The Chicago Bears had lots of fun on Sunday, crushing the Carolina Panthers 36-10. Caleb Williams threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns. Roschon Johnson rushed for two touchdowns. Austin Booker had a sack. Gervon Dexter had a sack and four QB hits. It was pure domination. In the waning minutes of the 4th quarter, head coach Matt Eberflus felt comfortable enough to pull his defense off the field and put in the backups. Fittingly, they ended things with Booker’s sack on quarterback Bryce Young.
However, Eberflus quietly made an important roster move amidst the good times. Nobody noticed at the time, but rookie 3rd round pick Kiran Amegadjie got onto the field for the first time. He logged nine snaps in total. Five were on field goal and extra point blocking duty. Three were the final Tyson Bagent kneel-downs. He also got to block on a Johnson run play that went for three yards. While not much, it was a vital step in Amegadjie’s developmental process.
Matt Eberflus continues to show he has common sense.
It would’ve been common to just leave the rookies to their own devices. He has bigger fish to fry as the head coach. Eberflus doesn’t think that way. Nothing teaches a young player more about the NFL than live reps. However, rather than force-feeding them by throwing them into the deep water, the Bears have given guys like Booker and Amegadjie occasional reps to help them acclimate to this level’s speed and intensity. It is especially important for the latter because he comes from the Ivy League, where the level of competition was much lower.
The fact that Amegadjie was suited up and on the field is exciting news for the Bears. It means he’s healthy and practiced well enough to earn the opportunities. Matt Eberflus and Ryan Poles have high hopes for him. His size, power, and athleticism are a rare combination. The key was always whether he could learn the intricate hand techniques and footwork to handle NFL pass rushers. This was the next step in that process. Don’t be surprised to see the Bears continue this approach.
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@timgjerde56 —
The Kiran Amegadjie situation is a bit more complicated than some might realize.
▪︎. The risk/reward of Ryan Poles’ decision to select Amegadjie at #75 of the draft.
▪︎. Not merely, whether Kiran Amegadjie “could be” on the field — but whether, at this point, he “should be.”
▪︎. Each of the above points is affected by the severity of the injury and surgery which Amegadjie has experienced.
And — Chicago Bears’ fans do not have all the facts.
See this very informative site::
Quadricep Tendon Rupture Eric McCarty, MD | Surgeon |Denver Boulder CO
@KennyRay — Good eyes! “Holding” on that play was certainly a possibility. One that I would prefer over the following 3 alternatives: ▪︎. Amegadjie got “pancaked” before his double-team blocking help (Marcedes Lewis, #84) arrived; ▪︎. Kiran Amegadjie is still “protecting” his surgically repaired left leg; or ▪︎. Amdgadjie’s left leg “buckled.” Right now, we would have to guess as to what happened — because we simply don’t have enough information. This much has been reported: “Four games into 2023, during a midweek practice in October, Amegadjie suffered a partially torn left quad. After seeking out a second opinion from… Read more »
Holding.
@TGena, I never said it was your fault, but it’s humorous that you questioned whether he could even be on the field this year because of possible surgical complications. Now it’s because someone already on a roster with presumably an entire preseason camp to work himself into shape flattens him. Yes, Kiran probably went back to the bench and said, “Holy shit, even the players who suck hit like a truck.” There is no denying it. But common sense tells me that a guy that big (Kiran) with the athleticism they’ve seen will finally pick up a few learning moments… Read more »
Think about it: OT, Kiran Amegadjie, 6’5,” 318lbs (the #75 pick in the 2024 NFL draft) finally gets in an NFL game; only to get his soft Ivy League ass pancaked by the Panthers UDFA LaBryan Ray (6’2,” 283lbs.) and Ray’s 47.2 overall grade on defense from PFF. And somehow, all that is my fault! Just remember who drafted this young, OT — at #75 — and say a little prayer that Kiran is fully recovered from a “devastating” injury. Otherwise, it would reveal Poles as an impetuous “perpetual rookie” GM who is an inept judge of NFL talent, proficiency,… Read more »