Chicago Bears training camp battle: Darrynton Evans vs Trestan Ebner

2. Age and control

You would probably be surprised to hear that Darrynton Evans and Trestan Ebner are the same age. Okay, by the time the NFL season rolls around, Evans will be 24 while Ebner will be 23. Still, Evans jumped out of the NFL after three years, while Ebner stayed for five, so the two are much closer in age than you would think. It is essentially a six-month difference.

Still, one thing going in the favor of Ebner, beyond being six months younger is the contract control. Since the Chicago Bears claimed Evans on waivers, they do have him on team control for the next two years as his rookie contract would permit.

This year Evans is on the books for $1M, and next year it is $1.12M. On the flip side, the Chicago Bears have Ebner under team control through 2025, and when Ebner is 26 years old. Ebner will be on the cap for $746K this year, and $870K next year.

The two years he is signed after Evans are for $980K and $1.1M. So, Ebner is cheaper and on the books for two more years, which could also help his cause.

However, one last debate is the practice squad. Both backs could go there, but in the case of Evans, he was a third-round pick who was claimed off of waivers the first time he was let go. If the Chicago Bears do let him go, he may hold out and see if he can make a roster.

On the flip side, Ebner is a seventh-round pick, and he does not have great vision between the tackles. Given his interesting role, only a team that drafts him will be invested enough to keep him on the end of their roster or the practice squad. Ebner could spend this year on the practice squad, and next year he could come back a better runner between the tackles, and the Bears could be more willing to bump him over Evans in 2023.