Tag: Dominique Robinson

Trevis Gipson thanks Bears fans for support after being cut

The Bears cut Trevis Gipson, who took to social media to thank the fan base for their support.

The Chicago Bears announced their initial 53-man roster, where defensive end Trevis Gipson was among the surprise cuts.

Shortly after the roster was revealed, Gipson took to Twitter (X) to thank the Bears fanbase in a farewell post.

Bears Nation, I have been released and now looking forward to my next step! I appreciate all the love and support/memories!! Thank you to the fullest! Much love to the city of Chicago and you’ll forever have a spot in my heart!

The Bears’ controversial decision to release Gipson bookends an eventful week revolving around the four-year veteran. During Chicago’s final preseason, a report surfaced that revealed Gipson had requested a trade from the Bears.

Gipson’s production in that game added to the speculation that Gipson was adding to his trade value with a strong preseason, creating the expectation that he would be traded instead of cut.

Gipson pushed back against the report soon after he addressed his release, stating in another post that he “never requested a trade.”

No matter how accurate the report was, the truth of the matter is Gipson is no longer with the Bears, and his departure leaves a major hole in the defensive end position. Chicago’s prospects of getting to the quarterback consistently already looked bleak, and the team deciding to cut Gipson only further cripples the position.

The Bears now have no impact pass-rusher outside of newly signed Yannick Ngakoue and DeMarcus Walker. The team will now predominantly rely on Ngakoue, Walker, Dominique Robinson, Rasheem Green and Terrell Lewis.

The waiver wire could be the short-term answer for the team, as it can be expected the Bears will attempt to claim several players. Chicago has the number one waiver priority, which essentially means they get first pick of any player they want.

While the Bears may remedy the situation, the defensive line is looking like the weakest position on the team.

[afflinkbutton text=”Bears’ initial 53-man roster” link=”https://bearswire.usatoday.com/lists/chicago-bears-initial-53-man-roster-2023-season/”]

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7 best Bears players who aren’t going to make the 53-man roster

With final roster cuts upon us, here are the best players who probably won’t make the Bears’ initial 53-man roster.

Preseason is in the rearview mirror, and the NFL regular season is less than two weeks away. The small amount of time between is a period of speculation, predictions, and building anticipation for a long 17-game year.

Before we reach that point however, every NFL roster has to be trimmed down to 53 players before the season starts. That means the Chicago Bears have many hard decisions to make in the next 24 hours, as Tuesday is the deadline for roster cuts.

Both the young, talented, but unproven, players and the hardened veterans of the team are not invulnerable to cut day, and players across the spectrum will be bidding Chicago farewell.

With that being said, let’s discuss the seven best Bears players who will be cut on Tuesday.

Note: This list includes players who have already been released.

5 Bears players who impressed on Day 13 of training camp

Here a few Bears players who stood out during the team’s final public practice of training camp.

Believe it or not, Chicago Bears training camp 2023 is already coming to a close. The Bears held their final public training camp practice of the season on Thursday, two days before they take on the Tennessee Titans in the preseason opener. After that, one more closed practice will take place on Monday before the team heads to Indianapolis for their joint practices with the Colts.

Following a lengthy and spirited practice the day before, head coach Matt Eberflus dialed things back a little bit on Thursday with a shorter session. But it was still one that featured plenty of plays from the defense, particularly on the line.

Here are a few players who stood out from the Bears’ final open training camp practice.

How DE Yannick Ngakoue changes the Bears defense

The Bears are signing DE Yannick Ngakoue, filling a hole on the defensive line that completely changes Chicago’s defense.

It’s been speculated. Rumored. Anticipated. And Bears general manager Ryan Poles delivered.

The Bears are signing defensive end Yannick Ngakoue to a one-year, $10.5 million deal, and it was just the jolt of adrenaline that Bears fans were hoping for while they were watching the Hall of Fame game.

