Bears’ first round of tryouts during the bye week show how the coaching staff feel about the depth at some key positions
Now would be the time to bring some players in.
The Chicago Bears have entered the bye week and have an ample amount of time off until their next game. The team won’t be in action until Monday Night Football in Week 6 against the Washington Commanders on Oct. 13.
That gives the team plenty of time to review the first four games of the regular season and determine what kind of adjustments need to be made. It also gives the team plenty of time to get healthier and consider any roster additions.
During Tuesday’s practice, we already got a glimpse of that. Linebacker T.J. Edwards (hamstring), cornerback Kyler Gordon (hamstring), and tight end Colston Loveland (hip) were all spotted on the field after missing time due to injury this season. Not spotted on the field were defensive tackle Grady Jarrett (knee), right tackle Darnell Wright (elbow), and right guard Jonah Jackson (unknown).
In terms of any potential roster additions, we got an idea of what positions the coaching staff is potentially looking to add to after seeing six different players in the building for a tryout.
Bears host tryout for 6 different players during first practice of the bye week
- DT Philip Blidi
- DL/LB Jonathan Garvin
- OG Kyle Hergel
- DT Jayden Peevy
- LB Isaiah Thomas
Of those six names, Jonathan Garvin is probably the most recognizable. The former seventh-round selection played 38 games for the Green Bay Packers from 2020 to 2022, totaling 1.5 sacks and 32 combined tackles. Along with Garvin, two interior defensive linemen were brought in.
On the interior of the defensive line, the Bears have five players rostered in Jarrett, Gervon Dexter Sr., Andrew Billings, Shemar Turner, and Chris Williams. Jarrett missed the previous game due to a knee injury, while Williams was a healthy scratch. Chicago also has Jonathan Ford and Jamree Kromah as defensive linemen on the practice squad.
Considering we don’t know what caused right guard Jackson to miss practice, it’s notable that the team brought in another guard. The Bears have four guards on the roster in Joe Thuney, Jackson, Ryan Bates, and Luke Newman, along with Jordan McFadden on the practice squad.
Seeing two linebackers on this list was a surprise, considering it’s a position the Bears are starting to get strong at, with Edwards working his way back from injury and five other linebackers on the 53-man roster.
When looking at this list, it’s worth more to analyze the positions the Bears didn’t bring in. Chicago did not host a tryout for any running backs or cornerbacks despite the struggles in the run game and the lack of depth in the secondary. It appears, for the time being, those aren’t positions of concern in the eyes of the staff.
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