The Chicago Bears have only been at training camp for a week, so the moving and shaking has not been significant. However, every day is important for every player looking to make the 2023 season the best of their ability. Who are three players from the Bears roster who are seeing their stock go down after a few days of training camp?
3. Dante Pettis needs to get healthy quick for the Chicago Bears
Dante Pettis came into training camp with a lot of work to do. So far, he has not done any. He has been on the non-football injury list, meaning that whatever injury he suffered was not at the Chicago Bears facility. This gives the Bears easy access to release him due to injury without an injury settlment. That is not where Pettis wanted to be.
He was already on the roster bubble. He was going to compete with guys like Equanimeous St. Brown and Velus Jones for the last roster spot or so. He had a hold of the punt return job, and that was his main bargaining chip to get onto the roster.
Now, he is falling behind both. The best thing about St. Brown is that he is consistently there and is not going to miss time like this. Velus Jones is getting more work in the return game, and the Bears are trying other options as the punt return option.
Dante Pettis needed a strong camp to stay in consideration for the roster. He has done anything but that, and now his roster status is in jeopardy.
2. The Chicago Bears are phasing out Kindle Vildor
When the Chicago Bears drafted Tyrique Stevenson, you had to wonder if that was the end of Kindle Vildor starting for the team. When they drafted Terrell Smith, the fear escalated to wondering if Vildor would even make the roster.
If the Chicago Bears keep Josh Blackwell in the slot and Smith as the backup outside, then Vildor is looking at the sixth cornerback spot at best. So far in training camp, that has come to fruition. The Chicago Bears have had three guys get work on the outside with the first team. They were Smith, Stevenson, and Kyler Gordon.
Smith has seen a lot more work with the ones than Vildor this offseason, and that will only continue, considering the rookie is hitting the ground running. Vildor has nowhere to go but down, which is not a fun spot to be in as he enters the summer heat. Even Jaylon Jones may be catching him and taking the sixth cornerback spot. The stock of Kindle Vildor will keep cratering down.
1. Is Jack Sanborn losing his spot to Noah Sewell?
The Chicago Bears have been adamant that Jack Sanborn is the starter. They have said that the injury will not impact his role on the team this season. However, he has continued to be eased back, and every day that he misses, there seems to be thoughts that Noah Sewell may not give up the starting SAM job.
The Chicago Bears liked what Sanborn did as a rookie, but he was a UDFA, and this same regime drafted Noah Sewell in the fifth round. They clearly had a higher grade on Sewell. Sewell has hit the ground running and has taken every snap with the first defense from OTAs through the most recent practice.
Sanborn should be back any day now, but the reports have also been ominous. Even when Sanborn comes back, that may be when Sewell turns up the heat and works to win that job back. He already has the work with the first team, and he may shine with the second team to earn that role back.
Jack Sanborn is probably pressing to get back out there, and for good reason. It is not his fault, but this stock is down.