Bears’ latest roster decision ahead of Lions matchup in Week 2 proves 2 rookies still have a way to go before getting on the field
It’s not a good look.
The Chicago Bears are less than an hour away from kicking things off against the Detroit Lions, and the stakes are incredibly high despite this only being a Week 2 matchup.
Starting out 0-2 isn’t necessarily a death sentence for the season, but starting 0-2 in divisional play as well leads to a tough hole to crawl out of. And it’s something both teams will face going into this game.
Leading up to kickoff, the Bears got some great news on the injury front. On Friday, the Bears took Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson and starting linebacker T.J. Edwards off the injury report, clearing the path for their return after missing Week 1. And on Sunday, veteran defensive lineman Grady Jarrett was left off the final inactives, meaning he will be on the field against the Lions.
Bears Week 2 inactives add some concern with the rookie class
With Jarrett suiting up in Week 2, the decision led to the Bears listing second-round rookie defensive lineman Shemar Turner as a healthy inactive for the second week in a row. Turner did miss the majority of training camp due to an ankle injury, but he hasn’t been listed on either injury report. It’s likely he still needs more time to learn the defense after missing so much time.
“It’s a challenge,” defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said of Turner back in July. “…He’s got to make sure he’s focused in on the things that he can do in terms of the meetings, because when we’re making corrections on the field or in the meeting room, we’re not just making corrections for that particular individual that we might be speaking to. We’re speaking to the whole room. We’ve got to be able to coach the hell out of the guys that are out there and try to get him back out as quickly as we can. And then once we get him out there, try to get him caught up to speed as quickly as we can.”
Turner wasn’t the only rookie listed as a healthy inactive for Week 2. Fellow second-round pick Ozzy Trapilo will not be active in Detroit as well. Trapilo was active for Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings but played just five snaps on special teams. Meanwhile, Theo Benedet played the swing tackle role on offense totaling four snaps, a role many thought would go to Trapilo.
Following final roster cuts, general manager Ryan Poles was asked about Trapilo’s development going into the regular season and admitted the rookie hit a wall that slowed his progression toward earning some playing time on offense.
“I think he just hit a rookie wall in the middle of camp where things just got all over the place,” Poles explained. “He needed to settle in. I think going back to that (Chiefs preseason) game, you can see things slow down for him a little bit and his technique come back. I think he just got out of wack a little bit midway through camp.”
Clearly, the team still isn’t confident in either rookie compared to the other options on the roster. As I mentioned above, Benedet has cemented himself in the swing tackle role over Trapilo and even Kiran Amegadjie. And on the defensive front, Andrew Billings and Chris Williams were rotating in off the bench behind Gervon Dexter Sr. and Jarrett instead of Turner.
But, it’s a long season. Eventually the need could arise for Trapilo and Turner to step up and they’ll have to continue staying ready for that opportunity to come.
Chicago Bears News
Ben Johnson wastes no time bringing in some competition for a position that played a major role in the Bears’ Week 1 loss
It’s about time.
