Thoughts on the Chicago Bears and Ryan Poles from camp to preseason

Rookies are turning heads at Chicago Bears training camp and in preseason

The foundation under Ryan Poles will always return to the 2022 Chicago Bears draft class and UDFAs. No matter what happens, that first year for every GM is the building block that will hold the house upright. Poles wanted to make sure that he hit with those players.

It is far too early to tell, but it has been promising for the top drafted prospects in camp. The health of Kyler Gordan and Velus Jones, Jr is something to keep an eye on because neither has a history of being injured, but they need to be on the field. However, now the fans that haven’t followed camp have gotten a chance to see it with their own eyes. Jaquan Brisker, Braxton Jones, Dominique Robinson, Trestan Ebner, and Trenton Gill have been emerging as local media members have been discussing.

If Gordan and Jones can get on the field and flash as they have been in practice, the Chicago Bears would have potentially hit on seven of their 11 draft picks (63%). Again, it is still early, and a lot can happen. I haven’t even mentioned the free draft (UDFA) picks in Chase Allen, Micah Dew-Treadway, Jaylon Jones, Jack Sanborn (more on him later), or De’Montre Tuggle, who all had an impact at some point this first game.

I will try not to overreact, but I still don’t understand how Jack Sanborn wasn’t drafted. If you follow me, you know how badly I wanted his college teammate Leo Chenal (who had himself a day). Is it weird that the Bears have both second options of college teammates — Trent Mcduffie to Kyler Gordan and Leo Chenal to Jack Sanborn?

Before the Combine, Chenal and Sanborn were projected as draft prospects likely to go early Day 3 or late Day 2. Chenal’s draft stock rose due to his Combine performance, while Sanborn fell after his poor performance. But on tape, they both seemed excellent.

Chenal was a blitzing run stopper with weakness in coverage, and Sanborn was instinctual in coverage and a secure tackler. After this preseason Week 1, they both showed that they still play that same style and can do it at a high level among college talent trying to make an NFL roster.

Sanborn is currently the backup MLB to Nicholas Morrow, and there is no reason to show he couldn’t put pressure on Joe Thomas and Matt Adams for that strong side (third) linebacker position. That would get him on the field a bit more. Please don’t come at me calling me Wisconsin biased because I am from there. I call out talent when I see it, and he is a football player. Alright, let’s move on.