Now that the Chicago Bears won their first preseason game, there are so many things to take away from the game. Some players were able to secure roster spots, while others saw things get a bit tighter. Who are some of the Bears players who saw their stock drop amongst decision-makers in the front office?
10. Velus Jones is closer to the Chicago Bears roster bubble
Entering the preseason the Chicago Bears knew that Velus Jones needed to have a serious impact on special teams. He had slipped far down the wide receiver depth chart, and the team went out of their way to make sure he is not in the top wideouts this year.
So, if he does not bring value to special teams, his roster spot may be in trouble. Jones is known as a kick return option, but the team has been trying him at punt return. Trying may be the nice way to put it, as the experiment has not gone well.
Jones lost the punt return job to Dante Pettis last year, and this year, he essentially only got it back because Pettis has been injured. On his first chance to actually earn the job, he fumbled a bouncing punt.
Worse than that is seeing Tyler Scott not only step in to return punts but also get a chance at returning kicks. Lastly, Jones only played when he returned punts or kicks; he did not bring value to any other phases.
So, Jones does not play any other core special teams phases, he does not return punts, and he does not play wideout. He is heavily leaning on being a kick return option, and Scott is coming for him there. Jones may not make the roster.
9. D'onta Foreman is in a tough spot with the Chicago Bears
If you asked D'onta Foreman after the draft weekend if he wishes he could have chosen a new team, he probably would have said yes. Foreman probably signed, thinking that he would not have someone like Roschon Johnson nipping at him.
Now, he is in a tough spot when it comes to this depth chart. Khalil Herbert started and played all seven snaps with Justin Fields. This was always a possibility for Foreman, although you could see Foreman split more work as the season goes on.
Still, Herbert flashed a three-down skill set in the preseason opener, and it ensured that Foreman would have to split work at best. Worse than that is him seeing Johnson coming up on him quickly.
Foreman played seven of the 14 snaps that P.J. Walker and the second-team offense worked. The other seven were a split between Roschon Johnson and Trestan Ebner. It is clear that they are putting trust in Herbert on passing downs but not Foreman. So, Foreman can work to beat out Herbert, but by the time that happens, Johnson may beat him out.
He is in a situation where the person ahead and behind him played excellent, and got great usage, and he was stuck in the middle getting whatever was left. This is not where he wanted to be.
8. Dieter Eiselen is not long for the Chicago Bears roster
Back in OTAs, the Chicago Bears offensive line coach Chris Morgan noted that Dieter Eiselen might be in the mix to start at center this year. The team worked him at center in the preseason last year, but it was his first year playing the position.
The thought was that he might come back in year two ready to make the roster. That has not been the case at all. Even with Lucas Patrick out, Eiselen did not take a single snap at center.
Doug Kramer followed Cody Whitehair and got 41 snaps. However, what was more interesting was seeing rookie UDFA Josh Lugg get eight snaps at center. Eiselen played but took eight snaps at left guard, and nine snaps at center.
This is not good for his standing on the depth chart. He is not only behind the starters, but also Alex Leatherwood, and Ja'Tyre Carter. He would need one of them to fall down the depth chart for him to climb back up.
Eiselen is entering his fourth NFL season and has struggled to make the roster every year. He is a Ryan Pace pick, and it may be time that Ryan Poles finally moves on.
7. Kyler Gordon will not be a full-time player for the Chicago Bears in 2023
When the Chicago Bears drafted Tyrique Stevenson the question was much more about when, and not if that would push Kyler Gordon away from being a full-time player in 2023. In 2022, it was all on Gordon. Gordon played outside in base situations, and then moved inside for nickel snaps.
It was a lot, but they gave him a full-time role. Now, the team has him focusing on nickel solely, and they are playing Tyrique Stevenson on the outside. Gordon played ten snaps on Saturday and did not take a snap on the outside, he was primarily a slot cornerback.
Stevenson led the Bears in snaps, with 45, and he played primarily outside. The Chicago Bears clearly wanted to see what exactly they have in Stevenson before they commit to him starting as a rookie. Still, he held down his own in his NFL debut and gave the Bears a nice long look. Now, it is his job to start.
This may be better for Gordon in the long term because he is now in just one spot, and can focus on this area. However, in the short term, it is clearly a demotion. He will not play every snap this year when he did last year.
6. Bravvion Roy needs to show more with the Chicago Bears
This one is probably unfair considering that Roy was signed about a week ago. However, he is right on the roster bubble after getting released by the Carolina Panthers. If he wants to make the roster, he has to jump on the moving train, and fast.
We know that the Bears will keep Andew Billings, Justin Jones, Gervon Dexter, and Zacch Pickens. The question is whether Travis Bell or Bravvion Roy make it as the fifth interior lineman. So far, if they do keep one, it will be Bell.
