The Chicago Bears have reached the end of the preseason and their starters are due to get a litmus test against the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday night. Ben Johnson has welcomed the opportunity to game plan against Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the Chiefs dynasty – even if it is for just a series or two – and find out how close his team is to competing against one of the NFL’s best teams.
But fans know that the opening quarter of Friday’s game will be nothing but a sugar high. The real action will occur when the backups get into the game.
Several players will be looking to make a final stand and earn their spot against the roster on Friday night. But some players have already sealed their fate. When it comes to one high draft pick, it’s clear his time is coming to an end and the Bears will be forced to throw in the towel by next Tuesday’s roster cutdown deadline.
Zacch Pickens’s Days With Bears Are Numbered
The 2023 draft has turned out to be a decent class for general manager Ryan Poles but one area where he missed was defensive tackle Zacch Pickens. The third-round pick was supposed to form a tandem with second-round selection Gervon Dexter but he never lived up to the potential he showed at South Carolina.
Pickens played well early with the Gamecocks but never improved. As his snaps increased, Pickens’s Pro Football Focus grade didn’t improve before posting a career-high 67.3 in his senior season (2022). But he flashed enough potential with a 6.5% pressure rate and a 9.23 relative athletic score (RAS) during testing at the 2023 scouting combine.
The plan was for Pickens to work on his technique as a rotational player and graduate to a starter. But much like his collegiate career, Pickens never improved enough for that to happen. While he played in all 17 games during his rookie year, he managed 20 total tackles, one tackle for loss and 0.5 sacks. Things didn’t get better last season either, as he played in just nine games and saw his PFF grade drop from 54.9 to 45.5.
Pickens did improve with a 9.7% pressure rate but a groin injury and a lack of improvement caused him to be a healthy scratch toward the end of last season. After falling behind Chris Williams and Gervon Dexter on the depth chart, Johnson came in and shoveled more dirt on top of him with the additions of Grady Jarrett, Deyo Odeyingbo and Shemar Turner this offseason.
The writing has been on the wall this preseason. Only Detroit’s Myles Adams (100) and Philadelphia’s Ty Robinson (88) have played more snaps than Pickens’s 85 this preseason, which is usually a sign that a coaching staff is trying to trade him. Odds are, that showcase may be unsuccessful as Pickens has made four total tackles, two run stops and a sack in the first two games according to PFF.
Even if Pickens looks like he’s clearing his low personal bar, it may not be good enough to make the Bears roster, leaving Poles to give up on one of his high draft picks.