Are Chicago Bears reserving this player for practice squad

The Chicago Bears signed UDFA right tackle Jean Delance as their only offensive line signing in the UDFA process. Considering they drafted four other linemen, it is no surprise, and it essentially has them with one rookie at each position.

While Braxton Jones has been thrust into starting, and Doug Kramer has been put on IR, the duo at guard Zach Thomas and Ja’Tyre Carter have been eased in as backups. Then, there is the UDFA Delance who has nine snaps over two preseason games.

There are two ways to look at this.

The negative is that Delance is a raw UDFA who probably needs the snaps to improve. Considering Chicago is not giving them to him, he probably is not wowing them in practice. Could it be that they are just over him already?

On the flip side, they are having legitimate competitions at right tackle. During practice, Riley Reiff is getting work there and during the games, it has been Larry Borom and Teven Jenkins. However, it is also true that Julien Davenport has seen more right tackle snaps in game action than Delance.

So, the other thought is that the team is saving Delance, effectively giving him a redshirt season. They can spend the year working on his technique and having him go against Trevis Gipson as a practice squad player.

Delance is a player who is raw but has the size, and athleticism that flashes. Perhaps if the team showed a glimpse of what they have teams would be eager to claim him. Knowing that he is blocked from playing time this season, and knowing that a year on the practice squad may do him very good, the team may be hiding him in ways.

They get him on the field for minimum work and to ease him in, but not enough to show anyone and get him taken off of their practice squad.

We will see what happens in about a week, and whether they invite him to the practice squad or not.