Bell is more of the three-technique, while Roy is more of the nose tackle. So, it may make sense that Bell flashed more on the initial watch. Still, he played more than Roy, who played just ten snaps, and did not look to have an overly strong game. Bell is a project and a seventh round pick from a small school. If it is close bwteen the two, they have to lean to the upside player, and Roy is not showing that he is clearly the better talent at this point.
Maybe he needs another week to adjust, but if he wants to sneak onto the roster he needs to show more.
5. Will the Chicago Bears cut Travis Homer?
When the Chicago Bears signed Travis Homer, it felt like he had a role in the backfield. He stuck around with the Seattle Seahawks and signed with the Bears early because he can play special teams and works on passing downs. Homer is solid in pass protection and can catch as well.
So, with a defined role, the Bears probably would stick with him and play him in those spots. However, so far, he is behind Trestan Ebenr in that area. The Bears drafted Ebner, but he was a disaster as a rookie, which is why Homer is here.
Still, Ebner got the early work on offense and even played more special teams snaps than Homer. Seeing Ebner in on offense is a small surprise and may speak to Homer being behind in picking up the playbook. However, you had to assume that if Homer was not going to play running back until late in the game, he would be on special teams throughout the first half, and that just did not happen.
If he is not viewed highly by them on special teams, he has no role on this offense. This will be a major development to watch.
4. D'Anthony Jones is not as high on the coaches list as we thought
This is not that much of a stock down, but we listed him as a stock-up player just a week ago, so now, he is about back to where he was two weeks ago. Not too high, not too low. Jones shot up on our stock watch because the Chicago Bears listed him over Trevis Gipson on the depth chart.
Whatever the reasoning, it is why the initial depth chart is just that, and not anything to put stock into.
The starters DeMarcus Walker and Yannick Ngakoue sat, so the backups Dominique Robinosn and Rasheem Green got the start. This left the rest of the game for depth to decide who would start. We thought there was a chance Jones would be next up, and get a chance to make the roster. However, Gipson was ahead of Jones, as was Terrell Lewis.
The other big issue is that both of them lit it up, and made strong cases for the roster. Meanwhile, Jones played 17 snaps, all of them late in the game after Gipson and Lewis proved themselves. The thought of Jones making the practice squad is firmly on the table, but it is hard to see him sneaking on the roster after that preseason debut.
3. Kindle Vildor is where we thought he was
One depth chart note that came to fruition was Kindle Vildor being deep down the depth chart. Vildor started in three cornerback looks for the team last year, and this year, he is playing into the third quarter of the preseason opener. Even with Josh Blackwell and Terell Smith out due to injuries, you could see that Vildor was buried.
Tyrique Stevenson led the way on the outside, and first, he was paired with Jaylon Johnson, next, he was paired with Jaylon Jones. After Jones and Stevenson left, the Chicago Bears turned to Kindle Vildor Michael Ojemudia. Even Greg Stroman was ahead of both and played in the slot. When Vildor was out there, a lot of the slot work went to rookie UDFA Macon Clark.
These are not the names that Vildor wants to be with to make the roster. Unlike Gipsson, he did not play well and put himself on the radar. Guys like Jones excelle don special teams, and Vildor was hardly involved in that phase of the game as well.
It is only a matter of time until the Chicago Bears release Kindle Vildor.
2. Kendall Williamson will struggle to make the Chicago Bears as a rookie
One Chicago Bears draft pick who is having a hard time making the roster is Kendall Williamson. Williamson was a late seventh-round pick, so the expectations were not high. However, he is clearly behind UDFA A.J. Thomas, who is now in his second year with the Bears. He is also behind Adrian Colbert, a veteran journeyman.
Williamson not only was behind them when it came to playing time, but he was also behind them in actual play on the field. Things looked like they were moving fast for Williamson, even in the fourth quarter of preseason week one.
Williamson did get 12 snaps on special teams, and that is his path to the roster. However, Colbert and Thomas have special teams ability as well, so it is tough to make the case for him to make it. Williamson now has two games to change the tone of his roster status, but things are not looking great.
He looks like a prime candidate to stash on the practice squad.
1. DeMarquis Gates is an afterthought this preseason
It has not been discussed much, but DeMarquis Gates did not play at all in the preseason opener. Tremaine Edmunds and Dylan Cole did not play, either, but they had reported injuries. Gates has not had any reports that he was banged up.
This was supposed to be ahuge weekend for Gates. He was listed as a backup, and after Noah Sewell and Jack Sanborn played, the thought was that he would come in and show the team that he could make the roster.
Instead, the team turned to Buddy Johnson and Micah Baskerville. Baskerville played well, and is a rookie UDFA from LSU, so he may have the coaches eyes over Gates, who stuck around last year after playing in the XFL. Still, Buddy Johnson getting the work has to signal that Gates was banged up, right?
Either way this crushes him. He is right on the roster edge, and these are the games that would make-or-break his roster status. If th eseason were tomorrow would they trust Baskerville more? It is not the craziest thought. Gates has two weeks to get on the field and change his trend, becasue this is not where he wants to be.