Chicago Bears rookie report: Performance of draft selections through 12 games, including Darnell Wright and Gervon Dexter
In a 12-10 victory over the Minnesota Vikings last week, rookie running back Roschon Johnson of the Chicago Bears had one of the best performances of his NFL career.
Johnson got more work than he had all season because D’Onta Foreman was sidelined due to shin and ankle injuries, and Khalil Herbert was still recovering from an ankle injury. The Bears used their screen and short passing game, and the 2023 fourth-round pick out of Texas played 74% of the offensive snaps (his prior high was 45%). He recorded a career-high 10 carries for 35 yards and five receptions for 40 yards.
Johnson’s performance offered a lot of positive things to observe. After the game, a video of him protecting quarterback Justin Fields and taking out two Vikings defenders went viral. However, head coach Matt Eberflus also mentioned that there were “a few hiccups” when it came to pass protection against the high-pressure unit.
Two of the three sacks of Fields by the Vikings included Johnson. On one, he made a mistake against linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. Additionally, in the fourth quarter, Fields was stripped of the ball by Danielle Hunter, and safety Josh Metellus moved aside to assist in slowing him down.
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According to Eberflus, “he’s still a rookie and has a lot of situations that he hasn’t seen yet in real time and game situations.” But he’s a really good worker and very intelligent. He’ll keep working on it because he’s a tough guy and one of our better protectors.
This season, Eberflus has discussed the rookie learning curves for the Bears frequently. Eight of the ten players selected have seen substantial playing time during the first 12 games, and two of them are full-time starters. Midseason, an undrafted rookie made a significant impact.
Similar to Johnson’s performance on Monday, there have been numerous positive moments along with numerous hiccups that the rookies have attempted to handle.
Reacting to something in the heat of the moment is one thing, according to Eberflus. “I always advise guys to take a step back following a performance, evaluate it objectively with their coach, and then focus intently on making improvements.”
“Because paying attention to too many things can lead to a lot of things going wrong, and what matters most is what’s on tape and what you and your coach are discussing regarding the fundamentals.” After that, you immediately head to the practice area to hone those skills and principles.
Here is an analysis of the rookies’ performance through 12 games as the Bears prepare for their Sunday encounter at Soldier Field against the Detroit Lions after returning from their bye week.
Speaking with reporters following the opening Lions game, offensive line coach Chris Morgan emphasized to Darnell Wright the same goal he has for the entire season: consistency.
Wright, the 10th overall pick in the 2023 draft, performed admirably against the Lions and Aidan Hutchinson, the most recent of several top pass rushers with whom he has faced difficulties.
However, Hutchinson pushed through Wright on the Bears’ final offensive play, down 29–26 to the Lions, to rob Fields of the ball. Wright kicked the ball out of the end zone for a safety as he was attempting to get to the ball. Lions prevailed 31–26.
Morgan stated, “He needs to cup that side, use his length like we know he can, and stay on his angle a little bit more.” “The reason it’s annoying is that there’s Plays sixty, seventy, and more are all valid. He performed admirably (for the majority of the game). However, each one is significant. That will teach him something.
This season, Wright has experienced many of those epiphanies, such as in his second turn against the potent Vikings rush. He was graded at 59.1, which is roughly in the middle of his weekly grades this season, according to Pro Football Focus. He also gave up three pressures.
Wright has been inconsistent, according to analyst Matt Miller, who selected him for ESPN’s all-youngster team, which is comprised of the best players under the age of 24. “He has allowed nine sacks — but his flashes in the run game are dominant with a win rate of 77%,” Miller said.
Wright is listed by PFF as having given up six sacks. According to Pro Football Reference, Wright is the Bears player with the most penalties (10), ranking lowest overall. “The traits are there for him to become a star,” Miller continued, though.
Morgan stated, “Experiences are what matter.” He’s a fierce competitor, so this will only help him become stronger and more skilled. Making sure it doesn’t happen again is the aim. When something bad happens to you, you get over it, move on, and learn from it.
It was unfortunate timing that second-round pick Tyrique Stevenson suffered a foot injury at the Walter Payton Center two days prior to the Vikings game. Stevenson was coming off a special teams forced fumble and his first career interception against the Lions.
However, the Bears were unfazed because they had another exciting rookie on the roster. In place of Stevenson, Terell Smith, whom the Bears selected out of Minnesota in the fifth round, jumped in to make his third start.
Smith began the season as cornerback Jaylon Johnson’s backup before missing five games due to mononucleosis. Afterwards, he rotated in to play against the Lions. The Vikings’ early and frequent attempts to attack Smith did not surprise Eberflus.
According to PFF, they completed 7 of 8 passes for 45 yards and a 90.1 passer rating against Smith, but Eberflus stated he believed Smith was a strong and capable tackler. Having eight tackles, he led the Bears.
Before the game, Eberflus remarked, “He’s mature beyond his years.” “He accepts things as they are. He responds really well to coaching. He takes everything in very well. He has excellent speed, sound technique, and sound fundamentals. Because he can play against bigger receivers, we like his size.
It is Eberflus’ hope that Stevenson will make a full recovery from his injury this season. According to Pro Football Reference, the second-round selection has seven passes defended, 61 tackles, and a 112.5 passer rating against him in 11 games.
Jon Hoke, the cornerbacks coach, talked about the highs and lows of former Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller’s rookie campaign prior to the Lions game. He mentioned that Stevenson had also gone through that, pointing out that while he performed admirably against the Carolina Panthers, he struggled against the New Orleans Saints. Then he faced the Lions in his pivotal game.
