Three Takeaways from Bears' loss to Bills |
Another preseason is in the books for the Chicago Bears, leaving some fans underwhelmed. Coming after a terrible 2022 season and then having one of the better offseasons in the NFL, there are a ton of expectations in Chicago for the upcoming season, rightfully so.
Granted, most of those expectations will have to be tamed until the regular season starts; you still had the anticipation of the preseason and seeing what this new look team looked like. At times, the Bears looked like a team that could be a force this season, especially during their preseason-opening win. You also had times like on Sunday where it was more of the same as Justin Fields didn't look good in the Bears preseason finale, which doesn't bode well heading into the season. In his defense, he also didn't play much during the preseason, so it is hard to get into any consistent rhythm as a player when that happens. Still, a 1-2 mark differs from what the Bears were hoping for, as they now have two weeks until things get underway. Before we start to focus on the season ahead, we need to look back at what was the preseason finale and look at some of the things that stood out the most. Here are three takeaways from the Bears preseason finale against the Bills.
When the Bears traded away their No. 1 overall pick to the Carolina Panthers for DJ Moore and other assets, it was a surprising move but one the Bears felt they had to make. Take the days of Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey out of the equation, and this team hasn't had a legitimate No. 1 WR to throw to, which has hampered their passing game. Not only is Moore a No. 1, but he has a chance to be the best WR in Bears history if he can continue to produce at the level he has with Carolina. Throughout the preseason, you saw how explosive Moore can be as he hauled in a 62-yard screen pass touchdown in week one and then had another big play against the Bills. Moore will be a big-play machine this season and one that Luke Getsy will have a lot of fun with. For Fields to improve as a passer, a lot of that pressure will fall on the shoulders of Moore and how much he can bring to the table offensively. To bring some positivity to everyone from yesterday
When the Bears broke camp, they had four QBs on their roster, with three battling for the backup spot. Those three were PJ Walker, Nathan Peterman, and Tyson Bagent. Given the experience of Walker and Peterman, most felt it would come down to those two in terms of who earned the backup role. Well, after three preseason games, things have taken a drastic turn as Walker has not only been cut by the team, but it appears as if Matt Eberflus will give the backup job to Bagent. You can't blame him if he does, as the kid earned it based on how he played this preseason. Take away the first game when the Bears came out guns a-blazing with Fields under center, and Bagent has been the real story. The offense has been more consistent with him under center; they have looked better, and if you look at the stats, they have scored more points with him leading the offense than the other three. You also have his quote saying that he knows the entire playbook inside and out, making you love his confidence as a player. No one knows what the long-term outlook will be for Bagent, but they do know that he played well enough to land a spot on this roster. Should Fields ever get hurt this season, he will have a chance to prove the decision to keep him around was worth it. Every Tyson Bagent drop back against the Bills #Bears pic.twitter.com/MA3KWGTXS2
Just when you thought the Bears pass rush would be significantly better, it may take another huge hit. Before the Saturday game, there were reports coming out of Chicago that DE Trevis Gipson isn't happy and has requested a trade. Shortly after, those reports came to the surface, and now the Bears are willing to look into trade partners to honor his request. This could be a considerable loss to this defense if a trade happens, as Gipson was supposed to pair with Yannick Ngakoue to improve what was a horrendous pass rush last season. Should Gipson be on the way out, it puts more attention on Ngakoue, making it harder for him to get to the QB, which is what he is getting paid to do. On the flip side, the loss of Gipson will land the Bears a day-three draft pick while also giving some of their younger guys on this roster a chance to prove themselves with a more prominent role. Ultimately, the future of this defense is not on Gipson but instead with some of those younger pieces, so this may be the best direction for both parties. Top-5 graded Bears for Saturday's preseason finale, via @PFF 1. DJ Moore is going to be special
DJ Moore is a Chicago Bear
And he’s going to do this, a lot pic.twitter.com/iav3ncMUOb2. Tyson Bagent deserves the backup job
3. What to make of the Trevis Gipson situation
1. Trevis Gipson 83.0
2. DJ Moore 80.6
3. Kendall Williamson 78.7
4. Michael Ojemudia 76.5
5. D'Onta Foreman 75.1
Other notables:
Tyson Bagent 64.5
Justin Fields 57.5
Roschon Johnson 55.8
Ja'Tyre Carter 72.3
Braxton…
