With under three weeks until the Bears will begin their practice week for the Sept. 8 season opener against the Vikings, it’s time to settle into their starting lineup. Their joint practice against the Bills this morning and their preseason game against them Sunday should give coach Ben Johnson some clarity.
The biggest position battles are at left tackle and cornerback. Additionally, there is ongoing competition for the first-string strong-side linebacker job and potentially for the starting defensive tackle spot next to Grady Jarrett.
At left tackle, the three-way battle between Braxton Jones, Ozzy Trapilo and Kiran Amegadjie appeared to narrow to a race between Jones and Trapilo, but upstart Theo Benedet recently entered the competition and has been getting first-team reps.
Jaylon Johnson will be the Bears’ No. 1 cornerback when he returns from a leg injury. Meanwhile, Tyrique Stevenson and Nahshon Wright have gotten most of the first-team reps as they compete for the starting job opposite Johnson. Terell Smith also has been getting first-team snaps and has challenged Stevenson for his spot before.
Jarrett is locked in as a starting defensive tackle, and the Bears likely will go with Gervon Dexter next to him. The Bears also have been working with a package that features five defensive linemen, allowing Andrew Billings to get in there as well.
At strong-side linebacker, a position that typically isn’t on the field more than 25% of the game, the Bears have Noah Sewell, Amen Ogbongbemiga and rookie Ruben Hyppolite. For now, Sewell and Ogbongbemiga are listed ahead of Hyppolite.
The Bears will play their their starters on both sides Sunday against the Bills, which should signal where Johnson sees them.
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