Bears Preseason 2026 thread

[raw]

 

My opinion is, if you aren't going to sign him long-term after this year (and they certainly should NOT), then get something for him. 

I know it's not great but Jarrett, Gallimore, Van Den Berg, Street and Lynch (looked good in preseason) isn't that much different than that same group with Dexter and no Lynch. At least without Dexter, you have 5 guys who all fit what Dennis Allen wants. 

Ideally, you get stronger at DE or DB by trading Dexter. But getting a draft pick (I will assume a 5th, late 4 at best) for him wouldn't be the worst thing either. 

 

[Brian707]

16 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

If Darnell Wright is seriously hurt, it's time to just walk into traffic.

Hopefully its nothing serious.  Otherwise tonight would be a good time for a stroll on the Kennedy 

[Tryptamine]

Sure sounds like Gervon Dexter is headed elsewhere.  A really odd move for a team with significant defensive issues.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

8 hours ago, Tryptamine said:

Sure sounds like Gervon Dexter is headed elsewhere.  A really odd move for a team with significant defensive issues.

Yeah, I don’t really know what to make of it. I’m not the world’s biggest Dexter fan, but it’s on odd time to be subtracting from the roster. Maybe they like their group just enough there that they’re dangling him to upgrade LT, Edge or DB.

 

that said, it seems like everyone is just running with the one Schultz tweet. We’ll see how it plays out.

[Brian707]

Wright should be fine according to Cortney Cronin.

Nothing yet from Dr Odunze

Edited August 26 by Brian707

[Banedon]

16 hours ago, Tryptamine said:

If Darnell Wright is seriously hurt, it's time to just walk into traffic.

 

[raw]

5 hours ago, Bobson Dugnutt said:

Yeah, I don’t really know what to make of it. I’m not the world’s biggest Dexter fan, but it’s on odd time to be subtracting from the roster. Maybe they like their group just enough there that they’re dangling him to upgrade LT, Edge or DB.

 

that said, it seems like everyone is just running with the one Schultz tweet. We’ll see how it plays out.

While I hate losing a 24 year old player on a cheap rookie deal just on principle.....it's weird to me to be like "oh man, this DL sucked last year and on paper sucks again this year", but then be phased at all by losing the guy who got the most snaps on that terrible DL from last year and is the prettiest DL in an ugly contest this year.

Jordan Van Den Berg is killing it in camp. A lot of those snaps Dexter vacates will go to him. In the preseason game, when Dexter got pressure on the QB, if you notice, JVDB is the guy that ate the double team to free him. Allen likes to slant and stunt his DL and Dexter simply doesn't move fast enough for the Bears to do that effectively with him on the field.

Also, it seems like Allen has put a TON of emphasis on stopping the run this year. While I know they aren't playing #1 OLs, throughout the depth chart they are stopping the run. Even while getting destroyed on teh scoreboard last week, they only allowed 64 rush yards on 20 carries. Week 1 of preseason, they allowed 108 on 27 carries, but 50 of those yards came on 2 of the last 3 carries of the game when the insurance salesmen were playing. Dexter notoriously isn't great against the run.

There's a ton of writing on the wall. And I get it, weakening a weak group seems bad on paper. But is there ever going to be a point this season where we are like "damn, if only we kept Dexter!"?

[Bobson Dugnutt]

4 minutes ago, raw said:

While I hate losing a 24 year old player on a cheap rookie deal just on principle.....it's weird to me to be like "oh man, this DL sucked last year and on paper sucks again this year", but then be phased at all by losing the guy who got the most snaps on that terrible DL from last year and is the prettiest DL in an ugly contest this year.

Jordan Van Den Berg is killing it in camp. A lot of those snaps Dexter vacates will go to him. In the preseason game, when Dexter got pressure on the QB, if you notice, JVDB is the guy that ate the double team to free him. Allen likes to slant and stunt his DL and Dexter simply doesn't move fast enough for the Bears to do that effectively with him on the field.

Also, it seems like Allen has put a TON of emphasis on stopping the run this year. While I know they aren't playing #1 OLs, throughout the depth chart they are stopping the run. Even while getting destroyed on teh scoreboard last week, they only allowed 64 rush yards on 20 carries. Week 1 of preseason, they allowed 108 on 27 carries, but 50 of those yards came on 2 of the last 3 carries of the game when the insurance salesmen were playing. Dexter notoriously isn't great against the run.

There's a ton of writing on the wall. And I get it, weakening a weak group seems bad on paper. But is there ever going to be a point this season where we are like "damn, if only we kept Dexter!"?

