Chicago Bears rookie working again Roschon Johnson had one of many largest video games of his NFL profession final week in a 12-10 win in opposition to the Minnesota Vikings.
With D’Onta Foreman out with ankle and shin accidents and Khalil Herbert nonetheless getting again to his previous self after an ankle difficulty, Johnson obtained extra work than he had all season. The 2023 fourth-round select of Texas performed 74% of the offensive snaps — his earlier excessive was 45% — and logged a career-high 10 carries for 35 yards and 5 catches for 40 yards because the Bears utilized their display screen and brief passing recreation.
There was loads of good to see from Johnson’s efficiency. A clip of him taking out two Vikings defenders whereas defending quarterback Justin Fields went viral after the sport. But coach Matt Eberflus additionally famous there have been “a couple of hiccups” in cross safety in opposition to the high-pressure protection.
Johnson performed a component in two of the Vikings’ three sacks of Fields. He whiffed in opposition to linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. on one. And within the fourth quarter, security Josh Metellus pushed Johnson apart to assist gradual Fields as Danielle Hunter stripped the quarterback of the soccer.
“He’s still a rookie and he’s got a lot of situations that he hasn’t seen yet in real time and game situations,” Eberflus stated. “But he’s a heck of a worker, super smart. He’s a tough guy and he’s one of our better protectors, so he’ll continue to work on that.”
Eberflus has talked rather a lot this season concerning the studying curves for Bears rookies. Of the ten gamers drafted, eight have obtained important alternatives over the primary 12 video games and two are full-time starters. An undrafted rookie made an enormous contribution midseason.
And like with Johnson’s recreation Monday, there have been numerous good moments — and numerous hiccups the rookies have tried to handle.
“It’s one thing to react to something in the heat of the moment,” Eberflus stated. “I at all times inform guys that it’s important to step again after the efficiency and take a look at it along with your coach with a transparent eye after which actually look to enhance on that.
“Because there are a lot of things that can come at you if you pay attention to too many things, and what’s important is what’s on tape and what you and your coach are saying about the fundamentals. Then you go right to the practice field and work on those fundamentals and techniques.”
As the Bears return from their bye week to arrange for Sunday’s recreation in opposition to the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field, right here’s a take a look at how the rookies have fared via 12 video games.
The first-round choose
When offensive line coach Chris Morgan spoke with reporters after the primary Lions recreation, he pointed to the identical mandate for Darnell Wright as he has all season: consistency.
Wright, the No. 10 choose within the 2023 draft, put collectively a powerful efficiency in opposition to the Lions and Aidan Hutchinson, the most recent in a protracted line of elite cross rushers Wright has battled.
But on the Bears’ final offensive play, whereas trailing the Lions 29-26, Hutchinson compelled his well past Wright to strip Fields of the ball. As Wright tried to get to the soccer, he kicked it out of the again of the top zone for a security. The Lions received 31-26.
“He has to stay on his angle a little bit more, use his length like we know he can and cup that side,” Morgan stated. “It’s frustrating because there’s … 60 plays, 70 plays and they all count. He did a really good job (for most of the game). But they all count. He’s going to learn from that.”
Wright has had loads of these studying moments this season, together with in his second flip in opposition to the heavy Vikings rush. Pro Football Focus stated he allowed three pressures and was graded at 59.1, about in the course of his weekly grades this season.
In naming Wright to ESPN’s all-youngster group — made from the highest gamers who’re beneath 24 — analyst Matt Miller stated Wright has run cold and warm: “He has allowed nine sacks — but his flashes in the run game are dominant with a win rate of 77%.”
PFF lists Wright as having allowed six sacks. Wright is also worst amongst Bears gamers with 10 penalties, based on Pro Football Reference. But Miller added that “the traits are there for him to become a star.”
“It’s about experiences,” Morgan stated. “And because of the type of competitor he is, it’s only going to make him stronger and make him better. The goal is that it will never happen again. When something happens to you, you fix it and learn from it and move down the road.”
The cornerbacks
When second-round choose Tyrique Stevenson suffered a foot harm on the Walter Payton Center two days earlier than the Vikings recreation, it was unlucky timing. Stevenson was coming off a recreation in opposition to the Lions wherein he had his first profession interception and a compelled fumble on particular groups.
But the Bears didn’t flinch as a result of they’d one other promising rookie prepared. Terell Smith, whom the Bears picked within the fifth spherical out of Minnesota, jumped in to make his third begin instead of Stevenson.
Smith began for cornerback Jaylon Johnson earlier within the season earlier than lacking 5 video games with mononucleosis, after which he rotated in to get snaps in opposition to the Lions. Eberflus wasn’t stunned when the Vikings tried to assault Smith early and infrequently.
They accomplished 7 of 8 passes for 45 yards and a 90.1 passer ranking in opposition to Smith, based on PFF, however Eberflus stated he thought Smith was sturdy and tackled effectively. He led the Bears with eight tackles.
“He’s mature beyond his years,” Eberflus stated earlier than the sport. “He takes things in stride. He takes coaching really well. … He really soaks everything in. He’s technique-sound, fundamentally sound and he’s got really good speed. We like his size, being able to play against bigger receivers.”
Eberflus stated he hopes Stevenson will return from his harm this season. The second-round choose has seven passes defended and 61 tackles with a 112.5 passer ranking in opposition to him in 11 video games, based on Pro Football Reference.
Before the Lions recreation, cornerbacks coach Jon Hoke recalled the ups and downs of former Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller throughout his rookie season. He stated Stevenson additionally has skilled that, noting he was inconsistent in opposition to the New Orleans Saints however performed effectively in opposition to the Carolina Panthers. Then he had his huge recreation in opposition to the Lions.
