Chicago Bears: Big opportunity for Trevis Gipson

Sunday presents a big opportunity for the Chicago Bears rookie.

It is no secret that yours truly is a big fan of Trevis Gipson and has been since the Chicago Bears drafted him in April. We’ve written about the type of impact he could have on this team a number of times, and he will likely get the opportunity on Sunday.

Yesterday, the Bears released their final injury report before their Week 1 game against the Detroit Lions and the first thing that jumped out is that newly acquired free agent Robert Quinn missed practice again and was listed as doubtful for the game.

The next item that caught your attention was likely the fact that Khalil Mack was listed as limited again, and questionable for the game.

It goes without saying that missing one of those players is a tremendous blow to the defense and their ability to get to the quarterback. Losing both would be nothing short of catastrophic. Of course, you never want to overreact, and perhaps they are just being cautious with Mack’s knee. But with Quinn out and Mack potentially limited, that leaves a number of snaps up for grabs.

The official depth chart lists Barkevious Mingo and James Vaughters behind Quinn and Gipson behind Mack. However, you could see a scenario where the Bears give the rookie an opportunity to get after the pass rusher on clear passing downs.

While Gipson is still somewhat raw, his athletic ability is undeniable. He is more than capable of using that athleticism, his speed, and power, pinning his ears back, and setting his sights on one thing — Lions’ quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Many were high on Gipson, the fifth-round pick coming out of the University of Tulsa. They knew he had an awful lot of potential and alongside guys like Mack and Quinn, he would pick up a lot about how to play the position through osmosis.

Hopefully, he acted as a sponge during their limited training camp and picked up as much as he could because come Sunday, he may need to call on that wisdom as he finds himself with an opportunity to make an immediate impact for the Bears. I know I’m excited to see him in action.