Ryan Nall was released by the Chicago Bears on Saturday. However, something tells me that he will be back
Last year at this time I made my call. I told every Chicago Bears fan to calm down, and that Tanner Gentry would be back on the practice squad. Sure enough, I was correct. This year, I make my same call. The player? Ryan Nall.
Ryan Nall is a perfect practice squad candidate. By the end of the preseason, he was playing some fullback. He is a running back and has passing game prowess. With Michael Burton on the roster, there is a way for Nall to be an upgrade.
However, he is not there yet. As mentioned, he is just now learning to play fullback. We saw that he does not necessarily have the explosion to be an every down between the tackles runner. However, his versatility makes him reliable.
The Chicago Bears would love to work on his playing strength, have him grow into a role in the offense, and have him try to make this team in 2018.
But, many of you will tell me that he is going to get claimed on waivers. You are probably the same people telling me Tanner Gentry would get claimed last year; there were many of you.
The fact of the matter is that if a team wants to claim the running back, he has to make the active roster for three weeks. No one has the roster space to afford a tweener fullback/running back who is transitioning into a role in the NFL. Even the worst rushing attacks have names that they have been grooming themselves.
Would these teams love to have him on their practice squad? Sure. However, the Chicago Bears have a leg up in that competition, and a team cannot claim him to make the practice squad.
The Ryan Nall era in Chicago is not over. If I am wrong, I will eat my words. However, I expect this to now be a yearly tradition.