Chicago Bears: Winners and losers from Buffalo Bills game
The heat is on
Well, I lumped two players together here since they both came out on the losing end last night for the same reason. Running back Taquan Mizzell and fullback Michael Burton could not have felt good after watching Ryan Nall show out in last night’s game.
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Mizzell has been battling Nall all camp for the final spot at running back. While others are technically in contention, realistically it will come down to these two. Going into last night, Mizzell probably held the edge due to the fact that he could also play special teams. Again, when you’re limited to 53 players, versatility is paramount as you get down to the final cuts.
However, Nall showed some versatility of his own, expanding his role to include the fullback position. Which leads me to Burton, who has struggled considerably this preseason from the fullback position — which is his primary one. Nall is faster, stronger, and the better pass catcher.
If he can show he can also block as a fullback, then Burton becomes expendable. I mean, who wouldn’t want the option of having a fullback who plays like a running back. The options for Nagy would be enticing for sure.
Mizzell may still hold the lead for the final running back slot, since his ability to play special teams is more valuable than Nall’s ability to play fullback. However, Burton should be nervous if Nall can do all of the same things, but can also play a premium position like running back. Either way, this staff will have some very interesting decisions to make in the coming days.