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.
4. Equanimeous St. Brown at WR2
The wide receiver depth chart is something that all eyes were on when the list was announced. The depth is questionable, but there are plenty of names in the mix. Many assumed that Byron Pringle was signed to be the second wide receiver, but it was Equanimeous St. Brown.
This can speak to three things. First, ESB has been great in training camp. Second, Pringle is banged up with an injury that will sideline him for the preseason. Lastly, Pringle may be the slot, with ESB on the outside and Darnell Mooney across from him. With that in mind, he technically would be the number three anyways.
Pringle and Velus Jones made up the three and four, and it is fair that both could be the slot when the season starts. Dante Pettis and N’Keal Harry are the five and six, which is good for Harry considering he may be out for a while with an ankle injury.
Isaiah Coulter, Dazz Newsome, and Tajae Sharpe go seven through nine while David Moore, Chris Finke, Nsimba Webster, and Kevin Shaa round out the roster. The movement of these names after one game will be notable, but it is clear that Pettis has a leg up to make the roster, and that ESB is going to get on the field.
3. Chicago Bears Offensive Line Update
One big note is Teven Jenkins at right tackle, while Larry Borom is on the left side. This could show that the team likes a healthy Jenkins over what they have seen from Borom. If you remember, Borom was on the left side during OTAs, so they may have been displeased with him there, move him to right, and are still not happy.
At the same time, this could be as simple as them not wanting to put one of them third string, so they moved Borom to left. Still, Braxton Jones is locked into left tackle, while Reiff is listed at right tackle, Borom has played right tackle exclusively in camp, and Jenkins is also listed on the right side, you can lock Jones into starting.
Lastly, at the center, Sam Mustipher is ahead of Doug Kramer, and at left guard, Lachavious Simmons is ahead of Zach Thomas. While one rookie is making a strong impression, you could argue that these two being so low is more an indictment on them than it is a glowing view of the two veterans.
2. An unexpected starter at linebacker
One big question for the Bears is what will happen at linebacker. We all know that Roquan Smith Is a starter when he gets his situation resolved, and Nicholas Morrow has been calling plays in the meantime.
One answer we got from the depth chart is that when Smith returns, the third linebacker is likely to be Joe Thomas, who is listed as a starter. Thomas is a veteran and has gotten glowing reviews from his training camp run.
One thing that is notable is that Thomas is a starter while Matt Adams is a backup. Still, Adams is a backup to Roquan Smith, so with Smith out, it is argued that Adams will be in a bigger role. If Smith gets traded, they need Adams much more than Thomas, so you could say that Adams is a lock as a fourth linebacker.
Will there be five or six linebackers who make the roster? Jack Sanborn and Noah Dawkins are the next names up, but there are plenty of questions. From the look of the first depth chart. there are four locks at linebacker with Adams and Thomas joining Smith and Morrow.
1. Mario Edwards on the edge
There was a question entering training camp about what role Mario Edwards would hold. He is what most would term an “inside-outside rusher” in that he can defend the run from the edge, then kick inside and rush the passer.
Because of the lack of depth on the interior, many assumed he would be lumped in with the interior lineman. He did play 5-tech and not an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense.
However, in the 4-3, they have him listed as a defensive end on the edge. He can obviously kick Inside, but it is notable. The ripple effects are that Dominique Robinson is now edge-five, and a third-string player on the first depth chart, while Carson Taylor is probably firmly off of the roster.
This is great news for Micah Dew-Treadway who is ahead of Mike Pennel on the depth chart. Considering Pennel is a veteran and Dew-Treadway is a UDFA, this is rather notable. As the fourth inside defensive lineman, the UDFA could be making the roster.