Does Bradley Sowell have a roster spot locked up

[soulman]

Does Bradley Sowell have a roster spot locked up as Bears' tight end battle hits home stretch?

By JJ Stankevitz August 23, 2019 11:44 AM

https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bears/does-bradley-sowell-have-roster-spot-locked-bears-tight-end-battle-hits-home-stretch

 

Matt Nagy listed off three positions he'll have a keen focus on during Saturday's preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts: Tight end, inside linebacker and cornerback. Of those three, tight end carries the most intrigue given the injury histories of Trey Burton and Adam Shaheen, and the need for depth behind those two players. 

Here's where things stand with just over a week until cut-down day:

On the team: Trey Burton, Adam Shaheen, Ben Braunecker
On the bubble: Bradley Sowell, Ian Bunting, Dax Raymond, Jesper Horsted, Ellis Richardson

With Aug. 31's cut-down deadline quickly approaching, Sowell appears to be on the inside track to make the Bears’ roster as a backup "Y" tight end. A prime example: When asked about Sowell’s move from offensive line to tight end, Nagy preached patience with the move. 

“For us, if we don’t have patience with him in this transition, and there’s frustration with anything, we have to check ourselves as coaches,” Nagy said. “We’re taking this guy who has played tackle in his career and moved him to a position where you’re running routes and you’ve got to know every formation where you line up. So all that said, I really like where he’s at, and I’m looking forward to more.”

This could perhaps be positive coach-speak, and Sowell — who hasn’t been targeted but has committed two penalties in two preseason games — could be closer to the roster bubble than Nagy is intimating. But for Sowell’s roster spot to be in jeopardy, one of the Bears’ undrafted rookies will needs to step up.

So far, the closest to doing that has been Bunting, the 6-foot-7 Hinsdale Central alum who had a good showing against the Carolina Panthers (three catches, 77 yards) but disappeared eight days later against the New York Giants. Raymond, like Bunting, was not targeted against the Giants, though he did notch a solid block on a 14-yard run by running back Ryan Nall. Horsted and Richardson don’t appear to be realistic options. 

Notably, when asked how Bunting and Raymond have looked in terms of holding the point of attack in the run game, Nagy said after the Giants game: “They’re not there yet."

Nagy, though, added: "But there’s some potential. There is. This is a whole new world for them. It’s the NFL. Guys are bigger, stronger, faster. It’s a new playbook, so they’re trying to put all that stuff together."

"We have to decide, ‘Hey, are they a developmental guy? Or are they a guy that’s ready right away? Who are they? We have two weeks to see that and then we’ll have not much time to decide it.” 

The thought here, then, is Sowell will be on the roster come Sept. 5, unless the Bears can find a backup “Y” tight end with whom they’re more comfortable on the waiver wire. At the least, the Bears trust Sowell as an in-line blocker (though he was beat on a block by Giants outside linebacker Markus Golden last week), whereas they may not trust Bunting or Raymond in those duties yet. 

Bunting and Raymond are likely fighting for their roster spot against a fourth running back/seventh wide receiver/ninth offensive lineman, etc. If they don't make the Bears' 53-man roster they'd be prime practice squad candidates. 

[AZBearsFan]

Hub mentioned today Demetrius Harris could be on the bubble in CLE. If he’s let go he’d be an ideal addition to our squad. Good blocker. Some receiving skills. Knows the offense. 

[dll2000]

I watched Uzomah play really well for Bengals last night or I watched it last night, I don't know when game was played.  I was pretty positive Pace would go after him in offseason.

Really disappointed that didn't happen.  He would be perfect fit here.

[WindyCity]

He should not.

Mediocre blocker at TE and offers nothing in the passing game.

[dll2000]

19 minutes ago, WindyCity said:

He should not.

Mediocre blocker at TE and offers nothing in the passing game.

But he will.   He is getting long leash because it was joint Nagy/Pace experiment that they are going to let play out for this season.

 

 

[GOGRIESE]

In the preseason he's been a turd to put it nicely. 

[AZBearsFan]

I was convinced at the outset of preseason he was safe but he’s been noticeably not good in each of the 3 games thus far. He had to play himself off the team coming into PS and I’m not sure he hasn’t done that. I expected he’d at least be a decent blocker for the TE position but he very much hasn’t been. 

[dll2000]

I can't disagree that he has looked bad.

 

[soulman]

1 hour ago, AZBearsFan said:

I was convinced at the outset of preseason he was safe but he’s been noticeably not good in each of the 3 games thus far. He had to play himself off the team coming into PS and I’m not sure he hasn’t done that. I expected he’d at least be a decent blocker for the TE position but he very much hasn’t been. 

Even so my guess is they'd have to feel someone else like Bunting is all that much better so has Bunting proven that?  I don't know.

What I do know is we're gonna have some tougher decisions to make this year than in the past now that we're "back in the hunt".  An experienced vet, even one whose still learning his position, may get the nod over the rookie.

What will also come into play with several decisions is just how likely are they to get a guy they really like and want to develop on the PS through waivers.  Our castoffs may now be much better than others cast offs.

I don't have a pick on this one beyond the three who are locked it.  It's all up to Pace and Nagy.

[Sugashane]

Unless he can suddenly jump back to 300+ and play OT, he shouldn't be on the final roster IMO. He has been below Matt Spaeth in blocking IMO, and as a converted NFL OT that is terrible.

 

I'm not against the experiment being tried again, but it didn't seem to work this time.

[G08]

He hasn't looked great blocking, but I'm sure he's realizing he will have to be more technically sound considering the weight he lost.

[AZBearsFan]

8 hours ago, soulman said:

Even so my guess is they'd have to feel someone else like Bunting is all that much better so has Bunting proven that?  I don't know.

What I do know is we're gonna have some tougher decisions to make this year than in the past now that we're "back in the hunt".  An experienced vet, even one whose still learning his position, may get the nod over the rookie.

What will also come into play with several decisions is just how likely are they to get a guy they really like and want to develop on the PS through waivers.  Our castoffs may now be much better than others cast offs.

I don't have a pick on this one beyond the three who are locked it.  It's all up to Pace and Nagy.

I don’t have a dog in this fight either and frankly I’d put even money that our TE4 is currently rostered elsewhere. Hell, if they think Braunecker can adequately back both positions well enough to get you out of a game with an in-game injury (which he probably can) it’s at least plausible they go with just 3 TE heading into week 1. We don't need to force a keep here where it would be at the expense of a more valuable and more deserving player elsewhere, and we can always call up one of those guys from the PS later if need be. How often is our TE4 really even going to be active anyway?