How will Chicago Bears divide DL snaps in preseason finale?
The Chicago Bears noted that they will play their starters for most of, if not all of the first half of the preseason finale. Some players will get more, some players will get less, but overall, we should expect to see plenty from the starting unit.
How will the team divide up snaps on the defensive line?
Chicago Bears Edge Rusher Rotation
With Robert Quinn sitting most of the preseason the team has been working Trevis Gipson and Al-Quadin Muhammad as their starters. Based on the sides the two have played, when Quinn steps in, it will be across from Gipson, and AQM will resume the role as the third rusher.
You can expect to see mostly these three until halftime, as AQM will slide in for Quinn, who will not play a full workload.
Then, in the second half, the team could shift right into a three-man rotation as well. Dominique Robinson, Sam Kamara, and Charles Snowden are their three depth edge rushers that round out the roster.
Two starters with a rotational rusher will play the first half, and that should be similar in the second half, with Snowden being the depth rusher. They surely want to get Robinson out there for all of the second halves, and Kamara has been making a push for the roster, so it will be nice to see both get plenty of work in the second half.
Interior Defensive Line Rotation
Angelo Blackson has been banged up, but if he is healthy, it will be him and Justin Jones for the majority of the first half. Khiyris Tonga has been the starting nose tackle and should remain in that role.
With those three taking most of the first-half snaps, there are only three other interior linemen on the roster. In terms of players for the role, Trevon Coley would be the backup to Jones, Micah Dew-Treadway is the backup to Blackson, and Mike Pennel backups Tonga. It is pretty clean at both edge and interior that a starting three in a rotation will get the first half, then three in a rotation will get the second half.
First Half
Robert Quinn, Trevis Gipson, Al-Quadin Muhammad
Angelo Blackson, Justin Jones, Khiyris Tonga
Second Half
Dominique Robinson, Sam Kamara, Charles Snowden
Micah Dew-Treadway, Trevon Coley, Mike Pennel