Open Thread Question of the Day: Which “non-star” Bears player could make the biggest impact?

Check out our latest Windy City Gridiron roundtable/2nd City Gridiron podcast question of the day!

We all expect certain Chicago Bears to come through for the team in 2024. Players like Montez Sweat, DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, T.J. Edwards, and Jaylon Johnson have been at or are on the cusp of Pro Bowl level of play.

But what about some of the other players?

On ther latest Making Monsters podcast, Taylor Doll grabbed E.J. Snyder to give their top three Bears that could unexpectedly make the biggest impact. You can check out her show in the embeds below, but our staff wanted to give a pick too,

Here’s our question of the day…

Which “non-star” playing well could make the biggest impact?

And here are our picks…

Lester: If DeMarcus Walker can play like the guy that started their last four games after Yannick Ngakoue went down (2 sacks, 10 tackles, 4 TFL, and 7 QB hits), it’ll give teams something to think about when game planning against Chicago’s front four. Walker had a much better 2023 than fans realize, and he could take a nice step in his second year in the scheme.

JB: Ryan Bates. Can you imagine having solid play from the pivot for Caleb’s rookie season? It sure would go a long way helping this new offense click early if Bates can handle the physical and mental demands of the position. There’s a reason why Ryan Poles loves this guy – I can’t wait to see if he’s right.

ECD: We might have already seen the answer to this question last season. And that would be Andrew Billings, the vastly underrated “shade” who outperformed a lot of other DTs who signed elsewhere for much larger contracts in free agency. He recorded his best year pass-rushing-wise in his career, and his stout performance against the run reminded me plenty of Anthony “Spice” Adams. It’s the least sexy role on defense, but when the “shade” plays well, it makes life that much easier for everyone on defense. If he continues his ascent in Chicago, their defense stands to play at a higher level as a result. And I have a good feeling that’s exactly what will happen this fall.

Jack R Salo: Tyrique Stevenson. The third line of the H.IT.S. principle is really a pillar of all sports involving one: The Ball. Corny, yes, but it’s hard to score when you don’t have it. Jaylon Johnson earned his role (and bag) as the big-name corner in this defense, but that could lead to quarterbacks avoiding his coverage and targeting Stevenson’s assignment more. If the second-year guy can increase his interception total from last year (4), it will give a lot of the new guys on offense more runway.

Aaron: My top “non-star” to have the biggest impact this year would be Darnell Wright. Sure, he was the No. 10 overall pick last year & his ceiling is high, but he’s still an unproven player in a valuable position. I think Wright will take the next step and be viewed as one of the better right tackles in the league by the end of this next season.

Help us welcome our two newest front-page contributors to WCG: Bryan Orenchuk (the artist formally known as Bchuk44) and Mongo Peanut (still known as Mongo Peanut)!

Bryan Orenchuk: So many good options here. It came down to Braxton Jones vs. Gervon Dexter Sr. for me, but I will have to go with Braxton. Both were our own draft picks, which factored into my decision. Dexter’s continued ascent will be critical, but the defense can be solid without plus play from him. The same cannot be said for our starting left tackle. Sure, we drafted his eventual replacement in Kiran Amegadjie, but the rookie out of Yale is dealing with an injury to start camp and won’t be expected to contribute heavily his first year, barring something catastrophic like Jones’ health or abysmal play. Either issue would be a significant setback for our young offense led by a rookie QB. Give me solid play from our LT to pair with our blue-chip RT, and I think that not only keeps Caleb upright more often but propels our offense into the top half of the league and complements our stout defense. Braxton Jones is key.

Mongo Peanut: Ryan Bates/Coleman Shelton. There is no bigger unknown on offense at this point than the anticipated returns at the Center position. From Sam Mustipher, to Lucas Patrick, to the ghost of Cody Whitehair’s snapping wrist, the Bears have not had stability and consistency at the position for what feels like a decade. Ryan Poles’ second pursuit of Bates and the steadiness of Shelton on a good Rams team suggests that this may change this year. Given the Center’s role in settling a rookie QB down and being an anchor on a newly installed offense – I see these two having the potential to make a major impact on bringing this offense into the modern day.

Taylor and E.J. give their top three “non-star” Bears who can make the biggest impact in her latest Making Monsters podcast.

Video version here:

Audio version here:

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