The Chicago Bears released their first unofficial depth chart before the start of the preseason. This depth chart means little in the grand scheme other than giving us a starting point to track growth from. Seeing the changes over the following weeks will make taking this depth chart in worthwhile.
What are a few things that can actually give us something to take away?
5. Jake Tonges at fullback
Tonges is a UDFA from California. He played tight end during his college career but was known as more of an athletic blocker than anything. He could have been undersized as a tight end, but now he could be oversized as a fullback.
Jake Tonges is making the transition just now, and he is clearly behind Khari Blassingame on the depth chart. Still, there are a few things to take away here. First, they are not just viewing fullback as some novelty move.
If Blassingame gets injured they are not just going to scrape a piece of their playbook, so they need depth at the position. For Tonges, he could be seeing that there are three veterans ahead of him, and Chase Allen is a better pass catcher as a tight end.
Playing fullback could ensure he gets a role on the practice squad considering not many teams will be plucking a tight end turned full-back in his rookie season off the practice squad. So, the fact that they have a serious role to incorporate a fullback into the offense, and that they have intentions of keeping Tonges on the practice squad as they asked him to move into a new role.