Bear Digest

Why preseason Week 2 is time to watch for Chicago Bears signings

Preseason Week 2 primer: The handoff from Week 1 to Week 2 includes a look at two positions plagued by injuries.
Gene Chamberlain|
Josh Blackwell breaks up a pass in Sunday's game. Blackwell is part of a cornerback group taking on far too many injuries. It might be necessary for the Bears to look for roster help there.
Josh Blackwell breaks up a pass in Sunday's game. Blackwell is part of a cornerback group taking on far too many injuries. It might be necessary for the Bears to look for roster help there. | David Banks-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

The Bears start a week of practice rather late Monday afternoon considering their game Sunday was at noon.

Whether this is indicative of their new regular-season routine isn't clear but there are issues to address as they transition.

One week in the NFL spills into the next, even in the preseason.

The 24-24 tie with Miami altered status quo in some roster battles and a handful of injuries have to make them re-assess situations.

Here's what to look for when practices begin or even on Tuesday's off day.

Running back addition

The Jamaal Williams watch is on. First Roschon Johnson suffered injury in Tuesday's physical practice and now Travis Homer has a calf injury after two carries for 6 yards and two catches for 15 yard in Sunday's tie.

This leaves D'Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai, Ian Wheeler and Deion Hankins to handle all the carries for four practices, including one against Buffalo. Then there is the game with Buffalo.

A calf injury is tricky, like with a hamstring.

Unless Roschon Johnson's injury was minor and he's back, the Bears are in a situation where they need to add a back. Williams was the player they brought in, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. They actually took a look at him earlier this offseason. There could be no better time. He'd still be able to get into good playing shape and understand the offense better. This isn't the Detroit offense as he knew it and he last played in that in 2022, anyway.

According to NFL Houston-based reporter Aaron Wilson, the Bears worked out running backs Brittain Brown, Tyrion Davis-Price and Aaron Shampklin besides Williams. A few of those have some experience. Brown was a UCLA back who was on Seattle's practice squad. Davis-Price, the former LSU back, was a 49ers third-round pick in 2022. Shampklin made six carries for 17 yards last year for the Steelers.

If the Bears were in an ideal situation, waiting would be better because if they're in need of another back to complete the roster and dissatisfied with their fourth or fifth guys, later in camp is a good time for trades or to pick up a player discarded elsewhere. The latter is the preferable method. Many younger backs capable of production will be released in final cutdowns. There were more running backs drafted this year than any year since 2019 and this means some players will be cut who could play.

The Bears may not have the luxury of waiting those three weeks until the end of the month and final cutdowns.

The flip side

Back when work outdoors first started, coach Ben Johnson said he had to get the starting offensive line group together as soon as possible to help the group become more cohesive.

It would seem unlikely they'd give Braxton Jones the start with a group of backups like they did on Sunday, and then let rookie Ozzy Trapilo start with the first team against Buffalo in Week 2, unless they're leaning heavily to Trapilo.

Still, there is nothing definitive in this regard to go by other than an "unofficial" depth chart last week listing Jones No. 1 still.

Will it flip this week and Trapilo gets to start out the game on the field but with the first team? This could be the last look at the competition. It would only seem logical they'll want the starting group in place for the preseason finale or at least to start practicing together that week.

Cornerback crunch

Cornerback Terell Smith's groin injury is of particular concern. Slot cornerback Kyler Gordon went out with an injury after practice last week and during Sundays game replacement Josh Blackwell left briefly with what was announced as an apparent injury only to return quickly and finish the game. DB Tre Flowers was injured in the game and returned to finish. Another cornerback, Ameer Speed, did not suit up due to injury.

Johnson paid respect to those who finished afterward but the cornerback supply is now low regardless of the status of those who had injuries Sunday. The shortage actually began during the practice week.

Jaylon Johnson is out until the regular season opener, at the earliest.

Smith's status as top backup was being challenged by Nahshon Wright and Nick McCloud. But McCloud didn't suit up Sunday, presumably due to injury.

When can the Zah Frazier watch become official after he couldn't report to camp for personal reasons?

The Bears might need cornerback help just to get through the final two preseason game or even this practice week.

Well...we're waiting

Caleb Williams must play this week in the preseason game. It's not going to suffice for the Bears to simply say they'll let him throw several passes in a pregame session after he practices against the Bills on Friday.

Williams running the Johnson offense against a live pass rush is nothing anyone has seen yet. Even in practices that are live and joint practice scrimmages, the QBs are off limits.

Answers to where he's at in operations need to become more transparent.

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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.