Can the Bears build on their shutout victory against the Bills? | 1st & North
Can the Bears build on their shutout victory against the Bills? | 1st & North
On this episode of "First and North," Lou Canellis and NFC North insiders break down the latest buzz in the division: Can the Bears keep the momentum going after their shutout against the Bills? Bears Coach Ben Johnson even cracked a smile! Aidan Hutchinson is turning heads in Detroit with his standout practice sessions. There's buzz about whether Jordan Love will be back for the Packers in Week One. And could Micah Parsons be heading to the NFC North?
It makes sense that the Chicago Bears would be a little cautious with a player like Joe Thuney.
One of the prized offseason acquisitions, Thuney might not play in Friday's preseason finale as a veteran who doesn't need the fine-tuning as a player who was an All-Pro last season.
That, instead, would open the door for another player to get first-team reps. In Sunday's win over the Bills, it was rookie Luke Newman.
Newman could benefit the most from Sunday's preseason finale vs. the Chiefs, even if Thuney does play in his return to Kansas City.
Big picture view:
The Bears found Newman in the All-Star Game part of the draft cycle when Newman participated in the 2025 East–West Shrine Bowl. When they selected Newman with the 195th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL draft, it was because they saw Newman as a multi-faceted player.
"Watching the tape, we were really impressed," Bears general manager Ryan Poles said on April 26 after drafting Newman. "His feet and hands were always in the right place. He's a physical, tough player who also can play guard and can play center. He can handle the communication. We are really excited about developing him."
Nearing the end of training camp, that versatility has been put to the test.
The Bears have played Newman at right guard, left guard and tried him out at center for a bit. This comes after he played left guard at Michigan State and started 34 games at left tackle for FCS Holy Cross.
Against the Bills, Newman started at left guard. He was part of the first offensive drive that ended in a touchdown and impressed the entirety of Chicago.
"It's one thing to have an opening drive for a touchdown, but to be able to do it with guys like those guys with proven ability in this league, veterans, I mean, it's extremely valuable experience for a guy like me," Newman said Sunday after the win over the Bills. "Something I'll definitely treasure and use as a good building block going forward."
Newman was at left guard with the first-team offense and then moved over to right guard with the second-team offense. He played on 53 of the Bears' 83 offensive snaps.
Going back and forth between the interior offensive line positions gave Newman a deeper appreciation for those positions. Newman said his goal is to be able to play all three of those positions – left guard, center and right guard – at a high level.
"A lot of good that comes out of those positions, particularly at center and right guard that are a little unknown to me," Newman said. "I see myself as flashing great potential at all three interior spots, but I just take it day by day, like get a little bit better with the snaps one day. Be a little bit more efficient with my backside cutoffs at right guard the next, and just building off some of those little things."
So far, those opportunies at left guard have impressed the linemen who played alongside Newman.
What they're saying:
Bears center Drew Dalman got a chance to play in his Bears' uniform for the first time on Sunday after the starters didn't play vs. Miami.
Dalman lined up, snapping the football with Newman to his left. He had a good first impression of the rookie playing with the first-team offense at left guard.
"He did well, communicated well, felt like we're on the same page and all that," Dalman said Sunday. "It was awesome."
Even if Thuney plays Friday, Newman should see a considerable amount of reps with the second- and third-team offensive lineups. The veterans were impressed by seeing how Newman handled his reps with the first-team offense in live actions.
"To be a rookie thrust into playing like that is really challenging," Dalman said. "For him to do well is really admirable."
With another impressive performance against Kansas City, Newman could increase his level of trust with a coaching staff that's been clear they're about actions on the field over everything.
Newman knows the score. Late-round picks don't have much room for error. But, he prides himself on aiming for the cleanest football everytime he takes the field.
"Nothing's a given in this league, especially for being a late-round draft pick like myself," Newman said. "Not everything's going to be perfect, but we can always strive for perfection on the line."
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