Chicago Bears Win Preseason Debut, Poles’ picks shine

A lot of Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles’ draft picks showed out as the team won in their debut of the 2022 preseason.

The Chicago Bears’ regular season is another step closer. They debuted their 2022 preseason this past weekend by beating the Kansas City Chiefs 19-14.

People were anxious to see how the new-style offense under head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy looked. While it was just their first game and starting quarterback Justin Fields only went about 18 snaps, the system is a work in progress.

The offense struggled to stack plays. There would be one good play but then a couple of bad ones. It was like one step forward, one step back. At halftime, the Chiefs had a 14-0 lead.

Just as in his rookie season, while Fields didn’t have great overall stats, he showed some incredible flash that makes you think that he could be the guy the rebuild needs.

Fields made a back shoulder throw to Darnell Mooney that was just magnificently accurate. Only Mooney could make the catch and the throw was pinpointed.

Later, on third and long deep in Bears territory, Fields made a play that shows why the Chicago Bears are so high on him. He stayed in the pocket on a blitz and again threw an incredible pass where only the receiver, this time Tajae Sharpe, could get it.

While the throw under pressure was fantastic, it was his pre-snap decisions that were impressive. He saw that the Chiefs were bringing pressure on the left side. Seeing that, he signaled for the tight end to go from receiver to blocker. He also had the blockers go to the left to try to pick up the blitz. Then he made a signal to Sharpe. The line didn’t do a great job of picking up the blitz. However, the unit did enough to where Fields made the throw (albeit with a defender nearly draped on him). Sharpe then finished the play by making an incredible one-handed catch. If he consistently recognizes the defense like that and makes the proper adjustments, he will be in great shape.

Bigtime pic.twitter.com/GEOIBW84wu

— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) August 15, 2022

Poles’ guys shine

One take we got from the game is how general manager Ryan Poles’ selections from the draft performed well. With their help, the Bears roared back with 19 straight points.

First, there was fifth-round pick, offensive lineman Braxton Jones. Jones started the game in place of Riley Reiff. He showed that he could be the future of the Chicago Bears’ offensive line. He held his own and showed great awareness. There was a play in which he was engaged on a double team. Despite that, he felt a defender coming in through one of the gaps. He disengaged from his block and picked up the man. The running back was able to get around and pick up positive yards.

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Second-round pick, safety Jaquan Brisker, was all over the place. Also playing with the starters, he made an impact. He was flying around making big hits. Additionally, he was good in coverage, breaking up passes, and almost getting an interception. He made the quarterback and running backs change direction or go down to avoid big hits from Brisker. Overall, he showed that he could be a big pickup for the defense.

Speaking of defense, undrafted rookie linebacker Jack Sanborn made a huge impact on the game. He recorded an interception and recovered a fumble. He added 7 tackles, one for loss. Many had him as the player of the game.

Going back on offense, running back Trestan Ebner, the Bears’ sixth-round pick, impressed. He led the rushers with 31 yards. Additionally, he had a 12-yard touchdown catch.

Being able to catch out of the backfield is crucial for the offense. Someone needs to take over the role Tarik Cohen played. Khalil Herbert struggled catching passes, dropping two of them. If Ebner can continue to show he can be a weapon in the passing game, he’ll play a bigger role than once anticipated.

Defensive end Dominique Robinson, the Bears’ fifth-round pick, had a sack and a tackle for loss. He is a project but the coaches are high on him. He is extremely athletic and quick. Converting from quarterback to wide receiver to defensive end, he is still learning the position. He is learning quickly and could be a contributor soon.

We don’t know how the starters will perform once the season begins for real. If the youngsters continue to show their talents, the future of Poles’ rebuild is in good hands.