“You’ll see really good flashes, and then you’ll see some plays where you’re going to be a little disappointed in him,” Hoke stated. “But as long as he keeps playing physical, because that’s who he is and he needs to play that way. If he starts playing soft, it’s not good. For a rookie, where is that? Where do I fit? He’s still trying to figure it out.”
Eberflus spoke extremely of Stevenson’s capacity to maneuver on from dangerous moments.
“You have to keep learning and put it in your file so you become a better pro,” Eberflus stated. “What’s really good about him is he plays one play at a time. He flushes the play and goes to the next one — good, bad or indifferent.”
The defensive tackles
Gervon Dexter wasn’t able to say he’s happy with the place he’s via 12 video games. But the three-technique deal with, picked within the second spherical, is joyful he’s making progress, one thing he attributes to being a wiser participant — each understanding the sport and how one can make the most of himself inside it.
“Just reading my keys and understanding what’s happening to me, what type of blocks I’m getting or where the slide is going and things like that,” he stated. “Just getting a little more knowledge for the game, a little more feel for the game as well.”
Dexter was speaking after he made some huge performs in opposition to the Lions. He had two quarterback hits and 4 pressures and likewise deflected a cross linebacker Tremaine Edmunds intercepted whereas taking part in a season-high 48% of the defensive snaps.
Dexter’s taking part in time has fluctuated because the Bears stay dedicated to a defensive position rotation that features veteran tackles Justin Jones and Andrew Billings with Dexter and third-round choose Zacch Pickens. He logged simply 20 snaps in opposition to the Vikings, with one quarterback hit but additionally a roughing-the-passer penalty. Overall he has seven quarterback hits and two passes defended, and Eberflus had seen sufficient to declare earlier than the Vikings recreation that Dexter is “really doing a good job.”
“He’s getting his pads down,” Eberflus stated. “He’s taking huge steps. The strategy is sweet. The steps towards the quarterback, every part’s pointing towards the quarterback — his toes, his hips. And he’s actually attacking the road of scrimmage.
“He’s playing with length. The centers or the guards, they’re typically not as long, and for him to play with that length there is really impressive. And when he does it right, it looks right because you have a big man denting the pocket and the vision of the quarterback now is diminished.”
Meanwhile, Pickens has 16 tackles, a deal with for a loss, a half-sack, a quarterback hit and a compelled fumble whereas taking part in 23% of the defensive snaps in 12 video games.
Dexter stated his strategy has been to give attention to incremental enhancements.
“Of course (the Lions game) helps my confidence, but I’m just trying to get a percentage better each game, each week,” Dexter stated. “So even if I hadn’t played well that game, just get better each week.”
The offensive ability
Fields has voiced assist for greater than one of many Bears rookies during the last couple of weeks, together with Johnson after the Vikings recreation.
Johnson has 54 carries for 232 yards and a landing and 24 catches for 131 yards, and Fields stated he’s at all times attempting to enhance.
“His work ethic is unmatched,” Fields stated. “You just see him working every day, grinding it out and just getting others around him better too. It’s really awesome to see him growing and getting better each and every week.”
Fields additionally provided encouraging phrases to large receiver Tyler Scott earlier than the Vikings recreation after Scott had a tough outing per week earlier. Against the Lions, Scott fumbled after a second-quarter catch and likewise misjudged a Fields deep ball that he couldn’t catch because the Bears had been attempting to hold on to their fourth-quarter lead.
Scott, a fourth-round choose, has 10 catches for 81 yards and 6 carries for 44 yards. He additionally has 5 kickoff returns for 108 yards. He hasn’t had greater than two catches in a recreation and wasn’t focused in opposition to the Vikings.
“I’m not losing faith in him one game, two games, however many games,” Fields stated. “I’m going to maintain going again to him. He’s going to be an incredible receiver. He has numerous room to develop and he’s gifted even now. He’s made numerous performs for us this yr on offense, particular groups. He’s a speedster. Not many DBs can sustain with him.
“He had a tough game, but we’ve all had tough games. I’ve had a lot of tough games. It does nothing but make me better, make him better. At the end of the day, he’s a hard worker. He’s not going to let one, two, three games define who he is as a player. I have full faith in Tyler. Everybody else does too.”
Scott stated after the sport he must proceed to log reps so he doesn’t make the error of misjudging a cross like that from Fields once more.
“Tyler will make that the next time we give him that opportunity,” offensive coordinator Luke Getsy stated.
The shock
No participant’s contribution was extra surprising than that of undrafted rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent, who went from taking part in at Division II Shepherd to beginning 4 video games for the Bears when Fields was out with a dislocated proper thumb.
Bagent confirmed he no less than is usually a succesful backup within the NFL as he helped the Bears to a 2-2 document. He accomplished 94 of 143 passes for 859 yards with three touchdowns, six interceptions, 5 sacks and three fumbles. The spotlight got here when he led a 30-12 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in his first profession begin; the lowlight was when he dedicated 4 turnovers in a loss to the Saints.
Eberflus stated he noticed Bagent develop in dealing with a rowdy highway setting early within the Saints recreation earlier than the sloppy second half. And he appreciated that he protected the soccer the following week in opposition to the Panthers.
“We never put a ceiling on players, but we certainly like where his floor is,” Eberflus stated. “Guys can grow into certain spaces that they didn’t even think they could. So you have to give them that opportunity, but we certainly like where he is right now.”
Among different Bears draft picks, linebacker Noah Sewell, a fifth-rounder, has performed in 10 video games, totally on particular groups, with eight tackles and a compelled fumble. He has been out the final two video games with a knee harm.
Safety Kendall Williamson, a seventh-round choose, is on the Bears apply squad. The Atlanta Falcons signed defensive lineman Travis Bell, additionally a seventh-rounder, off the Bears apply squad.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com