FanPost

Notes from the last three practices: Offense

Compared to the defense the offense is pretty straight forward. When the Bears split their 1st team offense on a different field from the rest of the team just a few backup skill players stayed with the first team. WR's Alshon Jeffery, Eddie Royal, and Marquess Wilson were joined by TE's Martellus Bennett, Dante Rosario, and Zach Miller at RB Jacquizz Rodgers and Jeremy Langford joined Matt Forte. That gives a good idea on the depth chart.

RB's: Rodgers gets some 1st team reps and likely results in Forte coming off the field in some 3rd down situations. Listening to Adam Gase talk about Forte being overused on check downs expect Rodgers to enter the game in situations where the RB's duties are likely going to be limited to blitz pickup and then sneaking out for the short check down. The hope then is for Langford to develop into a player that can spell Forte for a series or two on 1st and 2nd downs. A 4th RB on the roster is likely so there will be a fight between Ka'Deem Carey, Daniel Thomas, and Senorise Perry. While Carey is probably still the most talented RB he's not currently on any 1st team special teams so he's going to have to show up there during special teams, especially with the other two having more experience on NFL special teams.

WR's: Alshon Jeffery and Eddie Royal are the starters with Marquess Wilson coming in as the 3rd WR. This year with Marshall gone Jeffery is playing more at split end on the line of scrimmage instead of flanker with the smaller Royal filling the flanker role in 2 WR sets. Jeffery and Royal were both outstanding. Wilson can make some plays on deep balls, but still can get muscled off routes by DB's. Marc Mariani flashed as the 2nd team slot receiver and makes going with only 5 WR's on the final 53 viable if Kevin White is going to be healthy by then. The rest of the receivers were a pretty nondescript group going into camp and no one has really emerged even with Kevin White not playing, but Clausen and Carden's play was helping any of them.

TE's: Martellus Bennett is obviously the starter and Dane Rosario is taking all the 1st team snaps in 2 TE sets with Zach Miller coming in as well in 3 TE sets. Bear Pascoe is behind Bennett as the in-line TE with Chris Pantale on the 3rd team. Zach Miller is behind Rosario at the other TE position with Blake Annen playing on the 3rd team. Pascoe iis reminiscent of former Bears TE Matt Spaeth in that he despite being a blocking TE he has a slender lower body and is only going to be caching the ball when he turned around looking directly back at the QB. #48 Chris Pantale who spent the last 2 seasons on the Jets practice squad stood out as a player that could challenge for a roster spot. He held up well in 1 on 1 blocking drills, but has more athletic and receiving ability than Pascoe so could potentially backup at both TE positions. Annen is currently on the 1st team field goal unit, but didn't really flash as a receiver and he has to make an impact there to be a viable player. Zach Miller remains the key to this unit. He's the most dynamic receiver behind Bennett, but what stood out is his physical stature and blocking. He's obviously not as big, but despite a rep as a receiving TE Miller doesn't look out of place standing next to Bennett. If he could somehow stay healthy it potentially benefits the run game as well as the passing game.

OL: Jermon Bushrod, Matt Slauson, Will Montgomery, Kyle Long, and Jordan Mills remain as the starting lineup. The second team was Charles Leno, Jr, Vladimir Ducasse, Hroniss Grasu, Jason Weaver (with Michael Ola injued), and Tayo Fabulje. At this point the starting lineup seems set. Leno, Jr. has played well at LT, but as reports have said doesn't do as well flipping footwork to the right side. Ducasse is primarily playing left guard, not right guard which you would expect if kicking Long out to right tackle was going to happen anytime soon. Grasu physically in terms of stature looks a lot like Olin Kreutz, and like Kreutz because he is going to have to win on leverage and technique is probably not in a position to win a starting job as a rookie. Grasu and Ducasse are on the 1st team Field Goal unit along with the OL starters so that give an indication of which 7 they are currently expecting to have active on game day. Fabulje left practice early with asthma the 1st 2 days and then didn't practice on Friday, but he was at least practicing as the 2nd team RT.

QB: Adam Gase always calls in the plays through the radio even in practice while loud music plays, which hopefully helps communication during games. That's something previous OC's haven't done on a regular basis. Jay Cutler was himself. He only has thrown the 1 interception, which came in a 1 on 1 drill where Kyle Fuller was matched up with Marc Mariani and Fuller swallowed up Mariani. But Cutler also isn't having to sit back and be patient against a Cover 2 defense play after play like he did for so many years. Clausen is very inconsistent and Carden isn't even practice squad material. Carden has a long release and cannot get the ball out on time accurately. Fales shouldn't have to worry about the practice squad QB job when he comes back next week he'll only be competing to force a spot on the 53 not with Carden.

This Fanpost was written by a Windy City Gridiron member and does not necessarily reflect the ideas or opinions of its staff or community.