Chicago Bears starters are anticipated to see their most prolonged preseason enjoying time once they tackle the Cleveland Browns at 6 p.m. Saturday at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Listed below are 4 storylines to observe within the last preseason matchup earlier than the opener.
1. Roquan Smith in motion
This would be the preseason debut of linebacker Roquan Smith after he missed the primary two video games whereas conducting a “hold-in” amid stalled contract negotiations. Smith attended conferences and practices however didn’t take part on the sector.
After figuring out he would play out the ultimate 12 months of his rookie contract quite than proceed negotiations, Smith returned to observe Saturday and had every week to ramp up. The sport will likely be an opportunity to get extra comfy in dwell motion with some new teammates, together with center linebacker Nicholas Morrow.
Smith’s teammates clearly had been fired as much as get him again on the sector.
“It’s like a lacking piece to the puzzle,” security Eddie Jackson stated. “Now you’ve acquired all of your items, everyone’s right here, it’s like, ‘All proper, let’s go.’ I’m not saying we weren’t like that initially — it’s all the time next-man-up mentality — however simply to have a man like that again, certainly one of our leaders, one of many (nook)stones of our protection, to have him again within the lineup is thrilling and we’re able to do some enjoyable issues.”
2. Justin Fields’ last tuneup
The Bears quarterback returns to the positioning of his first profession begin and is anticipated to play till halftime.
Fields’ earlier journey to Cleveland didn’t present the happiest of recollections because the Browns racked up 15 quarterback hits and 9 sacks in Week 3 of 2021. The Bears had 1 web passing yard and misplaced 26-6.
However this outing comes amid a contemporary begin for Fields, who will look to get extra work in below a brand new teaching workers, additional develop chemistry with the receivers who're wholesome and construct confidence after totaling simply 27 snaps within the first two preseason video games.
Fields accomplished 9 of 14 passes for 87 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in 4 drives in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks. He was sacked twice and ran twice for 11 yards.
“Simply poise, execution, working the offense, having command, presence on the market, him doing his factor,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus stated of what he desires to see from Fields. “He’s a younger participant. It is a big-game expertise for him … and he’s enthusiastic about it.”
3. Roster battles
Earlier than final week, Teven Jenkins final performed proper guard his redshirt freshman season at Oklahoma State. When the Bears moved him to the place from proper sort out Aug. 15, he had solely two practices earlier than beginning in opposition to the Seahawks. So the second-year offensive lineman feels a bit extra comfy heading into this outing after 5 extra practices on the place.
Jenkins stated Saturday’s sport is about “seizing alternative” as certainly one of a number of gamers seeking to solidify both a beginning place or a roster spot. For Jenkins, incomes that spot can be the fruits of a wild month that included rumors the Bears had been seeking to commerce him.
“I simply sit there and do like an inside search of myself, and say, ‘That is my profession. That is my life proper right here,’ ” Jenkins stated. “I've to take a maintain of it the best way I've to and higher myself and never let the skin noise have an effect on me.”
Among the many different gamers to observe are offensive tackles Braxton Jones and Larry Borom and cornerback Kindle Vildor, who didn’t play within the first two preseason video games and might attempt to improve the belief of coaches as a starter reverse Jaylon Johnson.
And with a number of large receivers lacking observe this week due to damage — N’Keal Harry, Byron Pringle, Velus Jones Jr. and Tajae Sharpe — the wholesome receivers can have ample alternatives to make their circumstances. Behind Darnell Mooney and Equanimeous St. Brown, these gamers are Dante Pettis, Isaiah Coulter, Nsimba Webster, Kevin Shaa and Chris Finke.
4. Browns quarterbacks
The Browns introduced quarterback Deshaun Watson wouldn't play within the last two preseason video games, so whereas he has practiced with the staff in coaching camp, he gained’t be within the sport in opposition to the Bears.
The NFL handed Watson an 11-game suspension, a $5 million nice and obligatory counseling after greater than two dozen girls accused Watson of sexual misconduct throughout therapeutic massage remedy periods. The suspension begins Aug. 30 and can enable him to return for the Browns’ Dec. 4 sport in opposition to Watson’s former staff, the Houston Texans.
After joint practices with the Philadelphia Eagles final week, the Browns rested most of their starters in Sunday’s sport between the groups. So Jacoby Brissett, Watson’s substitute throughout the suspension, has but to play in a preseason sport.
That can change Saturday after Browns coach Kevin Stefanski introduced Thursday that his starters, together with Brissett, will play a to-be-determined quantity of snaps within the sport. In his six-year NFL profession, Brissett has been a fill-in starter for Jimmy Garoppolo, Tom Brady, Andrew Luck, Tua Tagovailoa and now Watson.
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