Former Bears are making their presence felt across the league, and Week 3 brought a little bit of everything: Gervon Dexter Sr. helping wreck the Packers, Keenan Allen finally flashing, and a few ex-Chicago names landing somewhere between steady and shaky.
The biggest Bears-adjacent storyline may have come in Atlanta, where Dexter had a hand in sending Green Bay into a full-blown mess. The Falcons held the Packers to 17 rushing yards, and Jordan Love completed only about half of his passes in the blowout loss.
Dexter, who was traded to Atlanta before the season and is in a contract year, has been productive early. PFF credited him with his second straight game of six quarterback pressures, and he added two quarterback hits.
With the Packers’ offensive line looking rough, Atlanta’s front may have pushed Green Bay toward needing veteran help up front.
Allen, meanwhile, finally gave the Colts the kind of outing they were waiting for. After looking invisible through two weeks, he broke out in Indianapolis’ narrow win over Houston.
Allen caught six passes on nine targets for 63 yards and a touchdown. Before that, he had just 7 receptions for 37 yards on 11 targets.
The Colts’ win kept them from falling to 0-3, while the Texans dropped to 0-3 and David Montgomery had a quieter afternoon than he’d probably like.
Houston only ran 51 offensive plays in the game, and Montgomery got 11 carries for 33 yards. On the season, he now has 37 carries for 103 yards and two touchdowns. Even with his current role, the numbers make it clear why a return to Detroit’s setup would at least mean some familiar touches.
There was also a strong week for Jaquan Brisker in Pittsburgh. In the Steelers’ win over Cincinnati, he put together his best statistical game so far, finishing with a season-high six tackles and a season-high three defensive stops. He did allow two catches on two targets in coverage, but those went for just 15 yards and no touchdowns.
Not every former Bear made noise for the right reasons. Olamide Zaccheaus remained buried in Atlanta’s passing game, catching two passes for nine yards against the Packers. Drake London and Bijan Robinson were the ones doing the damage there, and Zaccheaus’ role may shrink even more as rookie Zachariah Branch gets more involved.
Tremaine Edmunds had a quieter game for the Giants until one late mistake stood out. In New York’s ugly win over Tennessee, he drew Cam Ward offsides on 4th-and-1 with less than a minute left in the fourth quarter, handing the Titans an automatic first down and a shot to move into the red zone. Edmunds was spared by a Jevon Holland interception that ended the game.
Larry Borom also found himself back on the bench for Detroit in Week 3, which was enough to set off some Lions joy. Blake Miller returned to his starting role, and FanSided’s Lions expert Candace Pedraza reacted to the news.
Darnell Mooney’s situation remains stuck, too. In the Giants’ win over the Titans, he caught two of three targets for 20 yards while Jameis Winston started, and he’s still struggling to carve out a real spot in the passing game alongside Malik Nabers, Isaiah Likely and rookie Malachi Fields.
In Other News...
Bears Have An Unusual Tyson Bagent Dilemma Right Now
Tyson Bagent has gone from an undrafted curiosity to a quarterback the Bears trust behind Caleb Williams, and that alone has changed the conversation around Chicagos backup job. The front office views him as a reliable option, which matters in a league where a steady No. 2 can be almost as valuable as a flashy addition at the deadline.
Case Keenums strong Week 3 showing briefly added another layer to the discussion, but Chicago does not appear eager to shop Bagent unless the return is significant. The more likely path is for the Bears to keep their quarterback room intact with three veterans and resist the temptation to chase a trade for another backup, leaving Bagents place in the pecking order firmly in focus. [Read more 🡒]
Bears May Finally Be Closing In On Needed O-Line Relief
Braxton Jones knee injury has pushed the Bears deeper into their early-season left tackle shuffle, and head coach Ben Johnson said the veteran is week-to-week after missing practice ahead of Week 4. Chicago has already been forced to adjust up front, and the timing is not ideal with the New York Jets coming to town and the offensive line still trying to settle into something closer to a stable rotation.
Ozzy Trapilo is also trending in a better direction, as he was not listed on the Week 4 injury report for the first time this season and is close to returning to play. For now, Theo Benedet is expected to get the start at left tackle against the Jets, giving the Bears another look at a position that has been anything but settled as they try to protect the edge and keep the offense on track. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Finally Got The Pass Rush Help Montez Sweat Needed
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Through the first three games, Sweat has been active with nine total pressures and two sacks, while Odeyingbo has set the pace with 11 pressures and two sacks of his own. Booker has chipped in five pressures and one sack, and both young rushers made their presence felt in the recent win over the Eagles, a sign that the Bears may finally have enough help around Sweat to make the front seven more than a one-man bet. [Read more 🡒]