The Chicago faithful’s concerns for the team’s pass-rushing ability in the upcoming season instantly vanished, giving way to thoughts of how devastating a now enhanced defense will be with the addition of Ngakoue. That mental exercise is one worth undertaking, because the defensive end’s arrival to Chicago doesn’t just benefit the front four unit; it changes the way the rest of the defense will attack opposing offenses on Sundays.

Let’s address the obvious: Ngakoue will have a huge impact on the Bears’ ability to get to the quarterback. He made a name for himself disrupting the pocket and making life hell for signal callers. Ngakoue has recorded 65 sacks since joining the league in 2016, tied for seventh most in the NFL.

While chasing around quarterbacks will be Ngakoue’s calling card, he will contribute so much more to the team. Ngakoue will be to the defense what D.J. Moore is to the offense: a cataclysmic variable that both the opponent’s players and coaches will need to game plan for.

Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams must be salivating now that he has Ngakoue, because the amount of creative and complex plays he can call has just drastically increased. Stunts, bluffs, blitzes; all of these concepts and more suddenly have a much higher chance of working due to the threat of Ngakoue on the edge.

Offensive lines will overcompensate to eliminate him from the play, allowing the Bears defensive lineman to face less resistance as a result. If players like Trevis Gipson, DeMarcus Walker, and Dominique Robinson end up having a surprisingly productive year, Ngakoue will be the one they thank.

It’s important to note Ngakoue’s presence has an added effect when it comes to playbooks: while Alan Williams has more options with the edge rusher, the opposition’s playbook changes completely. Picture this: it’s week one, Bears vs. Packers, the bad guys receive the kickoff. First and 10 at the 25-yard line. Jordan Love takes the under-center snap, pivots for the handoff, ball fake, hits his backfoot, looks down the field… and all he sees is a face full of Yannick Ngakoue. Love is sacked, derailing the drive, allowing the Bears to get the ball back.

What’s the plan then for Green Bay offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich? Does he continue to draw up long passing plays for Love, risking another Ngakoue sighting in the backfield? No, the plan changes. The Packers offense would now consist of quick passes, shotgun runs, RPO’s, etc. This in turn makes their offense become one dimensional, giving Bears defenders a shot at reading the play and creating a turnover. That is what’s called the Yannick Ngakoue effect.

The phenomenon isn’t just a fantasy, either – the Bears practiced this philosophy when Khalil Mack was pile-driving offensive lineman in year’s past. Mack completely shut down facets of opposing offenses, as did other great pass-rushers like Joey Bosa, T.J. Watt and Micah Parsons. Is Ngakoue on the same level of those premier edges? Not in terms of talent, but he definitely can conjure that same effect on his opponents.

The Bears filled what may be the biggest hole on the team with the signing of Ngakoue and the effect will quickly be evident come the regular season. While the signing likely won’t move the needle when it comes to wins, it will in the very least allow for the 2023 Bears to reach their full potential.

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Bears 2023 training camp preview: Edge rusher

Next up in our Bears training camp preview is edge rusher, which is arguably the weakest position group on the roster.

Chicago Bears training camp is less than a month away, so it’s time to start looking ahead at the roster the team is bringing to Lake Forest.

We’re unveiling our Bears 2023 training camp position previews, breaking down every player by position and examining the group’s biggest question.

Up next are the edge rushers, a noted weakness of the Bears’ defense. After finishing last in the NFL with 20 sacks, Chicago signed veterans DeMarcus Walker and Rasheem Green.

The Bears will aim to be two-deep at each position. Unless something changes, rookies D’Anthony Jones and Jalen Harris are probably fighting for the last roster spot. The winner will likely be the better pass rusher.

Here’s a closer look at the Bears’ edge rushers heading into training camp:

30 Most Important Bears of 2023: No. 27 Dominique Robinson

Our next player in our Most Important Bears series is Dominique Robinson, who could be a sneaky candidate to have a breakout season.

The Chicago Bears are gearing up for the 2023 NFL season, which features plenty of new and returning faces within the organization. There are a number of players, coaches and front office members that are crucial to the team’s success this season.

