Which Bears' roster battles to keep an eye on vs. Titans on Saturday
The outcome of Saturday night's final exhibition game for the Bears and Titans is irrelevant. It will be extremely difficult to evaluate individuals with no certainty as to how many snaps they'll get against first, second, third or fourth stringers.
Not to mention, head coach Mike Vrabel and at least nine Titans players, including quarterback Ryan Tannehill, have tested positive for COVID-19. So the Titans aren't exactly at full strength and many more could be sidelined due to close contacts.
But this game is still critical to a number of Bears still battling for starting jobs or just roster spots.
QUARTERBACK - His status will remain unchanged regardless, but it will be interesting to see how Justin Fields performs after going through the NFL starting QB routine for the first time.
Coming off the bench in his first two games, he has started slow. Will he go off quicker as the starter?
Could Nick Foles look sharp enough to encourage another club to make the Bears an offer they can't refuse?
RUNNING BACK - Khalil Herbert appears to be locked behind David Montgomery and Damien Williams. It also appears likely Tarik Cohen will start the season on the physically unable to play list. That leaves Ryan Nall and Artavis Pierce locked in a death match for one likely roster spot after ripping off 39 and 51-yard runs respectively against the Dolphins.
WIDE RECEIVER - After Allen Robinson, Darnell Mooney and Marquise Goodwin, Damiere Byrd is the next closest to a sure thing.
But do they keep five, six or seven WRs? Among Riley Ridley, Rodney Adams and Dazz Newsome, who swims and does anyone sink?
Adams looks the safest of the three.
TIGHT END - Will it be three or four? We know Cole Kmet, Jimmy Graham and Jesse James are the first three.
If they keep four, which I suspect they will, can J.P. Holtz hold off Jesper Horsted, or can Horsted change minds against the Titans?
OFFENSIVE LINE - How much of Jason Peters and Germain Ifedi will we see and how will they look?
Then it will get really interesting as Alex Bars, Larry Borom, Elijah Wilkinson, Lachavious Simmons and Arlington Hambright battle for three or four spots, knowing that one who survives will go when Teven Jenkins is ready.
They'd like to keep eight lineman but with the uncertainty at tackle, it could be nine.
Hard to imagine Bars and Borom aren't safe, but at this point is Wilkinson more valuable than Simmons?
DEFENSIVE LINE - This group is probably set with Akiem Hicks, Angelo Blackson, Eddie Goldman, Khyiris Tonga, Bilal Nichols and Mario Edwards Jr., but don't forget Edwards Jr. will be suspended for first two games.
This could be Tonga's and Blackson's chance to earn extra early regular season reps. Daniel Archibong is an undrafted free agent out of Temple, and this could be his chance to lock up a spot on the practice squad.
LINEBACKERS - Khalil Mack, Robert Quinn, Roquan Smith, Danny Trevathan, Jeremiah Ataochu, Trevis Gipson, Christian Jones and Alec Ogletree should all be safe. We probably won't even see the four starters Saturday, but it leaves just one or two spots for James Vaughters, Joel Iyiegbuniwe, Josh Woods, Charles Snowden, Sam Kamara and Caleb Johnson who's flashed quite a bit lately.
These could be the guys to watch, in what may be the best competition of the night.
CORNERBACKS - With Jaylon Jonson, Kindle Vildor and Artie Burns seemingly set for five or six spots, and no certainty what Desmond Trufant's status is as he continues to deal with a "personal issue," Duke Shelley, Thomas Graham Jr. and Tre Roberson are the guys to focus on here.
SAFETIES - Will they carry two or three in addition to Eddie Jackson and Tashaun Gipson?
Deon Bush seems a lock. So whoever shows the least in Nashville from among DeAndre Houston-Carson, Marquis Christian, and Teez Tabor will be in jeopardy unless Bears keep them all.
SPECIAL TEAMS - This is huge for all the running backs, wide receivers, linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties I've mentioned battling for those last few spots. While it appears Khalil Herbert will start the season returning kickoffs, short of a miracle recovery from Cohen, the opening night punt return job is still waiting to be claimed by Newsome, Byrd or Mooney.
@Hub_Arkush