Roquan and Monty Get Some Respect, Rookies Run Wild, Ready to Be Healthy, and Other Bears Bullets

Aug 15, 2022

You might not see me as active as I’d usually be on a Monday, because I have some family business to attend to today. All I ask is for some positive thoughts and vibes.

Today is a good day to play catchup if you were missing out on the preseason shenanigans from over the weekend. Josh Schrock (NBCS Chicago), Chris Emma (670 The Score), Mark Potash (Sun-Times), Brad Biggs (Tribune), Kevin Fishbain (The Athletic), and Brendan Sugrue (Bears Wire) have a collection of thoughts, grades, observations, and more about what went down on Saturday.

And so do we, FYI.

Considering Ryan Poles’ desire to build through the NFL Draft, seeing that his first class of rookies made a strong first impression in the preseason opener is the best thing to happen this weekend.

Running back Trestan Ebner ripped off a 27-yard run and scored the first touchdown.
Safety Jaquan Brisker made four tackles on a day that also included one tackle-for-loss and a pass breakup.
Braxton Jones looked the part of a starting-caliber left tackle, albeit in a small sample of plays.
Defensive end Dominique Robinson came up with a sack. As did defensive tackle Micah Dew-Treadway.
Linebacker Jack Sanborn, a top UDFA signing, came up with one fumble recovery, an interception, and a pass breakup.

All that without mentioning the punter, Trenton Gill, who had three punts downed inside the 20. The last thing I want is a Bears punter getting a ton of work. Because if that’s the case, it means the Bears offense isn’t scoring. But if he is pinning opposing offenses deep, then that’s a net win. Patrick O’Whonow?

I don’t want to get too far out ahead of my skis after just one preseason game. But that’s seven splash plays for rookies off the top of my head. And we didn’t even get to see Kyler Gordon suit up, as Chicago’s *OTHER* second-round pick was out due to an undisclosed injury. His time to shine will come soon enough. If he is anything like his fellow rookies, then watch out!

If you’re looking for something to root on while also seeking to make a wager showing that you’re willing to put your money where your mouth is, DraftKings Sports Book has Brisker as a 50/1 long shot to win the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award. A 99-cent bet pays out $50.49 if Brisker wins it.

This is impressive and I’m glad ESPN’s Jordan Reid shared this:

This sequence by #Bears rookie safety Jaquan Brisker is one of my favorites so far this preseason. Gives a snapshot of his overall value and range on the back end. pic.twitter.com/mBKCk8vXKf— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) August 14, 2022

It wasn’t all good for the rookies, mind you. And that’s … fine. Preseason games are as much about teachable moments and growth as anything else. With that in mind, I’d like to see rookie offensive linemen Doug Kramer and Zachary Thomas step their respective games up. Kramer was the lowest-graded Bears player in Preseason Week 1 with a 36.3 grade from Pro Football Focus. Thomas wasn’t too far behind him with a 48.7 grade. The thing about starting at the bottom is that there is nowhere to go but up. Alyssa Barbieri (Bears Wire) rounds up the best of the rest of the PFF grades.

Between Michael Schofield getting bull-rushed on a sack and the unsightly grades from a pair of rookies on the interior part of the line, maybe Teven Jenkins should get some run at right guard? Just a thought.

It was refreshing to see a pair of Bears veteran players get some love:

Roquan Smith checkin' in at No. 84 in the #NFLTop100 👏 pic.twitter.com/MjefQ6aJeI
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 15, 2022

🗣️ YESSIRSKI@MontgomerDavid makes his #NFLTop100 debut at No. 98 pic.twitter.com/VRpqM5jW1Y
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 15, 2022

Seeing Roquan Smith and David Montgomery making the list was refreshing, particularly after the week of Bears drama we had around these parts. And sometimes, that small bit of good news can really do wonders for the brain waves. Good for them. They’ve earned it with their play in recent years.

There is often so much hand-wringing over the NFL’s Top-100 list, but I’m starting to learn to love it. Or at least parts of it. This isn’t some scientific poll or expected forecast of what is coming down the pipeline this year. Instead, it is a poll of players who chime in with the players the rank in the highest standing. So, for me, the takeaway is that the players who come on enough lists to make the top-100 are those who are getting the most respect from their peers. And, to me, that means something.

I found myself thinking about a Monty extension this morning. But when I was browsing through his stat pages, I was struggling to figure out what it could look like from both ends. After all, having just one 1,000-yard rushing season probably is a sticking point in negotiations. But I suppose Montgomery could counter by highlighting things that aren’t in box scores. Sometimes, folks overlook intangibles and un-measurables when teams and fans talk shop about extensions. Which probably dings Monty a little. That guy has work ethic, intangibles and leadership qualities teams tend to rave about. Maybe there is a middle ground to be found there?

It feels like forever ago when Kellen Mond was checking in ahead of Justin Fields on QB ranking lists. Can’t say we’ll be seeing that again any time soon:

The Kellen Mond experience pic.twitter.com/NOjYe9l51R
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) August 14, 2022

And for what it’s worth, Chris Simms offered up a mea culpa for overlooking Justin Fields the way he did. Making those rankings in the first place is bold enough. But to bite down and own up to it when your assessments aren’t on point takes some real gumption. And for what it’s worth, Fields jumped SIXTEEN spots in Simms’ preseason rankings ahead of the 2022 campaign. The arrow is clearly pointing up for QB1 in Chicago.

The Packers are getting healthy at the right time, with NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reporting that OL Elgton Jenkins, TE Robert Tonyan, and rookie WR Christian Watson are set to come off the PUP list.

I see someone’s social media team leader felt like poking the Bear this morning:

Number of 30+ Yard Pass TD in NFL career:

Odell Beckham 2
Tua Tagovailoa 1 pic.twitter.com/MvmWha4sra
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) August 15, 2022

And all of a sudden, I’m remembering this:

Tarik Cohen TD pass to Zach Miller. #Bears pic.twitter.com/d35HaF9mSD
— ChiCitySports.Com (@ChiCitySports23) October 15, 2017

Zach Miller with the touchdown catch from Bears rookie … Tarik Cohen? https://t.co/WMDmfRbnZl pic.twitter.com/t8HKP0eiKt— The MMQB (@theMMQB) October 15, 2017

I’m glad folks are catching on to the awesome sauce that is Edwin Díaz’s closer entrance.

Look who’s on the comeback trail:

Cubs Outfield Prospect Brennen Davis is Expected to Be Back in Game Action This Week!https://t.co/7S70WmX4Qu pic.twitter.com/bulwD10V8x— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) August 15, 2022

How RUDE!?

Giannis toying with our hearts after breaking them in the playoffs is pure evil 😭 https://t.co/VBFFR7Tm0X
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) August 15, 2022

written by

Luis C. Medina

Luis C. Medina, who you can find on Twitter at lcm1986, has been covering the Chicago Bears at Bleacher Nation since 2017. Since then, he has written about 3 head coaches, 5 play-callers, and 11 starting quarterbacks. Previously, Luis wrote about the Cubs and MLB at BN (2015-16) and worked in the Chicago Tribune sports department (2011-16). He also co-hosted a Cubs postgame show, Outside the Ivy, in 2019.

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