The Chicago Bears kick off their 2019 preseason schedule against the Carolina Panthers Thursday night in a game that will offer fans a closer look at the depth of this roster heading into September.
Starters aren’t expected to play much if at all this summer, and the extra reps will provide backups and bubble players an opportunity to prove to GM Ryan Pace that they have something to offer on the 53-man squad.
Here are five player predictions for Chicago’s first preseason game of the summer.
David Montgomery flashes starter’s upside
Montgomery will be the main draw Thursday night. He’s the reason most Bears fans will get excited for the game, especially with the lack of star power that’s expected to suit up for either side.
In fact, Montgomery may be the only player who could potentially start in Week 1 against the Packers who plays this week. One could argue that James Daniels and Bilal Nichols need reps, but Nagy’s conservative approach will likely limit those opportunities.
I’d expect Montgomery to play around one half. I’d also expect him to receive around seven carries. He has to get used to the speed of NFL defenders and get a feel for how much quicker the hole closes in the pros. Getting seven, maybe eight carries would be good first exposure.
I’m bullish on Montgomery this season, and I think it begins Thursday. I wouldn’t be surprised if he averages five yards per carry and ends his night north of 35 rushing yards.
It’ll be interesting to see if Mike Davis gets some playing time, too. Both Montgomery and Davis figure to play a big role in Chicago’s rushing attack this season, and it’d be nice to get a feel for how the two can work into a game together.
Javon Wims brings the juice
The star of last year’s preseason is ready to reclaim his title. Wims has enjoyed a fantastic training camp and appears locked into the final roster at this point. Still, he’s blocked by four players on the depth chart and in order to secure regular season playing time, he needs to make a statement.
Don’t bet against him earning that playing time, too. He’s competing with more confidence and is proving he has a knack for the exceptional catch.
Wims will be targeted early and often in this one, and I’d expect nothing less than four catches for 65 yards and a potential red-zone touchdown.
Backup O-line exposed
Rashaad Coward is the top reserve at offensive tackle and he needs to prove to GM Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy that he can be trusted in the event either Bobby Massie or Charles Leno, Jr. goes down with an injury. Coward is still in the early years of his transition to the offensive line, so expect a few bumps in the road early in the preseason including Thursday night against the Panthers.
Even if he has a less-than-stellar showing against the Panthers, Coward represents the best reserve option Chicago has. They added T.J. Clemmings late in the offseason and list Cornelius Lucas as a second-teamer, but it’s Coward who will be the most important swing tackle this season (assuming he makes the team).
Dax Raymond proves why he was a coveted undrafted free agent
The former Utah State tight end hasn’t had the best training camp so far, but for some guys, the light flips on on game day instead of practice. And while that’s not an ideal trait for a young player whose trying to make the final roster, it is something I expect we’ll see from Raymond.
Raymond is in a training camp battle with Ian Bunting, Bradley Sowell and Ben Braunecker for a spot behind Trey Burton and Adam Shaheen and I have a feeling he’s going to make a few plays against the Panthers that prove why several teams tried to sign him immediately after the 2019 NFL draft concluded.
He’s a big body with soft hands who can be a really good weapon in this offense once he matures into an NFL player.
Raymond is a strong candidate to finish the game with three catches for 35 yards.
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