Dennis Allen made his choice clear before the first Week 1 snap. The Bears safety and slot cornerback spots went to veterans, not the faster rookies. This move feels like a step backward for a team that promised speed. But the math behind the decision is simple. Experience wins when the hits get heavy.
The Veteran Bet
Allen noted that the team lost key personnel last year. “We lost some of that last year with Byard and Brisker moving out of the building and then obviously with Coby’s injury,” Allen said. So they brought in Xavier Woods and Cam Lewis. They are not the fastest options on the roster. But they are not rookies either. In the NFL, speed means little if you cannot read the play.
Rookies Need Time To Catch Up
Young players struggle to keep up with the pace of a real game. Offensive coordinator Press Taylor said it takes time for new players to figure out the speed. “I think with any young player, it kind of takes time in some way, shape or form to figure out how fast or how slow that time is,” Taylor said. The preseason is fast. The regular season is faster.
Taylor expects the rookies to settle in later in the year. October and November are when they usually find their footing. “I want our guys to go out there and play hard, play fast, play physical and execute their assignments,” Taylor said. You cannot execute if you are lost.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid sees the trouble on the offensive line too. He thinks Ozzy Trapilo’s injury recovery leaves questions. “Ozzy Trapilo has recovered remarkably quickly from a torn patellar tendon, but there will still be questions about how long that injury will linger,” Reid wrote. The Bears have to wait for Trapilo to prove he is ready. Until then, Braxton Jones starts.
A 2027 mock draft by ESPN predicts the Bears will finish third in the NFC North.
