The Chicago Bears entered training camp with a lot of issues up and down the roster, some of which they hope will become clarified during their first preseason game.
That said, what should fans be looking for tonight to try and make some sense out of the chaos?
(First is health. Above all, the Bears want to make sure they leave Friday night with no major injuries. Let the starters play three snaps and pull them. Give the second string a chance and then sit back and let the rest of the roster battles take place. But health is always the most important thing in the preseason games, so I digress)
1. Reserve QB battle
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Neither Jordan Palmer nor Jimmy Clausen is going to win the second string role this evening but one of them can make himself a front runner with a solid performance.
The interesting side note is if both flop. There have been rumblings and rumors that the Bears could be interested in current free agent quarterback and former Bear Kyle Orton. If both Palmer and Clausen flop, those rumblings will just get louder and louder.
What to look for?
The overall numbers are not the most important factor, but what will be key is if Palmer and Clausen can go through their progressions, limit mistakes and make decisive throws down the field.
2. Who should be starting at safety?
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The Bears have five players vying for two starting spots and there seems to be very little distance between them.
Coach Trestman has said that the two best players will be starting together, regardless of whether they fall into the traditional definitions of "strong safety" and "free safety".
What to look for?
Look for Ryan Mundy and Adrian Wilson to fight it out for one position and Brock Vereen to try and prove his upside justifies his starting over M.D. Jennings, Danny McCray and the loser of the Mundy/Wilson battle.
3. How is the right side of the offensive line going to hold up?
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Starting guard Kyle Long has missed a majority of training camp due to an illness, starting right tackle Jordan Mills has been favoring the same foot on which he had surgery during the offseason and back up swing tackle Eben Britton is sitting out with a hamstring injury.
Long has recovered and Mills is just nursing the injury but both will probably be more limited than usual in the first several preseason games.
What to look for?
Keep an eye on reserve guards Michael Ola and James Brown and reserve tackles Joe Long and rookie Charles Leno. First, see who comes in the games after the starters and second, see how they perform.
4. Who is going to be returning kicks/punts?
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The Bears have a laundry list of players who could potentially be returning for them including wide receivers Eric Weems, Michael Spurlock, CFL sensation Chris Williams and running back Michael Ford.
Weems seems the safest choice but with the injury to third receiver Marquess Wilson, Weems should be getting more time with the offense. That will put Chris Williams, who has highlight videos all over YouTube but has muffed several kicks in training camp, the favorite going into tonight's game.
What to look for?
Look to see if one of these players happens to have a spectacular return, because if he does, it should shoot him right up the depth chart.
5. Who will start the season as the No. 3 receiver?
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The Bears have a multitude of players in camp that could be fighting for that time, to go with Weems, Spurlock and Williams, the Bears also have veterans Josh Morgan, Josh Bellamy and Armanti Edwards.
Out of the group Morgan has to be the best fit as he has the ideal size. At 6'1 and 220 pounds, he should be a very difficult match up for a nickel corner.
Weems and Williams have to be the next best options. Both are speedsters, which should provide a nice change of pace compared to the two starters. Weems also has spent a year in the offensive system.
What to look for?
See who comes in for the slot receiver position first and watch the game to see if/which receiver has drops, because the drops will count more against than the catches will count for.