Trestan Ebner – Syndication Server

Bears notebook: What we learned from Day 12 of training camp

The Bears had a long and physical practice on Wednesday. Our Brendan Sugrue was in attendance and shared his observations from Halas Hall.

The Chicago Bears preseason opener will be here before we know it and Wednesday’s practice served as a true tune-up for the game. The pads were back on and the Bears held their second-to-last public camp practice up at Halas Hall and it was a long one.

For just over two hours and 15 minutes, the Bears engaged in a physical practice packed with plenty of 11-on-11 drills. There was some good, some bad, and some concerning as the Bears lost a couple of key players to injuries.

For the second consecutive day, I was able to take in practice from the stands and here is what I observed and learned throughout the session.

8 Bears players on the roster bubble heading into training camp

These Bears players will need a strong camp to secure a spot on the initial 53-man roster.

Chicago Bears training camp is drawing closer each day and it’s only a matter of time before players report to Halas Hall and begin practicing. While fans are eager to see players such as Justin Fields, D.J. Moore, Tremaine Edmunds, and Jaquan Brisker, training camp will be vital for those near the bottom of the depth chart looking to make the initial 53-man roster.

From former first-round picks to undrafted free agents, everyone will need to do their part to earn a roster spot when practices get underway. Here are eight players on the roster bubble heading into camp that will be worth watching.

1 Bears player on the roster bubble at each position group

From veterans to rookies, here’s a look at one player on the roster bubble at each position group ahead of Bears training camp.

The Chicago Bears are gearing up for the start of training camp later this month, where they’ve compiled their 90-man roster ahead of the summer.

Chicago will have to narrow its roster from 90 players down to 53 following the preseason, and there are some players on the hot seat who will need to step it up or risk losing their chance at locking down a roster spot.

Whether it’s a veteran looking to keep his roster spot or a rookie looking to carve out a role, here’s a look at one player on the roster bubble at each position group ahead of Bears training camp:

Bears 2023 training camp preview: Running backs

Our next preview ahead of Bears training camp is running back, which looks to be the most intriguing position battle on the team.

Chicago Bears training camp is less than a month away, which means 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, where we’re breaking down every player by position and examining the biggest question facing the group.

Up next is running back, a position that looks drastically different than it did a year ago. Khalil Herbert is now the top rusher entering camp, but a few new acquisitions will be pushing him for touches.

The Bears signed veteran D’Onta Foreman in free agency and drafted Roschon Johnson, each looking to become the bell cow back in 2023.

Here’s a closer look at the Bears’ running backs heading into training camp:

Bears 2022 rookie review: RB Trestan Ebner

Bears RB Trestan Ebner was unable to take advantage of his opportunities in his rookie season.

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.

The Bears drafted running back Trestan Ebner in the sixth round, where the expectation was he’d contribute as a return specialist and a reserve on offense. Ebner showed promise during training camp and the preseason with his explosiveness, but it didn’t necessarily translate to the regular season.

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

Bears 2022 RB review: David Montgomery, Khalil Herbert help make history

Our next Bears position review is running back, which helped set the single-season team rushing record but looks uncertain going into 2023.

The Chicago Bears wrapped the 2022 season with a 3-14 record, which culminated in a 10-game losing streak. But there’s still reasons to be optimistic about the future, including a boatload of salary cap space, the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft and the emergence of quarterback Justin Fields.

Here at Bears Wire, we’re going position by position through the 2022 Bears and grading every player. Following the quarterbacks, our next group is running back, a position that contributed to the best rushing season for the Bears in team history with 3,014 yards, but looks uncertain heading into 2023.

Bye week grades for the Bears 2022 rookie draft class

The Chicago Bears won’t be taking the field this weekend due to their bye week, but it presents a good opportunity to evaluate their 11 draft picks they selected earlier this spring.

Some players have stood out in big ways, while others have disappointed despite getting numerous opportunities. And then there’s the other group that has seen just a few snaps here and there, waiting for their opportunity to make an impact.

After 13 games, here are our grades for the 2022 Bears draft class.

Bears elevate RB Darrynton Evans to active roster before Falcons game

With Khalil Herbert on IR, the Bears activated RB Darrynton Evans to the active roster ahead of Sunday’s matchup against the Falcons.

The Chicago Bears have activated running back Darrynton Evans to the active roster from the practice squad ahead of Sunday’s matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.

The move comes after Khalil Herbert landed on injured reserve this week after suffering a hip injury in last week’s loss to the Detroit Lions. He’ll miss at least the next four games, and is eligible to return in Week 16 against the Buffalo Bills. Bears coach Matt Eberflus sounded optimistic that he’ll return before the end of the season.

Evans, a former third-round pick by the Tennessee Titans, was claimed off waivers back in Match, where he’s been a practice squad mainstay for the first 10 games.

In Herbert’s absence, David Montgomery will carry the workload with rookie Trestan Ebner also expected to see his share of reps. Ebner could also see opportunities returning kickoffs on special teams, as Herbert was Chicago’s primary kickoff returner.

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Bears HC Matt Eberflus believes RB Khalil Herbert will return this season

The Bears lost Khalil Herbert to a hip injury. But the good news is Matt Eberflus expects Herbert back before the end of the season.

The Bears will be without running back Khalil Herbert for at least the next month after landing on injured reserve with a hip injury.

The good news? Matt Eberflus doesn’t believe Herbert’s injury is season-ending, and he expects him back sometime this season.

While quarterback Justin Fields leads the team in rushing (749 yards), Herbert has been the Bears’ most productive running back this season. He’s gained 643 yards on 108 carries and four touchdowns.

“Whenever you lose a player like that, it’s always hard,” Eberflus said. “It’s hard to replace him. Khalil’s got a great style to him. You guys have seen the breakout runs, so it’s hard to replicate that. We’re just going to have to share the load with those guys. D-Mo’s (Montgomery) stepping up and doing some different things. [Herbert’s] certainly a talented back for sure.”

Luckily, Chicago has David Montgomery to carry the weight of the team’s top-ranked rushing attack, which is averaging just over 200 yards per game. Rookie Trestan Ebner should also see increased opportunities on offense in Herbert’s absence.

With Herbert landing on IR, he’s required to miss the next four games. That makes him eligible to return in Week 16, when Chicago hosts the Bills on Christmas Eve.

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Bears elevate RB Darrynton Evans to the active roster

With David Montgomery missing this week’s game, running back Darrynton Evans has been added to the Bears active roster.

The Chicago Bears are reinforcing their backfield ahead of Sunday’s game against the New York Giants. The Bears are elevating running back Darrynton Evans from the practice squad to the active roster, the team announced on Saturday. The team also officially announced the signing of veteran kicker Michael Badgley, who will fill in for Cairo Santos as he did not make the trip to New York due to personal reasons.

Evans will take the place of David Montgomery, who was already ruled out due to an ankle injury he suffered in last week’s victory over the Houston Texans. The other running backs on the roster include Khalil Herbert and rookie Trestan Ebner.

The Bears claimed Evans off waivers from the Tennessee Titans earlier this spring. He was drafted by the Titans in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, but missed most of the last two years due to injury. Evans battled for the final running back spot on the Bears during camp and had a solid preseason. He totaled 77 rushing yards and 27 receiving yards, along with a touchdown during this year’s preseason.

Evans was released with final roster cutdowns, but signed with the Bears practice squad. He will serve as the team’s third running back and should see his first action of the 2022 regular season.