Chicago Bears: What We've Learned Through Week 3 of Preseason

After spending part of last week in Indianapolis practicing with the Colts, the Chicago Bears resumed practices at Halas Hall earlier this week.

The Bears hold a 2-0 preseason record, and they will head to Cincinnati this weekend to take on the Bengals in the third preseason game of the year. Teams typically allow their starters to play the majority of the first three quarters of the third preseason game.

‘‘It’s the most extended amount of time our starters will get so they can get used to...the halftime, halftime adjustments and then coming out in the third quarter,” said head coach John Fox on Tuesday, per the Chicago Sun-Times' Patrick Finley. “How far they go will be kind of game-related.’’

The outcome of Saturday's game against Cincinnati is meaningless, but the game will give Fox and his staff an idea of what the team will look like in 2015.

What have we learned about the Bears through the first three weeks of the preseason?

Eddie Goldman Will Have a Chance to Start at Nose Tackle

Sam Riche/Associated Press

The Bears selected Florida State nose tackle Eddie Goldman in the second round of this year's draft, and the young lineman has a chance to be a starter when the regular season begins.

Jeremiah Ratliff was expected to start at the 0-technique nose tackle position this season, but it was announced on Monday that the veteran defensive tackle has been suspended for the first three games of the year, per WGN Radio's Adam Hoge. 

With Ratliff out of the picture for the first three regular season games, Goldman is now focusing on being a starter and performing well when on the field.

"I’m just focused on getting out there and playing with the team,” Goldman said, per the Chicago Sun-Times' Mark Potash. “I don’t look at it any differently. [Ratliff is] still going to be out there helping me, no matter what. I’m just focused on playing with those 10 other guys out there.”

In Ratliff's absence, Goldman will be asked to anchor the middle of the defensive line against the run and collapse the pocket. He has done a nice job against the run so far in the preseason, and he wants to improve as a pass-rusher. Goldman said earlier this week he seeks out opportunities to go up against Chicago's best offensive linemen.

“I always try to get pass-rush reps with [Pro Bowl guard Kyle Long]. People rarely beat him in pass rush,” Goldman said, per Potash. “I’m definitely looking to go against him—and [center] Will Montgomery and [guard Matt] Slauson.”

Slauson has been impressed with the young rookie this offseason.

“As a veteran offensive lineman, you get a rookie across from you and you can think, ‘This is going to be great,’” Slauson said with a laugh, per CNSChicago.com's John Mullin. “But not with him, and I learned that really fast. He’s got really good tools and I think he’s going to be really, really good.“

According to Pro Football Focus, Goldman has recorded three quarterback hurries and three tackles in 59 snaps this preseason. The biggest knock on Goldman coming out of Florida State was his lack of a pass rush, but if he can consistently put pressure on opposing quarterbacks, he will become a key part of Chicago's defense this season.

If Goldman is able to produce in Ratliff's absence, he has a chance to hold onto the starting nose tackle job when Ratliff returns in Week 4 against the Oakland Raiders.

Alshon Jeffery's Status Is Still Up in the Air

Matt Marton/Associated Press

When the Bears hosted the Miami Dolphins in the preseason opener, former Pro Bowl receiver Alshon Jeffery did not dress. After the game, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Jeffery would miss at least a week with a calf injury.

"Bears [wide receiver] Alshon Jeffery is expected to miss about one week with his mild calf strain, per a source—good news for Chicago," tweeted Schefter on August 14.

It has been two weeks since it was initially reported that Jeffery would miss a week of practice, but he has yet to get back onto the practice field during that time.

"For those keeping score at home, Alshon Jeffery has now been 'day-to-day' for nearly two weeks," tweeted Hoge earlier this week.

Jeffery is Chicago's No. 1 wide receiver, but he has not had an opportunity to play with quarterback Jay Cutler in a game situation this offseason. The Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs does not think Jeffery will play in the third preseason game this weekend, and starters rarely—if ever—play in the preseason finale.

In Jeffery's absence, guys like Joshua Bellamy, Rashad Lawrence and Marc Mariani have all received more reps.

According to Pro Football Focus, Bellamy has received the most reps on offense out of all of the team's wide receivers this preseason with 68 snaps. Lawrence is second with 65 snaps, while Mariani ranks seventh with 36 snaps.

Bellamy spent all of training camp last summer with the team and was on the team's active roster for a handful of games last season. Both Lawrence and Mariani joined the team midway through last season. 

If Jeffery is unable to play this weekend against the Bengals, there is a good chance his first live game reps will come in the regular season opener against the Green Bay Packers.

OLB Willie Young Is Confident

Matt Marton/Associated Press

Pass-rusher Willie Young was having the best season of his career last year, but he suffered an Achilles injury in Week 16 against the Detroit Lions.

In 15 games last season, Young recorded 39 tackles and a career-high 10 sacks as a 4-3 defensive end, but in addition to recovering from his injury, he has also moved to outside linebacker in coordinator Vic Fangio's 3-4 defense this offseason.

