell Trubisky and the Bills are at Halas Hall.

Where the Bears go this week might be the key to their preseason and camp because it would seem likely they want to be healthy and getting ready for the regular season coming out of the short week against Kansas City in the preseason finale. That on should be for the players trying to make the roster.

1. Caleb Williams consistency

It's easily his biggest problem so far. Before this week they had been installing offense. Now, they're hoping Williams' consistency becomes greater as they're repping all the plays they've installed. It should become more apparent in practice and maybe even a preseason game -- if coach Ben Johnson decides to let his QB play in one.

2. DB and RB health

Having signed four defensive backs Tuesday, it's apparent they must expect some of their injured secondary players to miss time. The signing before that of running back Brittain Brown because of Travis Homer's and Roschon Johnson's injuries is another place for a health watch. While some fans will be wasting their tim watching the new players in anticipation they might have made some sort of great find on the scrap heap, it's more about health of other players here. The players signed are only to help the team practice. They would really need to show some previously undetected skill level simply to make the team. The regular season is approaching and the emphasis must be on getting key role players and starters healthy for Sept. 8, not rushing them back out on the practice field before they're completely ready.

3. Tackle finish line?

This could be it. You'd think they'd want the full starting line intact and working together before the end of preseason. If Braxton Jones wants to hang onto that job he'll need to show it. If Ozzy Trapilo is going to step up and take it, he doesn't have a better place to do it than Friday's practice with the Bills. Joey Bosa, Greg Rousseau and AJ Epenesa are a solid group of edge rushers to test a rookie tackle.

4. Backfield pass blocking

As good as Kyle Monangai played with the ball in his hands, he was close to a disaster as a pass blocker and it didn't take the comically bad 5.6 grade PFF gave to the rookie's blocking to notice this. Ian Wheeler's 25.2 and Deion Hankins' 18.6 grades were barely better than Monangai. They're going to need to use some of these players to spell D'Andre Swift at times and can't get by with blocking grades like this from backs, who are the last level of pass pro. Backs coach Eric Bieniemy rarely needs to elevate his voice level to be heard on the practice field and you can bet he'll be heard at practices this week following those terrible efforts.

5. Surprise follow-ups

There players who surprised somewhat. Tackle Theo Benedet, the "Canadian Eagle," was one, with a PFF pass blocking grade of 81.4. So was Josh Miles (82.9), his competitor for backup right tackle. Can they follow up by maintaining momentum? Luke Newman was also a surprise, as he had problems in camp at times adjusting to the higher level of play and trying to devote his time to learning how to be a center. But Newman's pass blocking (76.8) for the second-biggest chunk of plays by an O-lineman was impressive. He had an injury after the game but its severity wasn't known.

More Chicago Bears News

X: BearsOnSI

Published
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.