With less than a week left until rookies report for training camp in the NFL, the Chicago Bears are facing possibly the most difficult situation in a league-wide standoff.
No second-round picks are signed to date except for 33rd pick Carson Schwesinger with Cleveland and 34th pick Jayden Higgins with Houston. At the same time, all but two first-round picks have signed.
The standoff is over fully guaranteed contracts for second-round picks after first, Higgins, and then Schwesinger received them. Second-round picks had received partial guarantees in the past. Now all the second-rounders want these, although in many cases it's players simply waiting to sign and see if the player taken one spot ahead of them gets a fully guaranteed deal. If so, then they'll make this same demand.
The reason the Bears are affected more than other teams is they are the only team with three draft picks in Round 2. Cleveland, Houston and Seattle had two picks each but Seattle is the only team besides the Bears with more than one unsigned second-rounder now. The unsigned Seattle players are the 50th pick, tight end Elijah Arroyo, and the 35th pick, safety Nick Emmanwori.
It is Emmanwori everyone in the league is looking at right now because if he gets a guaranteed deal, then the 36th pick is the one who logically becomes the next domino. That's Quinshon Judkins, the Browns' second second-round pick. He also has other issues on his plate with a weekend arrest on domestic violence and battery charges.
Perhaps the most impactful pick regarding the Bears right now is 38th pick TreVeyon Henderson of New England. If he signs with a full guarantee, then Bears 39th pick Luther Burden III is next up for one.
However, there is one other possible pressure point in this standoff. That's the player taken right behind Burden, quarterback Tyler Shough with New Orleans.
The pressure is greater on New Orleans because Shough is expected to compete for the starting quarterback job with Spencer Rattler. It's a bit more vital for a rookie QB to be in camp from the outset, especially when it's an unsettled situation.
Would the Saints cave and give Shough a fully guaranteed deal at 40? If so, then the Bears really have to give one to Burden at No. 39. So Burden is actually hanging on until No. 40 signs, and not just Henderson.
Either way, one second-round pick is now officially a holdout and that's Chargers wide receiver Tre Harris at No. 55. Chargers rookies were to report today for camp.
The severity of a second-round holdout is a case-by-case situation. Here's how it can impact the Bears.
No. 39: WR Luther Burden III
Holdout impact: Low severeity
The Bears have Olamide Zaccheaus at slot receiver to compete with Burden. They also have Tyler Scott, who has been a slot receiver in the past. They also signed Maurice Alexander, who has been familiar with Ben Johnson's offense since October of 2022, when he signed on with the Detroit practice squad as a slot receiver.
The Bears have plenty of options at this position.
They also run an offense where numerous players from other wide receiver positions could line up in the lot on given plays. DJ Moore would look to be a good example as he could hurt a defense as a ball carrier on short passes over the middle because of a combination of speed and power that makes him among the league's best at yards after the catch.
Making matters worse for Burden if he doesn't show up immediately is the fact he didn't get to practice after rookie camp due to a reported soft tissue injury.
The onus, or perhaps the burden so to speak, is almost entirely on Burden if he's among holdouts come Saturday when rookies must report to Halas Hall.
No. 56: T Ozzy Trapilo
Holdout impact: High severity
This could really be a tough situation for the Bears, particularly early in training camp. Trapilo is supposed to be in the hottest starting job battle with Braxton Jones and second-year tackle Kiran Amegadjie for starting left tackle. If he's not there, it's quite possible the only player available to take reps at the position with starters at the outset of camp will be Amegadjie.
No one has said yet whether Jones will be medically cleared for full camp practices at the outset or possibly will eased back after his ankle surgery late last season.
Without Trapilo, who was impressive all offseason in non-contact work, and with Jones a possible slow starter for camp, it becomes a one-horse battle. Amegadjie probably figured as third man in, anyway, so without Trapilo and Jones the Bears would be starting camp with a third-string option as starter.
Each day Trapilo would be unsigned would take a day away from the offensive line's ability to mesh into cohesive group for the start of the season.
A possible fix if it came to a long holdout and Jones simply not being ready? Joe Thuney starts out at left tackle. He famously did it for the Chiefs last year, although it's not a desirable situation. The Bears haven't said this is the case, but KC got away with it until the Super Bowl.
No. 62: DT Shemar Turner
Holdout impact: Very low severity
Turner is a player they hope develops into a contributor at 3-technique defensive tackle but this is a position where the Bears have great depth. Signing Grady Jarrett for the mix took care of the talent issue at 3-technique. Gervon Dexter can play both nose and 3-technique. Andrew Billings being back at nose from a pectoral surgery frees up Dexter to play 3-technique. If necessary, Billings can also play there.
Chris Williams plays both positions. Zacch Pickens has played at both spots over the past two years.
On top of that, one of Dayo Odeyingbo's skills is an ability to move in to tackle from end for pass rush situations.
Turner's time away will be a real blow to his own early development but shouldn't hurt the Bears much when camp begins.
-1752159721-q80.webp "Will Buck Replace Bobby in 9-1-1 Season 9? Why It Feels Unlikely")
