Bear Digest

Winners and Losers from Week 2 Bears Preseason Victory

Analysis: Wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. reached paydirt in his running back debut and Caleb Williams' passing was a hit but there were Bears who came away losers despite an easy win.

Gene Chamberlain

Wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. burns around left end to the end zone for a touchdown against the Bills after lining up as a running back.
Wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. burns around left end to the end zone for a touchdown against the Bills after lining up as a running back. / Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
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Success can come to those who play in the NFL.

Not much good can result from not playing.

This much should never have been more evident than when Bears coach Matt Eberflus last week addressed the situation with guard Nate Davis, after he aggravated a soft tissue injury.

"It was individual and then some reps, and then he felt it again," Eberflus said. "He's dealing with some soft tissue stuff, so we had bring him back down. We'll start that (healing) process over and see where it goes."

This didn't trigger much optimism about the line being able to solidify with Davis in it by the start of the regular season, even if it is still four weeks away.

"Certainly we want to get it solidified, but sometimes injury plays into that where you get opportunity and position flex based on that," Eberflus said. "Everybody is not healthy all the time. But yeah, for sure we want the consistency to be there as fast as we can."

They looked pretty solidified and consistent on the line in the game with Buffalo. Only in a short-yardage situation did the offensive line really fail. They did it without Davis' backup, center competitor Ryan Bates on the field. He has an injury and Eberflus described it after Saturday's game as not serious.

When he's back, he would play for Davis but Matt Pryor had an excellent game instead and the line's subs all played well.

So the words by Eberflus were necessary earlier in the week about a player who the Bears paid a $30 million deal to over three years, including $17.5 million guaranteed.

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"If a person's out for an extended period of time and the player that's in that position is playing very well, at a starter level, and doing a good job there, then you create the competition," Eberflus said. "You say, 'hey, there's a competition.'

"People say you cant lose a job because of injury. I don't think that's true. I think if the guy that's playing there gives our team a good look and a good benefit for him being in that position, then it's a competition. Or the other guy could take it over. That's not just at guard. That's at all positions."

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Hey, there's competition.

Davis is an unlikely cut victim because he would count too much against the Bears salary cap. He'd count $10.7 million in dead cap space and they would realize a savings of only $602,941 according to Overthecap.com. If cut before next season, they could save $9.5 million and would eat only $2 million of dead cap space.

This in mind, here's who the winners and losers were from Bears preseason Game 2.

Winners

QB Caleb Williams

He didn't need the vote of confidence but earned one all the same. It was as brilliant an 18-play debut could be considering he didn't lead a touchdown drive. Being able to get out of tough situations through the air was a trait they lacked with Justin Fields at quarterback. Williams showed third-down moxie both with his arm and legs, rather than just his legs.

DE Austin Booker

He didn't show up much last week despite being active. But in this one Booker had a healthy number of reps (32) and was everywhere. He tied for second-most tackles with five. He produced 2 1/2 sacks, two tackles for loss and three QB hits.

DE Daniel Hardy

The former Rams edge rusher got in for almost the same number of snaps as Booker (31) and had the same number of sacks (2 1/2). He also had two tackles for loss.

DE Khalid Kareem

Hardy and Booker played so well it overshadowed Kareem but he definitely improved his stock with four tackles, a sack and a pass deflection, along with a tackle for loss.

RB D'Andre Swift

The burst he displayed after catching the flipped screen pass from Caleb Williams made it clear why the Bears sought him in free agency rather than just sticking with Khalil Herbert as a starter.

C Coleman Shelton

Against a good defensive front, he struck a blow in the battle for starting center. They didn't have the false start penalties plaguing them in training camp and he helped in the wide zone blocking they used. With Ryan Bates unable to play due to an injury, Shelton took full advantage.

S Kevin Byard

The Bears starting secondary wasn't on the field. They were missing three of the five starters and also top backup cornerback Terell Smith as a result of injuries. As veteran safety, Byard was the man organizing the group that was playing and got their communications up to speed well enough to hold the Bills first- and second-team offense in check in the short time they faced Josh Allen, as well as during the start of Mitchell Trubisky's playing time.

LB Micah Baskerville

The interception and pick-6 made him one of the defensive heroes of the game as he turned it into a blowout.  Baskerville is not a tall linebacker, possibly one of the league's shortest, but he is making in-roads toward earning a roster spot after he was on practice squad last year.

LB Amen Ogbongbemiga

He struggled in the first preseason game in pass coverage with his new team but in Saturday's game had a nice overall effort that included a team-high seven tackles, a sack and a pass deflection when he leaped and got a hand on the ball. He also had a special teams tackle.

G Matt Pryor

His position versatility has been praised. Their most massive offensive lineman stepped right back in at right guard and looked like he hadn't left it after he had practiced there throughout OTAs.

TE Tommy Sweeney

With two catches for 29 yards, including a 25-yarder, he continues to show he can be valuable as a fourth tight end or a practice squad tight end as he battles with Stephen Carlson and Brenden Bates.

TE Stephen Carlson

Definitely not to be outdone, Carlson made three catches to lead the team he had 18 yards on those, including a 10-yarder.

WR Velus Jones Jr.

A 5.7-yard average in his first attempt to play running back wasn't bad, and his 3-yard TD run showed he can run to daylight in a goal-line situation by using that 4.31-second speed. He had a 19-yard run and also hit up inside tackle hard on an inside run like a back would. Ironically, his worst play might have been at his primary use from last year. He muffed a kickoff before picking it up and trying to advance it.

QB Tyson Bagent

He wasn't given much chance the first preseason game but did direct a 59-yard touchdown drive to a 13-3 lead in this one.

RB Ian Wheeler

Two touchdowns and a game-high 43 yards rushing is quite a bit different than in the first game, when he couldn't play due to injury. The undrafted rookie ran with power and speed on his 7-yard and 8-yard TDs, and also broke off a 21-yard run.

Losers

G Nate Davis

Out of sight, out of mind. But the guard position isn't out of anyone's mind. It's a linked situation and the Bears will look at others there if Davis is out. The longer this injury situation persists, the more likely he'd start the season on injured reserve. Pryor's impressive play as a backup and the ability of Bates to play right guard makes Davis' situation a difficult one.

LB Noah Sewell

One of the Bears who has spent all of camp riding stationary bikes and not practicing. While he's been away, Ogbongbemiga and Baskerville have made strides toward being the top backups after the three starters in the base package. Sewell really only played special teams last year and the longer he's out now the more likely his role would be that again or even worse.

QB Brett Rypien

Not that he had a poor effort but he threw for only 10 yards and had a completion while Tyson Bagent showed he is alive and well in the backup QB battle with a 5-for-8 effort for 47 yards.

WR DeAndre Carter

The reason Carter appears among losers is not of his own making. He had a chance to make it very apparent he is the best punt returner and couldn't do it because he was knocked out of the game early by a cheap shot along the sidelines from Kendall Williamson, the former Bears safety who is trying to make Buffalo's roster. He came back briefly later. It drew a 15-yard penalty, and Carter left got in only seven plays. It probably didn't help him to let the first punt by the Bills hit the ground and get downed inside the 5.

LS Cameron Lyons

The operation on a PAT miss by Cairo Santos was off and the long snapper is always going to get scrutiny. Lyons is on the roster due to an injury to regular long snapper Patrick Scales.

WR Collin Johnson

Who? How quickly they forget.

It was only nine days earlier when he lit it up with two TD catches. But missing the game Saturday with an apparent injury and it's out of sight, out of mind.

Twitter: BearsOnSI

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.