Chicago Bears Release SURPRISE Depth Chart Ahead Of NFL Preseason Week 1 vs. Buffalo Bills

Intro [Music] I'm Harrison Graham here's what we got coming up on Chicago Bears now the Bears released their latest unofficial depth chart heading into the bills preseason game coming up on Saturday and I have some reaction and some takeaways that I thought stood out to me uh so we're going to get into those now do want you to keep in mind this is unofficial it's very possible to be have put no effort into these whatsoever um but that doesn't mean they haven't put effort into them doesn't mean there aren't little tidbits in there but I don't think this is Gospel by any means so keep that in mind as we go through this exercise all right number one is the Josh Blackwell stock down on Josh Blackwell because one of the first things that stood out to me when going through position by position is that he was listed as the third nickel not even the backup nickel Kyler Gordon starter Greg strowman Jr the number two nickel and then Josh Blackwell the third nickel now it's an interesting dynamic because I do think strowman is a better cover Corner than Josh Blackwell I thought the game he played against Washington last year was really good but Blackwell has been a core special teamer and if you're a backup DB you got to be able to play on special teams not saying strowman can't but I know for a fact they like Blackwell as a Gunner and this has kind of been our depth chart I've had Blackwell as the backup nickel strowman is kind of that cb7 type who could play nickel and outside uh you look at this with ready Stewart and Leon Jones emerging in training campus two udfas we talked about it as potential cut candidates could Jaylen Jones and Josh Blackwell be in trouble because this is the deepest position group on this team I I think you've got seven eight nine guys that are at least practice squad worthy players and most of them worthy of being on a team's 53 man roster now obviously the Bears aren't going to carry eight or nine Corners could they go heavy though keep seven I I I wouldn't keep that off the table especially if they go lighter at a couple of other positions so um it's a good group I think Blackwell being listed behind strowman is noteworthy if nothing else again it's unofficial but uh that's certainly something that caught my attention all Subscribe right guys we are less than 400 subscribers from 96,000 here on Bears now football is back we're publishing daily content would love to get the 96k by the Bills game on Saturday so hit that sub button if you love the Chicago Bears what we do here is publish free content for you guys so if you're into that sort of thing go ahead and RB2 Battle subscribe all right number two and I think this is in combination with what we saw in the Hall of Fame game I do think this rb2 battle is real um it's listed as Herbert or Johnson as The rb2 so if you've ever looked at a depth chart before if it says player or player that indicates it's there's at least some level of a competition usually um and it's interesting Herbert's listed first but then Roshan Johnson started in the Hall of Fame game over khil Herbert so I'll be curious to see especially since Herbert I thought ran better in that game the numbers bear that out does that flip against Buffalo does Herbert get the first crack after DeAndre Swift in this second preseason game we'll have to wait and see on that front um I I think my take is this I think the Bears would like Roshan to win this battle uh because this regime took him in the fourth round last year they love his character he's a better pass blocker and receiving back than khil Herbert at least in theory but I think skill set wise too but I think it's pretty clear that khil Herbert especially when healthy which he looks back and healthy now after the ankle sprain last year he's the better Runner especially in this system we saw it last year when he was healthy I think at the preseason uh opener showed he still has that juice whereas Roshan's a good runner but like he doesn't have as much wiggle and burst in my opinion as Herbert does question is do his strengths that he does have outweigh Herbert's ability as a better Pure Runner it's it's fair question and I think that's going to continue to play out as they evaluate this competition who do you guys think is the better running back like if you had to pick one guy who would you take type KH for khil Herbert or RJ for Roshan Johnson give us your thoughts down below and I think at this point in time time I I do think Herbert's the better p i I think something would have to shift I don't want to say dramatically but at least somewhat significantly for Herbert to just get moved on from by this team because you watch him run it's like man kid kid sees hits the hole hard man uh Bonk for you teenagers at home but uh he uh he's he identifies the lane and he hits it and he's better in open space so and it's not like he's a soft Runner either like he'll play through contact maybe not to the level of Roshan but uh that's going to be fascinating still a lot of time for that to play out but I do think it is a legitimate competition for DeAndre Swift's top QB2 Battle backup is the qb2 battle a thing because I think it's pretty clear the rb2 battle is real is backup quarterback because again it is listed as bent or ripen and rippen had a great game in the Hall of Fame game whereas bent only played one drive that would actually indicate that bent has a pretty big lead in my opinion so I think that's worth mentioning but ripping looked theart man he really did 11 to 15 Buck 66 three touchdowns no turnovers didn't put the ball In Harm's Way you know kind of showed off the full arsenal downfield throwing intermediate stepping up in the pocket evading to make a throw here and there um that being said I'm not ready to call this a battle