Chicago Bears: 3 players to keep an eye on during training camp

Training camp season is officially here, and something is in the air. There are countless reasons to get excited about this new Chicago Bears team.

Whether it’s the new coaching staff, or the endless camp battles going on at almost every position, there’s something for everyone to look forward too.

Training camp is where speculation is at its highest. Most fans/analysts can’t help themselves during this exciting time, often becoming irrational about their favorite team due to all of the excitement.

Well, I am going to add more fuel to that fire, as I break down some players and explain why fans/analysts should keep an eye on these guys throughout training camp. So, without further ado, here are the 3 players.

LB Jack Sanborn

Jack Sanborn is a UDFA from the university of Wisconsin. A sideline to sideline tackling machine in the Big Ten, many wondered why Sanborn ended up undrafted in this past NFL Draft. He was very productive in college, anchoring that Badgers defense for three seasons.

During his college career, Sanborn racked up 228 total tackles, 29 TFL’s and 11.5 sacks. With numbers like these you would have expected Sanborn to be a high pick in the draft. However, Sanborn’s physical traits weren’t eye popping, and with a subpar combine performance, scouts and personnel alike scratched him off their draft boards.

However, minutes after the draft, the Lake Zurich high school grad got a call from his hometown Chicago Bears, and it couldn’t have been a better situation. With all the uncertainty at the LB position, Sanborn could quietly solidify himself into the rotation.

Keep an eye out for Sanborn throughout the preseason, as he has a chance to move up the depth chart.

CB Thomas Graham Jr.

Thomas Graham Jr. was a 6th round pick by the Bears back in 2021. Graham didn’t see much action early in the 2021 season. However, due to other injuries, Graham finished the season strong, appearing in 4 games and deflecting 4 passes.

There is a lot of hype around Graham this offseason, as he showed flashes in 2021. However, the Bears dialed in on the secondary, drafting both Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker, and signing both Tavon Young and Dane Cruikshank.

With all of these new faces in the secondary, and a completely new coaching staff, every one of these players are going to have to prove themselves throughout training camp and the preseason.

Hopefully Graham can continue to build up the momentum that he has from the end of last season and have a great training camp. With everything going on, I think Graham could either solidify his spot in the rotation or completely fizzle out and become a non-factor for the Bears.

Either way, I’d keep an eye out for Graham over these next few months, as he has the chance to make or break his career this offseason.

RB Trestan Ebner

Trestan Ebner is a 6th round draft pick in the 2022 draft. Ebner has flown under the radar so far, but this training camp is when that is going to change. Both David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert have solidified their spots as the top two running backs. However, that third spot is still much up for grabs.

Ebner is a multifaceted back from Baylor. In college, Ebner showed that he could both be relied on as a runner and a pass catcher. During his career with the Baylor Bears, Ebner ran for 1690 yards on nearly 5 YPC. On top of this he also grabbed 127 passes for 1515 yards in the air.

Neither Montgomery nor Herbert have been lethal in the receiving game. This could be Ebner’s key into earning that 3rd running back spot. With Montgomery not expected to take a heavy load in the preseason, Ebner will have his chance to prove his worth to this new coaching staff.