The Chicago Bears came out of Las Vegas with a thrilling 25-24 win over the Raiders on Sunday. Escaping this game with a victory was impressive, given that they played a sloppy game on offense and had no run defense. Still, a win is a win and now they enter the bye week with a record of 2-2.
That said, don't be surprised if there are some massive changes coming out of the bye week. Before facing the Raiders, head coach Ben Johnson said during his weekly press conference that his staff will be busy during the bye week and there could be some changes in store.
"We’re going to have a good feel after four games for who we are, what we do well, what we can sink our teeth into and whether we want to pivot a little bit in certain spots — whether that’s personnel-driven or schematic — (in a way) that can get us better going ahead." Johnson said.
While these comments don't call anyone out specifically, there are a number of players who could take reduced roles after the bye week. With that being said, here are three Bears on thin ice heading into the bye week.
1. Braxton Jones, LT
Heading into the season, there were lots of questions surrounding Jones and the left tackle position. The 26-year-old underwent surgery to repair his left ankle that he broke last December against the Detroit Lions. Although this injury limited him early in training camp, he was still in a heated left tackle battle.
Despite struggling in the preseason, the veteran was still the best option they had at the position. As a result, he was named the starter to begin the season. Unfortunately, Jones has played poorly to begin the year.
In the first two games, he allowed two sacks, two quarterback hits, nine quarterback hurries and 13 QB pressures. According to Pro Football Focus, he also earned pass block grades of 56.2 and 46.9, run block grades of 57.1 and 52.4 and overall grades of 58.7 and 46.0.
Though he played much better in Week 3 against the Dallas Cowboys, it's not as impressive, given Dallas's weak defensive line.. His struggles resurfaced in Week 4, when he allowed two hits, two pressures, and had major issues in run blocking over 28 snaps.
This led to Theo Benedet replacing him in the second half. Benedet performed very well in his place for the second time this season. Thus, Jones may have already lost his starting spot coming out of the bye.
2. Grady Jarrett, DT
Chicago signed Grady Jarrett this offseason in hopes that he could be a force in the middle of the defensive line like he was during his decade in Atlanta. So far, the veteran has not lived up to that yet this season.
Through three games, he has earned a pass rush grade of 56.8, a run defense grade of 57.6, and an overall grade of 55.7, according to Pro Football Focus. This is the worst the 32-year-old has ever performed in his career. His relative ineffectiveness has not helped improve the Bears' defensive front like fans were hoping for.
On top of that, Jarrett has been dealing with a knee injury. This injury kept him out against the Raiders and contributed to why Ashton Jeanty had such a big game against the Bears. While Jarrett has struggled in run defense all season, the Bears may have had a better chance with him on the field
Though benching the veteran is likely not in Chicago's plans, if his play doesn't improve, fans will start to get even more irritated. This is why Jarrett better come out of the bye week with a nenewed sense of play.
3. D'Andre Swift, RB
Let's get one thing straight, there's absolutely no chance that the Bears straight-up sit D'Andre Swift. Although some fans would love this, Chicago made a big investment in him last offseason when they signed him to a three-year $24 million deal. That said, Chicago could and maybe should change the way the running backs are deployed.
Currently, the 26-year-old speedster is the Bears' lead back. That didn't work out for them last season and it hasn't worked out so far this year under Johnson. In four games this season, Swift has rushed for 187 yards on 57 carries, which is an average of 3.3 yards per carry.
In no way is that a sustainable rushing attack. While rookie Kyle Monangai hasn't exactly had great production either, he's coming off his best game as a pro with 18 yards on four carries and an average of 4.5 yards per carry last week.
Despite not having many touches, Monangai showed something he hadn't yet this season: his toughness. The 23-year-old's best run of the day came on a nine-yard run in the fourth quarter, where he powered through a few tackles.
That ability is something Swift doesn't really have. While Swift wound up scoring the game-winning touchdown in last week's victory, it could help spark the Bears' rushing attack earlier in the games, given how much the offensive line has struggled with run blocking at times. If that change happens, Swift would become more of a change-of-pace RB2 and that may suit him better in this offense right now.