Chicago Bears Q&A: Is Justin Fields more willing to take checkdowns? How much will starters play in preseason?

The Chicago Bears are in their second week of training camp practices at Halas Hall and dressed in pads for the first time. How do quarterback Justin Fields and the offense look? How often will starters play in preseason games? Brad Biggs answers your questions weekly.

From videos, it seems Justin Fields is willing to take checkdowns more often. Do you see this being a big thing for the offense when he is taking those 4- to 5-yard completions? — @dabearszach

It definitely will be a positive if the Bears can get the running backs more involved in the passing game. Those are some of the “layups,” as offensive coordinator Luke Getsy calls them. Take the short gain, live to play another down. Those dump-offs eliminate the chances for a huge play on some of those snaps but they also create a profit, if even a small one. They keep drives moving. The Bears totaled only 62 targets for running backs/fullbacks last season with David Montgomery leading with way with 40 (34 receptions, 316 yards).

From my perspective, there have been too many checkdowns to running backs or throws to tight ends on short-curl or hook routes in 7-on-7 periods in camp. You don’t want to see an abundance of passes directed to running backs. The goal is for the quarterback to see the Nos. 1 and 2 reads and get the ball out or if he has to work back to No. 3, do that but with speed and tempo. That is being decisive with the ball.

Checkdowns happen. Because the Bears can be Cover-2 heavy at times on defense, there are going to be plays in which that’s the outlet. If you have two-deep coverage over the top and they are capping the vertical throws and you see the linebacker drop, boom, you drop it off to the running back and go to the next play. That is what the defense wants. Being decisive is seeing it fast in the pocket and delivering the ball rhythm. It doesn’t matter who it is going to, but you don’t want an bunch of completions to running backs or short checkdowns to tight ends. It has been a consistent theme.

It’s too early to know who the 2023 Bears are. Is this a question that can be answered in preseason? I’m guessing we won’t know until Week 4 or 5. Your thoughts? — @legendzombie

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 29

Bears fans cheer for autographs after practice on July 27, 2023, during training camp at Halas Hall. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

I would agree with you that we’re not going to get a solid feel for the team until the first month or so of the season is in the books. Starters won’t see enough playing time in preseason to get any read from those games.

Remember when the Bears’ starting offense scored 21 points in the first half of the preseason finale at Cleveland last year? That was largely against backup Browns — or soon to be unemployed Browns — and wasn’t reflective of how the offense performed, at least in the first half of the season.

The Bears have a lot of new faces and a really young roster. You should have a pretty good idea of what kind of team it will be a month in and then there should be a chance for growth and improvement as the schedule unfolds. Some of these players should be improved later in this season for sure.

[ [Don't miss] Column: For Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears offense, a shaky practice offers a timely lesson. ‘We need to have juice.’ ]

How much will the starters play in preseason? — Jason W., Rolling Meadows

You’re asking about something most coaches, Matt Eberflus included, treat as a closely guarded secret. I do find it a little amazing that coaches — and this isn’t commentary on only Eberflus — can spend the offseason charting what they will do down to the minute through training camp and leading up to the regular season but don’t know what they’re going to do in preseason games. Yes, it’s a little early and things can shift, but the reality is coaches don’t want to reveal their plans until they inform the players, which happens much closer to game time.

“We’ve talked about that a little,” Eberflus said Tuesday. “Have not finalized it right now. But we actually visited about that this morning. It will be some time — it will be some play time. But what that is right now, I’m not sure.”

Whether that means playing time for starters in the preseason opener Aug. 12 against the Tennessee Titans, we don’t know. Many teams have taken a hard stance against playing front-line players in preseason action, and the Bears certainly don’t want to expose quarterback Justin Fields, wide receiver DJ Moore, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and other key players to injuries in meaningless games.

I’m also of the opinion that a handful of snaps probably doesn’t do a lot to prepare a player for the regular season. You aren’t going to convince me that 15 snaps for Braxton Jones at left tackle in the preseason are going to make him any more or less prepared for Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers.

Which second-year player has the highest expectations? — @irfanbhanji

I thought safety Jaquan Brisker was going to have the greatest impact as a rookie a year ago. When it was over, he was in that conversation with left tackle Braxton Jones. I’d say Brisker again. He’s an emerging leader for the defense.

He’s physical and plays with range and did a really nice job of intercepting a P.J. Walker pass along the sideline Tuesday during the first practice in full pads. This isn’t a knock on Jones and the potential for his career arc. I just think Brisker is a safer bet to be that guy for the Bears.

