Caleb Williams, Austin Booker, and the Chicago Bears draft class got most of the attention on Saturday when they took on the Buffalo Bills. That wasn’t much of a surprise. They are considered crucial to the future of the franchise. Any success they had was a hopeful sign the team was headed in the right direction. However, as any veteran NFL fan should know, the true meat of the league is made up of undrafted free agents. Finding good players in that pool is often what separates winners from losers.
Chicago has had some success in this department over the past couple of years. Jack Sanborn developed into a quality starting linebacker, and Tyson Bagent has established himself as an able backup quarterback. The Bears had been quiet to start training camp about their 2024 crop of undrafted rookies. Some probably felt that was because nobody stood out. However, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune thinks it may have been by design. Some names have had their attention since camp began, and one of them had a breakout performance in Buffalo.
“Really nice showing for undrafted rookie Ian Wheeler, who ran five times for 43 yards and two touchdowns. The Howard product missed a little time in camp with an undisclosed injury but has returned strong. I’m not sure there’s a path to him making the 53-man roster, but going back to the spring there was a little buzz about him and he looks the part when there is live contact.”
The Chicago Bears think they have something in Wheeler.
It’s easy to see why. He only carried the ball five times but averaged 8.6 yards per carry and scored two touchdowns. What stood out was his overall look. Wheeler demonstrated good vision, finding where the holes would be, and was decisive in attacking them. His acceleration was a surprise, showing he has more speed than you’d expected from an undrafted player. Last but not least, his power allowed him to drive into the end zone for that first score. What may shock people is that Wheeler never cracked 400 yards rushing in college. His primary success came as a kick returner.
Granted, he was a very good one. He scored three touchdowns in the return game and averaged over 25 yards for his college career. That explains the explosiveness and ability to power through tackles. It is baffling how his coaches never thought to give him more opportunities as a running back. He averaged 7.3 yards per carry as a senior. The Chicago Bears must’ve thought the same thing. Whatever the case may be, he’s getting those opportunities now. If this trend keeps up, the team may have a tough decision on their hands with the depth chart.
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Keep him and get rid of Jones or even Homer. This kid runs with fresh legs and is a bargain compared to the other two. Keep Herbert as insurance in case Swift gets injured.
Poles for GM of the year this year.
I agree on Velus. He had good runs but on a play stopped for a penalty he ran into his own guy. He also fumbled on a play that came back . I think if they keep him, somewhere he will cost the Bears with a turnover that would matter. Its best that he goes. Keep Wheeler. Not sure they could sneak him onto a practice squad.
Well, you could always see what the trade value on Herbert is. He’s due for a new deal next year, so you need to decide if want to resign him and pay, or move on to a young player.
Velus will be used as a gadget player and a returner. I don’t see Velus getting much playing time anywhere else. At Thursdays training camp, as well as verses the Bills, Velus looked confused and really struggled with having any vision to find a hole. I’m definitely losing hope on Velus turning it around.