Every day from now until the start of training camp, we’re counting down our 30 Most Important Bears for the 2023 season. We’ll recap their 2022 season, look ahead to 2023 and tackle the biggest question facing them this year.

Coming in at No. 27 is defensive end Dominique Robinson, who has a golden opportunity to take a big step in his second season.

Winners and losers following the Bears 2023 draft

Who got a boost from the Bears draft class and who could lose their spot? Here are our winners and losers following the Bears 2023 draft.

The dust is finally starting to settle after the 2023 NFL Draft and the Chicago Bears have 10 new players they selected over the course of three days who will hopefully become key contributors as early as this upcoming season. General manager Ryan Poles sought to fill key position groups on the team, specifically offensive and defensive line and he followed through. The picks were as follows:

  • Tackle Darnell Wright (first round, pick No. 10)
  • Defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. (second round, pick No. 53)
  • Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (second round, pick No. 56)
  • Defensive tackle Zacch Pickens (third round, pick No. 64)
  • Running back Roschon Johnson (fourth round, pick No. 115)
  • Wide receiver Tyler Scott (fourth round, pick No. 133)
  • Linebacker Noah Sewell (fifth round, pick No. 148)
  • Cornerback Terell Smith (fifth round, pick No. 165)
  • Defensive tackle Travis Bell (seventh round, pick No. 218)
  • Safety Kendall Williamson (seventh round, pick No. 258)

Of course it’s way too early to judge how any of these players will pan out, no matter how high or low they were selected. But we can begin looking at the veterans on the roster and how this draft class affects them. Here are the winners and losers now that the 2023 Bears draft class is set.

Bears 2023 NFL draft preview: Where does Chicago stand at DE?

Defensive end is the next focus in our Bears positional reviews, where the team is still looking for their star pass rusher.

The Chicago Bears have had a busy offseason, working to improve the team following their historic 3-14 run during the 2022 season during general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus’ first year with the team. Now going into Year 2, Poles and Eberflus are working to get the Bears back to relevancy and build a foundation that will eventually lead to postseason success.

Following their free agency frenzy, the Bears are setting their sights towards the 2023 NFL draft, which is quickly approaching. After initially winding up with the No. 1 overall pick, the Bears moved down to No. 9 following a lucrative trade with the Carolina Panthers. They will look to shore up certain positions such as offensive tackle and defensive line that still have glaring holes.

Here at Bears Wire, we’re going position by position to break down where Chicago stands entering the NFL draft. After looking at the offensive side of the ball, it’s time to turn our focus to defense. We begin with defensive end where the Bears are still searching for their star pass rusher.

Grading the Bears’ signing of DE Rasheem Green

The Bears made another low-risk move on the defensive line by signing DE Rasheem Green. Here is our initial grade of the deal.

The Chicago Bears took another stab at fortifying their defensive line on Thursday, signing former Houston Texans defensive end Rasheem Green to a one-year contract. Green is entering his sixth season as a pro, initially getting selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

Over the course of four seasons, Green was effective as a role player for the Seahawks. He notched at least four sacks in two of those years, having his best season in 2021 when he recorded 48 total tackles (six for a loss) with 6.5 sacks in his lone season as a full-time starter.

Green spent the 2022 season with the Texans where he was a rotational player. He totaled 42 tackles (five for a loss) along with 3.5 sacks in 16 games. Now he comes to the Bears in a similar capacity to help improve what was an abysmal pass rush in 2022. Here is our initial grade of the signing.

Bears 2022 rookie review: DE Dominique Robinson

While Dominique Robinson didn’t have a substantial impact in his rookie year, there’s reason to be optimistic about his development.

The Chicago Bears saw significant contributions from rookies on offense, defense and special teams during the 2022 season, whether it was from draft picks or undrafted free agents.

Fifth-round defensive end Dominique Robinson was always considered a project, as he’d spent just two years at the position after converting from wide receiver in college. While he didn’t have a substantial impact in this rookie year, there’s reasons to be optimistic for his continued development.

Let’s take a look back at Robinson’s rookie season and see what we can expect for the future.