Despite when many fans think, the best move for the Bears is to waive Ryan Nall.
Every year the Chicago Bears’ fan base falls in love with a player. Two years ago it was Daniel Braverman. Last year it was Tanner Gentry. This year it’s Ryan Nall. Nall is trying to make the team at running back as a UDFA and has performed well in preseason games.
Despite Nall’s strong performances, he still finds himself fourth on the Bears’ running back depth chart behind Jordan Howard, Benny Cunningham, and Tarik Cohen. Nall, in theory, could be kept as a versatile back that subs behind those three and can also play fullback and H-Back. Nall could also be used on special teams. While all that sounds intriguing, the bottom line is that Nall needs to step in and be a solid NFL FB right now and he isn’t ready.
The Kansas City Chiefs offense consistently used a fullback in their offense. Assuming Matt Nagy is going to run a similar offense to the offense he ran last year, he will want to utilize a fullback and it’s a stretch to think Nall is ready to step in against NFL starting caliber players (not the second and third and fourth stringers he was previously playing in preseason) and perform well.
The best bet is for the Chicago Bears to waive Ryan Nall. No, that doesn’t mean they should get rid of him.
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Nall is the perfect candidate for the practice squad. Some NFL media don’t think Nall will slip through waivers, but they’re wrong. Nall still has a lot of warts and hasn’t proven enough to be ready to be guaranteed a 53-man roster spot by any NFL team. If the Bears waive Nall, he should safely slide through waivers and find his way on the Bears practice squad.
Nall can spend part or all of this season improving his fullback abilities and if a major injury strikes the Bears’ running backs, Nall can slide onto the active 53 and get snaps. Honestly, once the Bears’ tight ends are healthy, there will be a clearer picture as to where Nall fits on the offense and on special teams.
With all that said, the smart money right now is for Nall to be on the practice squad. if he’s waived on Saturday, Bears fans should not panic.