The Chicago Bears season is falling apart. You can look at the standings and see that rather easily. Injuries are stacking and the roster is nowhere near what it needs to be to make a run. With that said they have been asking unfamiliar names to step up all season. We have been getting to know guys such as Jack Sanborn, and Jaylon Jones in recent weeks.
There were four other Chicago Bears that most fans do not know who wound up getting significant work against the Packers.
4. Chicago Bears started Josh Blackwell in the slot
The Chicago Bears were missing both Kyler Gordon and Kindle Vildor against the Packers. It had them bumping Jaylon Jones all the way up to number two. Jones has played nickel and outside, so the third cornerback could be either, and Jones can make it work.
However, the team elected to keep Jones outside through the game and bring in Josh Blackwell as the slot cornerback. Blackwell is in a similar boat to Jaylon Jones in that he is a rookie UDFA. However, while Jones signed with the Bears, Blackwell spent training camp with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Blackwell was let go, and the Chicago Bears claimed him on waivers. So, with Jones having a head start on the system, he was getting the first call. Still, if you have followed special teams at all, you probably know of Blackwell.
Blackwell plays every phase and is one of the best special teams players that they have this year. So, he finally got his shot to play some defense. Overall he played well.
He was targeted eight times, and gave up just four catches, as teams kept looking to test him. He allowed 46 yards on the day.
When Kyler Gordon comes back, the role will be his, but Blackwell is a player who will likely stick around. If anything, he will become the next Sherick McManis who plays on special teams for years.
Still, it is also nice to have a trusted backup in the slot, so Josh Blackwell emerging is good for the future.
3. Taco Charlton
The Chicago Bears signed Taco Charlton a couple of weeks ago. The team was down to names such as Gerri Green and Kinglsey Jonathan on the edge, and they went with a more known name in Charlton.
Charlton was not only a former first-rounder, but he also spent time with Ryan Poles on the Kansas City Chiefs. Poles know what he is getting here. In two games, the team essentially was using three edge rushers, because Charlton was not playing.
He had six snaps in week 11, and then four snaps in week 12. Finally, against the Green Bay Packers, he had 23 snaps. Charlton did not have a pressure, but it is not like that puts him much further below any of the other rushers.
The reality is that they may as well give him snaps. At some point the rookie Dominique Robinson will start to hit a wall, and they may as well take a shot at something because they have no pass rush otherwise.
Charlton will continue to be the fourth rusher, but now the fourth rusher will be getting a legitimate 25% of the snaps, unlike the one or two clean-up snaps per game he was initially getting.
2. Andrew Brown
We had been tracking the Chicago Bears’ usage with Angelo Blackson, and it was getting apparent that the team wanted nothing to do with this player. His performances were getting worse, and the reaction was to cut his playing time.
So, when the Chicago Bears signed Andrew Brown off of another team’s practice squad, it became pretty obvious that he was going to come right in and leap Angelo Blackson.
In one game Andrew Brown played 23 snaps and Angelo Blackson played three. Considering Brown has not been on the team for a full week, and Blackson has been on the team longer than the coaching staff, it is clear that Brown will only continue to get more snaps than Blackson.
The Chicago Bears will probably cut Blackson soon. They may want the depth, but they also may as well give the chance to a younger player if injuries come. Right now, Blackson is the fifth interior lineman and there is no room for him. The team would rather see what they have in Andrew Brown.
1. Elijah Hicks
Josh Blackwell was signed late into the process, Taco Charlton was signed a few weeks ago, and Andrew Brown was signed just last week. The team is kind of scrapping it together, but at least in the case of Elijah Hicks, it looks like they are just going to get their younger player some real work.
With Jaquan Brisker and Eddie Jackson out, the team relied on Hicks and DeAndre Houston-Carson. We have known DHC for years, but Hicks is intriguing as a seventh-round rookie.
Hicks has been right there next to Blackwell as two standouts on special teams. Now he got his chance to start with Blackwell. Hicks played every snap, as you would expect for a safety.
It will be interesting to see what happens when Jaquan Brisker comes back. DHC is versatile, so he could move, but he was playing the strong safety role, and Hicks was replacing Eddie Jackson.
Do they keep this trend going, or do they have DHC move into the free safety role after they get Brisker back? DHC may be the better option, but Hicks gives you something to look into moving forward.