I’m also interested to see how Kyler Gordon does with a season under his belt because he has a nice combination of quickness and instincts and he is not an undersized nickel.

[ [Don't miss] Chicago Bears training camp report: Interceptions, trash talk and Justin Fields’ plea for energy on offense ]

What do you make of the Bears and the city having a second round of talks? Is this a positive sign they could stay where they belong? — John L., South Side

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 35

A Chicago Bears fan takes his seat early before a game at Soldier Field on Jan. 8, 2023. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren chatted with Mayor Brandon Johnson for a second time July 27, and the pair released two-sentence statement that basically said nothing.

“We continued our productive discussion this week that began in early June. We plan to have regular dialogue with each other and across our respective staffs as we work together to meet the needs of the citizens of Chicago and Bears fans.”

[ [Don't miss] What to know about the Chicago Bears’ possible move from Soldier Field — and which other suburbs are vying for the stadium ]

My take is this is a leverage play by the Bears in their bid to get some demands met in Arlington Heights. It’s also a chance for Johnson to appear more savvy than his predecessor. Just my opinion, but I don’t believe the Bears are seriously considering anything other Arlington Heights and are taking whatever steps possible to negotiate more closely to their terms. If that means chatting with Chicago, Naperville or even Decatur, whatever it takes.

What are your expectations for DJ Moore, and how do you feel Moore’s camp compares with Brandon Marshall and Allen Robinson when they first got here? — @payt10

It’s a topic worth kicking around because some have forgotten that, yes, the Bears have had some pretty talented wide receivers in the last decade or so, even if they didn’t stick around long. Add Alshon Jeffery to the mix and the Bears have had some playmakers on the outside. They simply never put it together for an extended time (more than two seasons, really), and the quarterback plays was consistently below what you would have wanted.

Justin Fields has been throwing to Moore often, and it’s easy to see he’s going to be far and away the preferred target. Moore took a short slant and was gone early in practice Tuesday, the kind of play you’d like to see more of where Fields gets rid of the ball quickly and his skill position players turn it into a huge play. Marshall played with quarterback Jay Cutler previously with the Denver Broncos, so they had a built-in working relationship when Marshall arrived and clicked instantly. Moore has different tools than Marshall and different even from Robinson. I don’t know after two practices in full pads if I can really answer the question, but the upshot is Fields has a super-productive wide receiver who is skilled at getting open because of his route-running ability, strength and speed. He has a knack for creating space from the defender, and we’ll see that help the Bears make plays this season.

Will the Bears extend any other players by the start of the season? — @jtbcubs

Cornerback Jaylon Johnson is probably the player with the best chance of being extended before the season when you consider the situations with Chase Claypool coming off an unproductive 2022 season and Darnell Mooney returning from an injury. And I’m not saying there is a high probability of Johnson being extended.

It’s clear tight end Cole Kmet was the top priority for general manager Ryan Poles to sign, and that took six weeks or so to complete. Can a contract get done sooner? Yes. But can the Bears and Johnson’s new representation find common ground?

Johnson has missed some time each of the last three seasons with injuries, and the front office can’t be blamed for wondering about his commitment after skipping a big chunk of the voluntary offseason program. Yes, it’s voluntary, but the Bears aren’t going to wipe that out of their thoughts when mulling a major financial commitment.

It’s also possible Poles wants to see how Johnson performs early in the season before firming up what he believes Johnson’s value is moving forward. I wouldn’t be surprised either way with Johnson before the season.

[ [Don't miss] Chicago Bears like the way rookie wide receiver Tyler Scott has absorbed their teachings: ‘Woo, Tyler Scott, he’s fast, man’ ]

Will the Bears sign or trade for an edge rusher by Sept. 1? — @tonysoprano7716

This was one of the hottest topics in the spring and remains a viable question. As I wrote this week, the front office and coaches will get a pretty good idea of where the defensive ends are with pads finally on in practice. Dominique Robinson had a couple of nice rushes Wednesday and a play Tuesday that would have resulted in a sack. Rahseem Green has popped at times.

If some of the young players take a step forward, GM Ryan Poles will have to weigh the value and need of adding an outsider. Does he want to take snaps from young players he believes he can develop? Does he think a free agent can make a real difference? If he believes a newcomer can help bring along some younger players, perhaps it makes sense. I’m of the mindset, however, that the Bears will have a subpar pass rush even if they do add a desginated pass rusher. It’s going to be one of the top priorities in the offseason.