Hoke stated, “You’ll see some plays where you’re going to be a little disappointed in him, and then you’ll see really good flashes.” However, as long as he continues to play physically, as that is who he is and how he must play. It’s not good if he starts playing softly. Where’s that for a rookie? How do I fit in? He’s still attempting to solve the puzzle.
Eberflus praised Stevenson’s capacity for rebounding from setbacks.
“To become a better pro, you have to keep learning and putting it in your file,” Eberflus stated. He performs one play at a time, which is one of his greatest qualities. He ends the play and moves on to the next, whether it’s good, bad,
After 12 games, Gervon Dexter wasn’t prepared to declare that he was happy with his progress. The second-round selection of the three-technique tackle, however, is pleased with his development and credits it to becoming a more astute player who knows how to use his skills to his advantage.
“Merely examining my keys and comprehending my situation, such as the kind of blocks I’m receiving or the direction of the slide, among other things,” he remarked. “Just gaining a little bit more understanding of the game and a little bit more intuition for it.”
After making some huge plays against the Lions, Dexter was speaking. Playing a season-high 48% of the defensive snaps, he had two quarterback hits, four pressures, and also deflected a pass that linebacker Tremaine Edmunds intercepted.
Dexter’s playing time has varied because the Bears are still planning to start Dexter and third-round pick Zacch Pickens in a defensive line rotation that also includes veteran tackles Justin Jones and Andrew Billings. He played in just 20 snaps against the Vikings, receiving a roughing-the-passer penalty in addition to one quarterback hit. Dexter has two passes defended and seven quarterback hits overall. Before the Vikings game, Eberflus saw enough to say that Dexter is “really doing a good job.”
“He’s taking off his pads,” Eberflus remarked. “He’s moving pretty quickly. The strategy works well. The quarterback is being approached, and his hips and toes are all pointing in his direction. And he’s making a serious run at the line of scrimmage.
He is experimenting with length. It’s very amazing that he was able to play with that length there because guards and centers are usually not as long. And when he does it correctly, it appears correct because the quarterback’s vision is now impaired and a large man is denting the pocket.
Playing 23% of the defensive snaps in 12 games, Pickens has 16 tackles, a tackle for a loss, a half-sack, a quarterback hit, and a forced fumble.
According to Dexter, his strategy has been to concentrate on small, gradual gains.
Dexter stated, “Of course, the Lions game boosts my confidence, but I’m just trying to get a percentage better every game, every week.” “So just keep getting better every week, even if I hadn’t played well that game.”
Over the past few weeks, Fields has expressed support for several Bears rookies, including Johnson following the Vikings game.
Fields stated that Johnson is constantly working to get better. He has 24 receptions for 131 yards and a touchdown on 54 carries for 232 yards and a touchdown.
Fields remarked, “His work ethic is unmatched.” “Every day, you witness him laboring diligently and improving the lives of those around him.” It’s truly amazing.
Before the Vikings game, Fields also gave wide receiver Tyler Scott words of encouragement following a challenging performance the previous week. When the Bears were attempting to hold onto their lead in the fourth quarter against the Lions, Scott misjudged a deep ball from Fields that he was unable to catch and also fumbled after a catch in the second quarter.
Fourth-round selection Scott has gained 81 yards from 10 receptions and 44 yards from six carries. In addition, he has five 108-yard kickoff returns. He was not targeted against the Vikings and has not had more than two catches in a game.
Fields remarked, “I’m not losing faith in him one game, two games, however many games.” “I will return to him again and again. He will excel as a receiver. He is talented even now, and he has a lot of room to grow. He has contributed significantly to our offense and special teams this season. He moves quickly. Few DBs are able to match his pace.
“He played a hard game, but we’ve all played hard games.” I’ve played a lot of difficult games. It only serves to improve both him and me. In the end, he is a diligent worker. He will not allow one, two, or three games to define his identity as a player. I possess complete
Following the game, Scott stated that he must keep up his rep total in order to avoid misjudging another of Fields’ passes.
The next time we give Tyler that chance, he will make it, according to offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.
The undrafted rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent, who went from playing at Division II Shepherd to starting four games for the Bears while Fields was sidelined with a dislocated right thumb, was the player whose contribution was most surprising.
Bagent led the Bears to a 2-2 record, demonstrating that he can at least be a reliable backup in the NFL. In addition to three touchdowns, six interceptions, five sacks, and three fumbles, he completed 94 of 143 passes for 859 yards. In his first career start, he led the team to a 30-12 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders; in a loss to the Saints, he committed four turnovers, which was the low point.
Before the disorganized second half of the Saints game, Eberflus claimed to have witnessed Bagent learn how to handle a rowdy road environment. He also appreciated that the following week, when the Panthers played, he kept the football safe.
Eberflus stated, “We never put a ceiling on players, but we certainly like where his floor is.” Guys have the ability to grow into places they never would have imagined. Therefore, you must give them that chance, but we do like where he is right now.
Linebacker Noah Sewell, a fifth-round pick by the Bears, has appeared in 10 games mostly as a special teams player and has eight tackles and one forced fumble. He suffered a knee injury that kept him out of the last two games.
Security The Bears practice squad includes seventh-round pick Kendall Williamson. Travis Bell, a defensive lineman selected in the seventh round by the Bears, was signed by the Atlanta Falcons.
