The Chicago Bears stock watch gets its first debut following the opening leg of training camp. As expected, there’s been a mixture of heated battles and stars doing star things. The defense has owned most of the first practices. This isn’t a big surprise given that is how things usually go early in camp. Not to mention they’re, you know, the best defense in the NFL.
Either way, there have been standouts from both sides of the ball. For good reasons and bad. It’s still a long way to go but there is no question that certain names have begun positioning themselves in the pecking order to either secure a roster spot or be one of the earliest cuts. Who is getting it done and who should start to worry about where they stand? Here is a look at some of the names generating discussions.
Chicago Bears stock watch
Stock up: Javon Wims
Some people may have thought the Bears were exaggerating when they said second-year receiver Wims had a chance to get some serious action with the offense in 2019. They were not. The kid has picked up right where he left off last season. He still has the same strength and body control to make contested catches but is also showing improvement as a route runner as well. Forget whether he’ll be on the roster. It may be hard to keep him off the field at this rate.
Stock down: Adam Shaheen
The Bears have proven to be a remarkably patient organization during the years Ryan Pace has been GM, yet even they have limits. It appears they’re dangerously close to reaching theirs with Adam Shaheen. The former 2nd round pick has continued to disappoint. Not only has he failed to step up his game from his rookie year, but he’s struggled to stay on the field at all. He’s missed most of the beginning of camp with a back problem and it’s getting to a point where it may be time to fish or cut bait.
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Stock up: Mike Davis
David Montgomery has been the focus so far at running back. Not a surprise since he’s the top draft choice and the expected heir apparent to Jordan Howard. However, the Bears have made it clear to anyone that will listen to not overlook free agent addition Mike Davis. They really like him and feel he can be a big part of their backfield. His versatility has stood out consistently since camp began, both as a runner and a pass-catcher.
Stock down: Riley Ridley
A lot of buzz surrounded the rookie 4th round pick before camp began. His mixture of size and route running prowess made him a heavy favorite to fight for early action in 2019. That’s hard to do from the sidelines though. Riley injured his hamstring when camp began and hasn’t returned since. It’s unclear when he will. This isn’t ideal since the Bears receiver position is loaded and other names have begun to take full advantage of his absence. This makes his job that much harder.
Stock up: Joel Iyiegbuniwe
Inside linebacker is set with Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan. The Bears may have one eye on the future though with Trevathan being a free agent in 2020. If so, they have to be encouraged with what they’ve seen from Iyiegbuniwe. The second-year linebacker has showcased his size and speed in drills, cutting through the line for sacks on multiple occasions. Chicago spent a 4th rounder on him because they loved his upside. It’s becoming clearer each day why that was the case.
Stock down: Michael Joseph
Joseph was given a bit of a clean slate with the arrival of a new coaching staff under Chuck Pagano. It offered a chance to really go after a roster spot. Sadly things have not gone his ways. There have been several instances already in practice where he’s been burned on plays deep. Given the depth the Bears have at cornerback, it was already an uphill slog just make the roster. At this rate, he may not even get practice squad consideration.
Stock up: Duke Shelley
From one corner falling off the roster to another who’s fighting for starter reps. The Bears felt Shelley was far better than his draft status as a 6th round pick. His aggressive play that helps him get to the football a lot in practice certainly proves that much. It’s getting to a point where he may be legitimately challenging for the starting slot corner job with veteran Buster Skrine. It’s been a heated battle to this point with each making nice plays.
Stock down: Isaiah Irving
Impact plays are a big thing at outside linebacker in this defense. That means sacks. Irving hasn’t been able to get any thus far while his primary competition, Kylie Fitts, has flashed a couple of times. Irving was a favorite of Vic Fangio the past few years but the new coaching staff has removed that safety net. If he doesn’t start flashing more often, the team will look elsewhere to get their pass rush juice.
Stock up: Elliott Fry
The kicking competition is undoubtedly the central focus of camp. Everybody knows it’s a position that has constantly cost the Bears football games the past few years. Thus far former AAF standout Fry has proven the most consistent. Through two full practice sessions, he has gone 17-of-20 on his attempts including a 60-yarder. That is good for an 85% accuracy rate. Far superior to what Cody Parkey provided last year. The fact he also showed he had enough leg to hit from a distance helped his case too.
Stock down: Eddy Pineiro
Unlike Fry, Pineiro arrived via trade from Oakland. The Bears really like his strong leg and feel he would fit well in the difficult conditions of Soldier Field. While he hasn’t been terrible to this point, his consistency hasn’t quite been where Fry’s is. In his two sessions, he has gone 13-of-16 including one off an upright. Something that certainly conjured bad memories for fans watching. That is an 81.5% accuracy rate. Not horrible but also not good.