Brett rippen talked after the game he kind of seems to know his role here he's the veteran in the room but I think he also deep down is kind of like yeah played pretty well I'd like to have the opportunity to win the backup job um I will say this regardless of how this plays out like let's say he's unbelievable the rest of the camp clearly outplays bent in the preseason games I still think bent's on this team almost no matter what unless he's just horrific in the preseason games which I don't think any of us expect that because he's a udfa guy who can play we saw him go two and two last year regardless of how it looked like he held his own those guys at that cheap of a price tag in the QB room are worth it it's really more of a who's the backup well a will rip and also make the 53 and if he does who would go in if if Caleb Williams were to go down in a game is rip the backup or is be that's really the question but in terms of like is this a competition right now who would make the team right now is that actually a discussion I think be's safe almost no matter what question is can RI and keep pushing to the point where they carry three QBs and he would actually be the backup if an injury were to take place that is the question I have all right uh shout out to game time for sponsoring Chicago Bears now our ticketing sponsor here at chat sports and what they specializ in is last minute tickets because look sometimes you wake up at least I do and I'm like I look over to my wife I'm like I want to go to a concert tonight want to go to a comedy show she's like yeah I'm like yeah so do I I'm going to hop on the game time app and try to find some tickets so do what I did download the game time app use promo code chat sports get you $20 off first purchase only terms apply there start surfing around in your area if you live in the Chicago area if you live somewhere else go look at events in your area sporting events concerts comedy shows see what deals are available they're going to show you the best prices available they're going to show you the best deals available based on kind of value with certain seats in the stadium or Arena if you 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things have stood out to me in the last few days one from the depth chart Lista is a top six receiver I do think this team carries six and he's a starting option as both the kick and punt returner now kick returner it says veis Jones or DeAndre Carter at punt returner it says DeAndre Carter or veis Jones obviously we've all seen the issues with veis as a punt returner but that would indicate they're at least considering him there again and certainly and we've said this all along he is this team's best kickoff returner especially with the new rules I think a bigger physical return man who also has speed is the most ideal scenario now is that enough to give him a roster spot if he's not contributing in other areas I don't know I I it really depends when they have those convos at Hal saw like hey we don't trust him on offense but he's such a good kick returner we're going to keep him I would like to see him give you something on offense but I'll add this too him sitting against the Texans was odd now there's a lot of theories out there one um he's just a roster lock he's safe two he's not a lock but if he does make the team the face the Texans in week two they don't want to give away what they're doing at kickoff return I guess my response to that would be like okay well then just don't have him return kicks in this preseason game you could have still evaluated him at the receiver position or even punt return um that was odd I I'm curious to see how he plays against Buffalo assuming he'll be out there but uh I think lock is strong but uh I do think they think he's the best option at kick returner and I would agree with that I think his skill set translates to this new kickoff rule really really well do you think he's a lock is veis Jones a lock to make the Bears 53 man roster type y for yes or type in for no I think he's safe right now I I can't say he's a lock I'd have to type my end for no but if you asked me today does he make this team I would say Defensive Line yes okay and this isn't necessarily like new information but the defensive lius then guys like you just see it on paper and you're just like this is a thin group it's not new but it is real man like I I would really like to add a piece here now I get it you got to be patient you can't force the issue if you're Ryan poles but I I'm I'm checking the market I'm seeing what Matt judon costs I'm considering Yan Kaka if he's cheap if a notable veteran defensive tackle gets cut out of Camp I I'm definitely interested I mean let's just start there defensive tackle Andrew Billings dvon Dexter and Zack pickings are your top three Pickins didn't look that good at all in the Hall of Fame game he had I think one decent Run Stop Byron cor had a strip sack but you're talking against deep backups he's probably your fourth DT right now Billings is solid Dexter you know at worst is at least decent and they're hoping he could be really good so if he hits that definitely helps but then you get to Edge and again it's Mont sweat decent player and Demarcus Walker and then a bunch of question marks we all like Austin Booker's potential but that's all it is right now Jake Martin is fine is a rotation speed guy but you're pretty thin up front on your defense like don't get me wrong we've talked a lot about the offensive line concerns and that's real but that it's very true with the defensive line also all right uh appreciate everybody for tuning in hit that subscribe button here on Chicago Bears now will continue to plug out videos here on this channel as uh Bears Now by chat sports is your home on YouTube for Chicago Bears content shout out to everybody who made it to the end of this episode [Music]