\n Rookie Ruben Hyppolite II (47) hopes to become the Bears\u2019 starting \u201csam\u201d linebacker this season.
\n AP\n <\/p>\n
We\u2019re ranking the top-five position battles to watch during training camp. Here\u2019s a look at No. 2 on the list. Check back each day this week for the next installment.<\/p>\n
No. 2 Linebacker<\/p>\n
Returning players: Tremaine Edmunds, TJ Edwards, Noah Sewell, Amen Ogbongbemiga, Carl Jones<\/p>\n
Departed player: Jack Sanborn<\/p>\n
Newcomers: Ruben Hyppolite II, Power Echols, Swayze Bozeman<\/p>\n
Why it\u2019s worth watching: The linebackers group will be an interesting one to watch this training camp. Even though the unit has two returning starters, there will be plenty of intrigue about the group\u2019s future.<\/p>\n
Edmunds and Edwards both return for their third straight season as starters after Poles signed them both in 2023. Over two seasons Edmunds has 223 tackles, 5 interceptions and 1 sack while Edwards collected 284 tackles, 4 interceptions and 6.5 sacks. They\u2019ve also provided valuable veteran leadership for a young defense.<\/p>\n
Poles rewarded Edwards with a two-year extension this offseason that will keep him in town through the 2027 season. Edmunds still has two years left on his contract but might need to prove how he fits in defensive coordinator Dennis Allen\u2019s system.<\/p>\n
The Bears will have an opening for their third linebacker in the \u201csam,\u201d spot. Sanborn played the spot over the past few seasons and had 35 tackles and 1.5 sacks in a more limited role last year. Poles decided not to bring back Sanborn, who signed with the Dallas Cowboys this offseason.<\/p>\n
Both Hyppolite and Sewell will likely battle it out for that final starting spot. Sewell will try to prove he deserves more playing time after Poles drafted him in the fifth round in 2023. He had 13 tackles and 2 forced fumbles over two seasons after mostly playing on special teams.<\/p>\n
Hyppolite will be an interesting candidate for the role. The Bears\u2019 were intrigued by Hyppolite\u2019s speed and length during the draft process and selected him in the fourth round in this year\u2019s draft. Hyppolite left a good impression and earned more snaps during spring practices as Edwards battled a soft tissue injury.<\/p>\n
Although the pads weren\u2019t on in the spring, Hyppolite showed traits Allen is looking for in the role.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve got to be able to match up with tight ends, running backs at times, they\u2019ve got to be able to match up with wide receivers,\u201d Allen said during the spring. \u201cSometimes that\u2019s carrying things vertical down the field, so we\u2019re looking for guys that can run. And then we\u2019re looking for guys that have a physical mentality and a physical demeanor.\u201d<\/p>\n
Other players like defensive end Dominique Robinson could try to push for the third linebacker spot and show that they can do what Allen is seeking. But it\u2019ll likely come down to Hyppolite and Sewell.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n Noah Sewell hopes to earn a starting job at linebacker for the Bears this season.
\n AP\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Rookie Ruben Hyppolite II (47) hopes to become the Bears\u2019 starting \u201csam\u201d linebacker this season. AP We\u2019re ranking…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":160820,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2070],"tags":[374,692,391,2493,7,6,767,9,770,771],"class_list":{"0":"post-160819","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-chicago-bears","8":"tag-bears","9":"tag-chicago","10":"tag-chicago-bears","11":"tag-chicagobears","12":"tag-football","13":"tag-nfl","14":"tag-pro-sports","15":"tag-sports","16":"tag-sports-leagues","17":"tag-sports-types"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/114751529688807516","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160819","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=160819"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160819\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/160820"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=160819"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=160819"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=160819"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}