Honestly, no, probably not. Like I said, I’m not Dexter’s biggest fan, so I don’t necessarily mind losing him. It’s the timing that really has me interested. I don’t really see the need to trade him if you’re looking at a 5th or later pick in return. I’d just as soon keep him on the roster, even if he winds up buried on the depth chart a bit. If he goes, his roster spot probably just goes to Lynch?

I’d flip him for a 4th or higher right now, but is another team going to pay that? I’m doubtful.

That kind of has me thinking it’s a challenge trade. No one has emerged as an obvious winner in the LT competition and the DB room is looking very thin with injuries stacking up. The Bears seem happy with their edge options for some reason but that’s another area that could use help.  Flipping Dexter to address one of those needs before the season would be smart. 

[Banedon]

[Sammy Sofa]

https://defector.com/why-your-team-sucks-2026-chicago-bears

Damn, they got upgraded to Ratto this year. Impressive.

[gflore34]

7 hours ago, raw said:

While I hate losing a 24 year old player on a cheap rookie deal just on principle.....it's weird to me to be like "oh man, this DL sucked last year and on paper sucks again this year", but then be phased at all by losing the guy who got the most snaps on that terrible DL from last year and is the prettiest DL in an ugly contest this year.

Jordan Van Den Berg is killing it in camp. A lot of those snaps Dexter vacates will go to him. In the preseason game, when Dexter got pressure on the QB, if you notice, JVDB is the guy that ate the double team to free him. Allen likes to slant and stunt his DL and Dexter simply doesn't move fast enough for the Bears to do that effectively with him on the field.

Also, it seems like Allen has put a TON of emphasis on stopping the run this year. While I know they aren't playing #1 OLs, throughout the depth chart they are stopping the run. Even while getting destroyed on teh scoreboard last week, they only allowed 64 rush yards on 20 carries. Week 1 of preseason, they allowed 108 on 27 carries, but 50 of those yards came on 2 of the last 3 carries of the game when the insurance salesmen were playing. Dexter notoriously isn't great against the run.

There's a ton of writing on the wall. And I get it, weakening a weak group seems bad on paper. But is there ever going to be a point this season where we are like "damn, if only we kept Dexter!"?

That's key, everyone is harping on no pass rush, last season' biggest problem was the inability to stop the run.  They couldn't get off the field, opponents rushing on them set up everything else.  Stop the run, increase the number of predictable passing downs.  Even teams without a stellar pass rush become dangerous in these situations.  

Edited August 27 by gflore34

[gflore34]

Another horsefeathers groin injury, this time it's Austin Booker, it's football, people are constantly injured.  But, holy horsefeathers I'd rather it be during the course of a regular season game than these injuries resulting from practice. 

[Banedon]

 

 

[Banedon]

 

 

[Banedon]

Inside the Not-So-Young Mind of Declan Doyle

 

Quote

In Chicago, Declan gained an older brother named Ben.

"He is brilliant, he's detailed. He made me view football in a completely different lens – from the spacing of the field, the spacing of the passing game," Declan said of Johnson.

"He taught me more about football in a year than … he's arguably the best coach I've ever been around. He's probably the most influential person that I've been around. In addition to it, my relationship with him is like he was the older brother I never had. I felt like he was the closest thing to myself that I've ever been around in coaching in just how he approaches the game, how he felt about offense, his logic."

Doyle was accustomed to working the most hours. In Chicago, Johnson was almost always the first person in the building, rolling in daily at 4:50 a.m.

And the way Johnson coached, with such attention to meeting a standard through emphasis on the details, reminded Doyle of the Iowa program he grew up around, where they routinely brought in two- and three-star players who performed like five-stars.

"I was like, OK, we leave no stone unturned, we work really hard, we looked for every single edge, we don't let anything slide, we're really demanding about the standard and we're not going to short-change that. We're going to live up to the standard every day," Doyle said. "Ben embodies that."

 

[BigSlick]

i just want the games to start so bad. the NFL offseason is interminable

[Banedon]

Zavion Thomas is gonna be a good one.

[We Got The Whole 9]

Bagent absolutely tore them to shreds

[Banedon]

Bagent, Zavion Thomas, and Sam Rousch are the guys that really stood out in this one.

[Brian707]

Good win. Glad the preseason is over

[Brian707]

Dexter to the Falcons for CB Clark Phillips III and a 5th

[We Got The Whole 9]

I know nothing about that guy but Allen must like him and be really confident in Jordan.

[Brian707]

Maybe he will be a nickel since Gordon is MIA

Edited August 30 by Brian707

[gflore34]

16 minutes ago, Brian707 said:

Maybe he will be a nickel since Gordon is MIA

Think the Bears will eat the financial losses and cut Gordon today?

[Geographyhater8888]

DA must not like Dexter. Trading him hike starved for talent on the d line is bold.

Edited August 30 by Geographyhater8888