The Bears’ bye week arrives at a useful moment for a handful of players who could use the pause more than anyone else on the roster.
Garrett Bradbury is one of them. The veteran center has had a season with some real highs and some rough patches.
Chicago likely would not have gone 2-1 with backups if rookie Logan Jones had been forced into the lineup, but Bradbury has also been physically overwhelmed at times. The week off gives him a chance to reset his body, and it may also give the Bears time to take another look at the position.
Kyle Monangai is another player who stands to benefit. He has been on the IR, and while the team expects him back after the bye week, head coach Ben Johnson would not commit to that.
If the Bears had played this week, they likely still would have been without their backup running back. That matters because the depth chart gets very thin without him.
Ozzy Trapilo has been healthy and practicing all season, but the Bears have been careful not to rush him after a patellar tendon injury ended his rookie year. He handled a small role in Weeks 6 and 7, then did not play any snaps in Week 8 or 9.
The bye gives him a natural reset after getting a taste of action, stepping back, and now having a chance to move toward a bigger role. There is a path for him to be in the lineup as soon as Week 11, which would make the break especially valuable for the stretch run.
Sam Roush has also seen his workload climb. With Cole Kmet on the IR, the rookie tight end has been pushed into a bigger role, and the last two weeks have accounted for 70 of his 184 snaps this season.
He has not exactly seized the opportunity yet, and he still looks a little overwhelmed by NFL speed. The bye gives him a chance to catch his breath after two straight weeks of heavy usage and come back sharper.
Malik Muhammad rounds out the group. The Bears have leaned on him heavily, using him both on the outside and in the slot. He has been injured for the last two weeks, but he appears to be week to week, and the bye should give him a chance to be ready to start next week.
In Other News...
Dennis Allen Faces Three Big Bears Decisions During The Bye
The bye week has arrived with Dennis Allen carrying a familiar kind of midseason homework: sorting out a defense that has shown enough promise to justify a closer look, but not enough consistency to leave alone. For the Bears, the pause offers a chance to rethink some of the personnel and pressure packages that have defined the first stretch of the season, especially on the back end and off the edge.
One of the biggest questions is whether Malik Muhammad has done enough to claim a full-time starting role at outside cornerback over Tyrique Stevenson, a move that would signal a meaningful shift in how Allen wants to line up his secondary. There is also a case for getting Daniel Hardy on the field more often as a pass rusher, while the larger philosophical debate may be whether Allen is ready to lean harder into blitzing after spending much of his time in the league preferring a more measured approach. [Read more 🡒]
Bears May Have Found A Trade Bonus They Barely Can Use
The Bears trade for Clark Phillips III looked like a savvy little add-on when they sent Gervon Dexter Sr. to Atlanta for a fifth-round pick and the young cornerback. Phillips has flashed enough in limited snaps to make the move feel worthwhile, especially with his ability to hold up in coverage and contribute in pass-rush situations. For a defense that always values depth in the secondary, he has at least given Chicago something to think about.
The catch is that the Bears may not have an easy path to using him much more than they already have. Jaylon Johnson has been trending in the right direction, and Malik Muhammad is back from injury, which tightens the rotation at corner just as Phillips was starting to make a case for more work. It leaves Chicago in a familiar spot with a useful player who may simply be stuck behind healthier, more established options. [Read more 🡒]
Ben Johnson Just Got A Huge Chance To Expose Detroit
The Lions trade deadline move was more of a tweak than a makeover, and that matters for a Bears offense that should see an opportunity coming. Detroit added Andre Cisco, but the bigger issues in its pass defense and cornerback room were left largely intact, even as the team has kept winning games. For Chicago, that sets up another important test against an NFC North rival, and one that could say plenty about how far Ben Johnsons offense has come.
Johnsons Bears have not handled division opponents well, but they do bring real receiver talent into this matchup, the kind of group that can stress a defense that has been vulnerable in several areas. If Chicago can turn that into a cleaner, more aggressive showing through the air, it would not just help in the standings. It would also give Johnson a chance to put his imprint on a game against the team whose defense still has plenty to prove. [Read more 🡒]