James Daniels in Mix for Chicago Bears' Left Guard Job, Nagy Says
By James Neveau ••
The Chicago Bears officially broke camp in Bourbonnais on Sunday afternoon, and with four weeks to go until their regular season kicks off, there is one big position battle that’s still raging.
That battle is taking place at the left guard spot, where rookie lineman James Daniels is competing for the job against veterans Eric Kush and Earl Watford, according to head coach Matt Nagy.
The four other positions on the line seem locked in, including Cody Whitehair’s status as the team’s center. According to Nagy and offensive line coach Harry Hiestand, Whitehair is not involved in the left guard competition, even though Daniels has impressed scouts and coaches alike with his play at center early in the preseason.
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Allen Robinson #15 of the Jacksonville Jaguars catches a pass during warm ups before the game between the Houston Texans and the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium on December 18, 2016 in Houston, Texas.
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A member of the Super Bowl winning Philadelphia Eagles, Burton racked up 23 catches for 248 yards and five touchdowns last season.
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A new veteran back-up for Mitchell Trubisky, Daniel has completed 51 career passes for 480 yards and a touchdown in stops with the New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs, and Philadelphia Eagles.
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The standout lineman at Iowa, Daniels was a second round pick of the Bears this spring. He will look to earn a starting job on the line in Matt Nagy’s new offense.
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The rookie defensive end (left) out of Utah had a strong senior season, with 23 total tackles, including three for loss, and three sacks to his credit for the Utes.
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A veteran wide receiver, Fowler had 29 catches for 350 yards and three touchdowns with the Denver Broncos, where he spent his first four pro seasons.
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The former Atlanta Falcons wide out caught 33 passes for 378 yards and a touchdown last season. In the previous season, Gabriel registered six touchdowns for Atlanta.
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Entering his fifth season, the former San Francisco 49’er is reuniting with former defensive coordinator Vic Fangio in Chicago. In seven games last season, Lynch recovered a fumble and picked up a sack.
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In three seasons at Memphis, Miller had 238 receptions, including 96 in his final collegiate season. He had 37 career touchdowns for the Tigers, and will hope to add an element of explosiveness to the Bears’ offense.
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The Delaware-product was selected in the fifth round by the Bears, and ran a 4.95 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine earlier this year.
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The Bears’ kicker carousel has landed on the former Miami Dolphins kicker, who made 21 of the 23 field goals he attempted in 16 games last season.
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The eighth overall pick isn’t under contract with the Bears just yet, but when he signs, the team will be excited to add him to the mix, as he had 137 total tackles and six and a half sacks in his final season with the Georgia Bulldogs.
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The high profile free agent played in only one game with the Jacksonville Jaguars last season before a knee injury derailed his campaign. In his best pro season, he racked up 14 touchdowns and 80 catches for the Jaguars in 2015.
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The former Bulldogs wide receiver had 45 catches for 720 yards and seven touchdowns last season, and the Bears snagged him in the seventh round of the NFL Draft.
As for who has the advantage at the spot, it’s still unclear at this point. Daniels has gotten time at the position after battling through an injury early in camp, but Kush’s veteran status could give him an edge in the competition if the Bears want to slowly bring Daniels into the equation.
The Bears’ next preseason tilt will come Saturday when they battle the Denver Broncos. In the interim, they will hold a pair of practices with Denver in the coming week, giving the three competitors for the guard job a chance to showcase their stuff against an opposing defense.
