RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The Chicago Bears opened up the preseason with a blowout victory over the Cleveland Browns , winning 34-10 at Soldier Field. After a slow start in which the Browns went up 10-0, Chicago took control and never looked back, rattling off 34 unanswered points thanks to big passing plays, hard runs, and timely turnovers.
On offense, every starter did not participate, which meant quarterback Tyson Bagent and the reserves saw plenty of playing time. Bagent had a slow start but eventually found his groove with receivers such as Maurice Alexander and Kaden Davis to start moving the ball and scoring points. Case Keenum and Miller Moss followed suit, leading scoring drives of their own.
Defensively, we saw some starters get a few series, including first-round pick Dillon Thieneman. But it was the backups who made the most noise. Defensive lineman Jamree Kromah forced a fumble, while cornerback Beanie Bishop nabbed two interceptions in the second half to stifle any momentum from Cleveland.
Here are our takeaways from the decisive preseason win:
1. The Bears escaped with minimal injuries
This alone could be the one key takeaway of the day. The Bears are banged up at a number of positions, from defensive back to wide receiver, but they managed to get through the entire game with very few consequential injuries. As of now, the most concerning one is Xavier Woods, who suffered a groin injury and didn't return to the game. Other reserves such as linebackers Ruben Hyppolite and Nephi Sewell also were banged up.
We'll see how long Woods is out for, but with how injuries have been impacting the Bears during camp, things could have been much worse on the lakefront. We'll take that as a win.
2. Kiran Amegadjie outplayed Jedrick Wills
The biggest position battle taking place on Saturday was between tackles Kiran Amegadjie and Jedrick Wills as the Bears continue to sort out their left tackle position. Amegadjie got the start and performed fairly well while rotating in and out throughout the game. The same cannot be said for Wills, unfortunately.
The former first-round pick was ineffective, unable to hold down the left side when he was on the field. Wills' worst rep came in the second quarter when he was slow to react to Julian Okwara and escorted him into Bagent's neck for the sack. Interestingly enough, Wills didn't see much action as the game went on, though Amegadjie was playing into the fourth quarter. Either way, Amegadjie wins this round and could now have the leg up on Wills, while the Bears continue to get Braxton Jones back into the fold following a minor injury he suffered in camp.
3. The Bears are deep at wide receiver
The Bears had five wide receivers eclipse 30 receiving yards on Saturday against the Browns and none of them are guaranteed to make the team. With the top five receivers not playing, it was a chance for the backups to shine and did they ever. Kaden Davis continued his impressive training camp, leading the team with four catches for 88 yards (all in the first half), while Ray-Ray McCloud totaled 63 yards on three catches after arriving earlier this week.
Maurice Alexander and Scotty Miller got involved, while JP Richardson had a couple grabs as well. It goes to show how deep this group is to have this many players make an impact and what Ben Johnson's offense can do for pass catchers. Some of these players will be stashed on the practice squad and could see action if injuries become an issue. That will be critical through the regular season.
4. Jamree Kromah and James Lynch showed out on the defensive line
Perhaps the biggest position of concern for the Bears is the defensive line, which was near the bottom of the league in most metrics last season. Unfortunately, the team didn't do much to address the issues during the offseason by standing pat outside of a couple of depth additions. But maybe they found some quality players who can contribute on Sundays.
Defensive linemen James Lynch and Jamree Kromah were two of the stars up front on Saturday as each one made a massive impact by disrupting the Browns' offense. Lynch had a few pressure and battled balls at the line of scrimmage, while Kromah was a one-man wrecking crew. He totaled six tackles, three for loss, two QB hits, and two sacks on the day, while also stripping quarterback Deshaun Watson.
It will still be an uphill battle for one or both players to make the final 53-man roster, but they did a good job at making the decision difficult for the coaching staff. They have a good chance to follow it up next weekend against a poor Cincinnati Bengals offensive line.
5. Josh Blackwell is suited for special teams
Last season, the Bears had a number of injuries in the secondary that forced them to play musical chairs at multiple positions. One player who wasn't part of that mix, however, was special teams ace Josh Blackwell and now I think we know why.
Blackwell played much of the first half at outside cornerback and struggled mightily against the Browns' pass catchers. He missed multiple tackles while allowing big plays in the passing game, leading to the Browns' only scores of the day.
Blackwell is a special teams ace and should be counted on once again in that role. But if he needs to see reps on defense, the Bears are in trouble.
6. Salvon Ahmed made a strong case for RB3
We know the Bears have a dynamic duo at running back with D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai. What we don't know, however, is who will back them up. Maybe we're closer to finding out that answer after Saturday's game.
The Bears gave Roschon Johnson first crack at running back against the Browns, and while he made a few nice plays, it was Salvon Ahmed who stole the show. Ahmed carried the ball twice for 17 yards and made three catches for 55 yards, the most notable being a 49-yard screen that went for a touchdown in the third quarter. Ahmed had not played in any sort of game since 2...
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