Improved Bears Roster Can Start Now
Improved #Improved
The final four Bears games might mean little in the standings but to some Bears they can mean plenty toward 2023.
After the final four games, GM Ryan Poles will have his second opportunity to improve the roster.
Actually, considering how the team last offseason had no first-round pick last year and had to dump players to reset their salary cap, it would be easy to call this Poles’ first attempt to improve the roster.
However, there are four games remaining and some players who may or may not be in the plans for the future can use those to influence the Bears.
It might not be a matter of saving their roster spot as letting coaches know they can be counted on, making it less important for Poles to draft or sign players at their position.
Here are the players who can influence their future most in the final four games.
LB Jack Sanborn
Sanborn is rapidly becoming the defensive version of Braxton Jones Jr. He has surprised with an ability to hold down his position and does it with the skill of many veterans.
In Sanborn’s case it’s even more impressive because he went undrafted and didn’t test well at the combine. However, the Bears needed to see him hit lower on his tackles going into the last game after some of his Jets tackles were too high.
“I thought tackling was better from the previous game,” coach Matt Eberflus said. “You could see that with Jack Sanborn, we wanted to lower his target level, obviously tackling two really good backs. I thought we did a really good job for the most part. That was good.”
If Sanborn can make more impactful plays like forced fumbles or interceptions, they could really consider the middle linebacker position solved and not devote a draft pick or a chunk of cash in free agency to it.
Shortly after signing with the Bears, Eberflus labeled weakside linebacker, three-technique defensive tackle and slot cornerback the most crucial positions for his defensive scheme. This is right in line with how Lovie Smith’s version of this scheme operated.
So, middle linebacker is not the most essential position in the defense.
Still, the Bears would like to know without doubt that Sanborn could hold down the position well.
What’s more important is building the defensive line to put in front of Sanborn. Sanborn as well as weakside linebacker Nick Morrow and strong side linebacker Matthew Adams would all benefit in that case.
DE Trevis Gipson
Gipson hasn’t had a sack since Week 2, when he made two of them. He hasn’t been making big plays in the running game. The Bears have moved him inside at times
None of these can be considered good signs.
On Sunday, they had three-technique Justin Jones move over at times to where Gipson normally plays at left end.
“We like a bigger guy out there sometimes at left end,” Eberflus said. “If you go ahead and look back at the past, (other teams) where I’ve been, we’ve had guys that are 285-290 at that left end spot. That to me should be a thumper guy at times in the run game.”
A 265-pound end isn’t a thumper. He’s definitely not a thumper inside, either. Actually, a 6-3, 309-pounder at left end like Jones isn’t a thumper. It’s a defensive tackle playing a position he shouldn’t be playing in a 4-3. And that only further emphasizes how desperate they are at left defensive end.
Gipson has averaged nine fewer play reps over the last three games than the previous three games. It seems safe to say they hope for more output from Gipson.
Even if they’re not, this is a different coaching staff and GM than last year’s and they have no allegiance to Gipson. It’s possible he’s regarded as a throwback to their 3-4 defense.
The final four games would be a good time for Gipson to come up with sacks or TFLs if he can.
CB Kyler Gordon
They’ve seen him in the slot most of the year. On Sunday they played Josh Blackwell in the spot and he gave up five completions in eight attempts (62.5%) for 48 yards and a passer rating against of 79.2, according to Sportradar. Those are very solid numbers for any slot cornerback. This was against Aaron Rodgers, who normally attacks slot cornerbacks with great ease.
Gordon has also played outside but primarily inside. Their second-round draft pick has a 107.3 passer rating against and 77.4% completion percentage allowed in 11 games this season.
When Gordon returns from his concussion, perhaps he has competition for the slot spot from an undrafted free agent acquisition.
It wouldn’t be the first time this kind of thing happened with the Bears. Bryce Callahan became their slot cornerback by excelling as an undrafted free agent.
Even if the Bears change their minds about Gordon’s future being slot cornerback, they would have hope he can play outside. Either way, he can go a long way toward easing any fears over the final four games, provided he’s over the concussion suffered Nov. 20.
K Cairo Santos
He has has four extra-point kicks missed and now two field goals, although one was blocked last week. His blocked or missed kicks contributed greatly to two losses.
It might seem questionable that Eberflus would hold a blocked field goal or missed extra point against Santos when so much else can go wrong on them to influence the kick. However, he didn’t see anything wrong with those plays except the kicks.
“I thought the operation was good,” Eberflus said. “I thought the extra point was good. The snap, the hold was great, protection was good, didn’t see an issue on that one.
“On the field goal, I didn’t see an issue. We were a little late inside, (tackle) Braxton (Jones) was a little late in there on his inside gap, he could have been firmer in there, but again, from that distance with pressure only coming, really no penetration, just pressure from the line of scrimmage, that ball needed to be kicked up a little bit higher and it needs to be made. The hold, snap and everything was really good.”
How much they hold this against Santos in the offseason might depend on these last four games. It seems very doubtful they would treat all this as a serious problem but if he continues to miss then it might be possible they would bring in competition in camp next year for Santos.
It really doesn’t look serious, though.
For one, two of Santos’ extra-point misses came in that complete downpour at Soldier Field in the opener. And he really doesn’t have a reasonable outright field goal miss on the year. He had one blocked and the only miss he had was a 56-yarder that he could have made, but it would have been third-longest field goal in franchise history.
Neither Eberflus nor Poles were with the Bears when Cody Parkey was double-doinking and going on Good Morning America. They weren’t part of the ridiculous manhunt for a kicker after the team parted ways with Parkey.
It’s best here to forget the whole thing until there are really serious issues, but Santos can nip it all in the bud with a strong finish.
T Alex Leatherwood
The Bears still have him under contract at $1.98 million next year and in 2024 for $2.62 million, so it’s not a pressing issue that he prove himself in these final four games from a contract standpooint.
However, the Bears have gone through a year when they’ve been shuffling offensive linemen in and out on a regular basis and it’s not conducive to building a cohesive blocking unit. They’d like to know if Leatherwood can take the right tackle job or be a guard candidate as soon as possible.
As a former offensive lineman, Poles’ expertise is the line. So you have to expect he’d want to add offensive linemen either in the draft or free agency.
Leatherwood has the opportunity to make their need at right tackle far less pressing. He can make Poles focus his energies on the line elsewhere.
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