Are the Bears Handling Their Young Players the Right Way?
The Bears have a plethora of young talent on the roster. This past offseason, it was only strengthened as the team had four picks in the first two rounds. This abundance of young talent is usually a promising sign, even if the team has early-season struggles. Unfortunately, for this year, they have not been given the chance to contribute to the rebuild. Chicago has been very cautious with their rookies, so it creates the question: Will it pay off, or will it backfire down the road?
Starting with the first round pick, Colston Loveland has had a disappointing start. He only has three catches on six targets, totaling 43 yards. He is also now dealing with an injury that will keep him out for the Week Three matchup with Las Vegas. This lack of inclusion on the offense is not limited to him. Wide receiver Luther Burden III has also failed to gain meaningful playing time. He has five catches for 103 yards and a touchdown. While the team certainly has plenty of options in the offense, the lack of involvement for these rookies is concerning. It will also be a storyline to follow this season to see if the slow start is just them working into the offense as they face the transition from college to the NFL.
Unfortunately, the other two high picks have not been able to make any impact on the team. Offensive lineman Ozzy Trapilo has not seen the field in the first two weeks. Due to injury, he may have the chance to gain some playing time, but he is not the lone candidate. Outside of that, Trapilo may have the hardest time seeing the field among the rookies, which means he will have plenty of time to learn and progress into potentially a future starting lineman.
Shemar Turner is the last of the rookies taken in the first two rounds. He may also be the least talked about this year. Fans have had hope that he would see the field, as the defensive line has not performed well to start the year. Unfortunately, like Trapilo, he has yet to gain any playing time. His name has not been mentioned really at all around the team. This may be the greatest concern, as the other three have either seen the field or are in a competition right now to start. The Bears may just be giving him time to grow, but for this year, that does not do much.
It is far too early to write off any of these rookies. As much as fans may disagree, this year does not define them. If these results follow for the next few years, then it is a major cause for concern. While it may be unfortunate that Chicago is not gaining impact right now out of the rookies like many other teams are, there is still time for them to right the ship. Development is rarely a straight line, and patience has paid off plenty of times. If these rookies continue to grow and develop, then this quiet start will likely be forgotten.
