Chicago Bears: Five matchups to watch against the Tennessee Titans

5. LB Joel Iyiegbuniwe vs. RB Jeremy McNichols

A 2018 fourth-round pick, Joel Iyiegbuniwe possess the speed needed to play in today’s NFL. However, for the Bears, his rookie season was filled with special teams appearances more than anything else. So far in the 2019 preseason, Iyiegbuniwe has totaled 13 tackles, one sack, and one pass breakup. He, however, has not had the impact that fellow inside linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski has had.

The reality of Iyiegbuniwe is that if he fails to have a strong showing in this final game, he’s likely going to be cut because the Bears roster is stacked with talent that the team could just decide to go with three inside linebackers: Kwiatkoski, Roquan Smith, and Danny Trevathan.

Iyiegbuniwe will be tasked with stopping Jeremy McNichols. Buried on the Titans depth chart, McNichols has rushed for exactly 100 yards this preseason. He’s also averaging eight yards per reception this August, proving that he can be a factor in both the running and passing game.

McNichols wins in many different ways, however, his two biggest strengths are his vision and anticipation. His vision is a major factor because he’s able to scan the entire field and quickly decide where to go with the football. On the other hand, his anticipation plays a big role because he anticipates what the defense is going to do and then decides what the best way to run is.

If Iyiegbuniwe wants to slow McNichols down, he’ll need to be patient and see what McNichols wants to do. From there, it’ll be up to Iyiegbuniwe to make the first move but not do too much because over-pursuing could mean that he ends up missing out on trying to make a play entirely.