Young was eased back into practice at training camp, and he was held out of the first preseason game against the Dolphins. Last weekend he got his first opportunity to play outside linebacker when the Bears took on the Colts. Per Pro Football Focus, he played just 11 snaps with the second-team defense.

“It’s just a matter of getting the reps, which I’m getting now,” Young said Tuesday, per the Chicago Sun-Times' Adam Jahns. “It’s all good. Things are taking care of itself for the most part.”

Despite having to rehab his Achilles and move to a new position this offseason, he has not lost any of his confidence.

"I see a Willie Young who's getting back to his form," Young said, per the Chicago Tribune's Dan Wiederer. "Absolutely. I never lost my confidence. It's just a matter of me being able now to run off, push off (my leg), fight pressure off it, sustain blocks and move fluidly. That's the catch. That's all I'm waiting on."

Despite feeling confident, Young is going to have a hard time pushing for a starting role because of the depth the team has at the position.

The Bears signed Pernell McPhee to a five-year contract this offseason, and the team also has Jared Allen, Lamarr Houston, Sam Acho and David Bass all competing for playing time opposite of McPhee.

"The biggest thing I can control is me coming out, balling out and doing what Willie Young been doing," Young said, per Wiederer. "Going fishing. Sacking quarterbacks. Making plays. And whatever happens after that happens after that."

Young has the right attitude, but that will not matter unless he can perform when on the field this season.

Charles Leno Has Been Asked to Learn Both Tackle Positions

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The Bears drafted offensive tackle Charles Leno in the seventh round of the 2014 draft, and the former Boise State product appeared in five games last season and made one start.

He took reps with the first-team offense earlier this summer at left tackle, per BearReport.com's Jeremy Stoltz, but he started at right tackle last Saturday against the Colts.

“I’d say left tackle I’m more comfortable with,” Leno said, per ChicagoFootball.com's Nate Atkins. “The left tackle, he’s probably going to get the best athlete on the field over him. The right tackle, that’s probably the second or third best athlete. ... It’s not really a big difference. It’s like riding a bike once you switch over.”

Per Pro Football Focus, he played 59 snaps at left tackle in the preseason opener and finished with a minus-1.6 overall grade. Against the Colts he played 29 snaps and finished with a minus-0.8. He struggled at right tackle, but the Bears feel confident in his ability to play on either side of the line.

Fox knows playing both tackle spots is tough, but he is glad his young tackle is getting the opportunity to learn both positions, per Finley:

"

If you asked them, they’d prefer to be on one side, just like outside linebackers, just like corners, just like any other position. There’s some cross training there assignment-wise. The verbiage is similar, but technique-wise, it’s just different. Your sets are different, your post foot different, things that technically they have to do. All-in-all, I think it’s good work [other than] all the sudden, throw him on the side and say ‘have at it’ — and they’re in the middle of a game.

"

The Bears still list Jordan Mills as the starter at right tackle on their latest unofficial depth chart, but there is a chance Leno gets another start on the right side this Saturday night.

Leno did not play a great game against the Colts, but it is easy to see why the Bears like him. He is athletic, has great size (6'3", 302 lbs) and his versatility makes him a key part of Chicago's offensive line. He needs to improve his awareness and tighten up his technique, but he appears to be the team's best option at right tackle.

Jay Cutler Will Have the Ability to Audible at the Line of Scrimmage

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Quarterback Jay Cutler struggled at times in former head coach Marc Trestman's system because he was given a lot of freedom to check out of plays at the line of scrimmage, and while he does not have full control this year in Adam Gase's offense, he said he does have the ability to be flexible at the line of scrimmage, per Biggs:

"

I feel comfortable. [Gase] is doing a really good job of making sure the quarterback is in good position. He gives us parameters and a little bit of flexibility with what we can do up there. It's not like we're just free-styling. We have some rules and if you stay within those rules you're probably going to be successful. I feel good about it. I know we're heading in the right direction.

"

Cutler was eventually benched by Trestman last season and replaced by backup Jimmy Clausen in Week 16 because of his poor play.

"He's not playing as well as he could play," Trestman said at the time, per Biggs. "I said that starts with me. That's an accountability issue with all of us as a team and he has not done that and we have not done that and that's why we made the decision for this moment."

The Bears cut ties with Trestman at the end of the season, and Cutler now feels comfortable in Gase's system. It is not known how much freedom Cutler truly had last season at the line of scrimmage, but the veteran quarterback did note his options in Gase's system are different.

"It's just different," Cutler said, per Biggs. "As a quarterback it's hard to just call your own game. You're going to need somebody to help you along and [Gase] does a great job of talking us through things, and being in the headset and giving us different options as we go."

It is easy for Cutler to sound confident right now in the preseason, but the real test will come once the regular season begins. If he can play within Gase's system, Cutler has a chance to have a solid season for the Bears in 2015.

Statistical information and measurables courtesy of NFL.com unless otherwise noted.

Matt Eurich is a Chicago Bears featured columnist for Bleacher Report and a member of the Pro Football Writers of America.

Follow @MattEurich.