The Bears Quietly Have Oodles of Former Vikings Players

The Chicago Bears are forecasted to acquire 6.5 online games in 2022, the same overall as the Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions, and Jacksonville Jaguars. And if they get to that mark, they’ll do so with a litany of former Minnesota Vikings players.

Chicago hired a new standard supervisor (Ryan Poles) and head coach (Matt Eberflus) this offseason, significantly like the Vikings who hired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell. They’re starting up new, evidenced by allowing Khalil Mack, Allen Robinson, Eddie Goldman, Akiem Hicks, Danny Trevathan, Tarik Cohen, Jimmy Graham, Tashaun Gipson, Jason Peters, and some others wander.

Poles will have to have an ardor for previous Vikings mainly because, right before roster cuts to 53 gentlemen, the Bears have seven Minnesota alumnus — generally on offense:

• Jake Bargas (FB)
• Khari Blasingame (FB)
• Dakota Dozier (OL)
• DeMarquis Gates (LB)
• Riley Reiff (OT)
• Trevor Siemian (QB)
• Tajae Sharpe (WR)

The Bears, alongside with Vikings (maybe), are 1 of the handful of teams to still utilize a fullback. Bargas was signed around the weekend to compete with Blasingame, who is thought of the frontrunner to acquire the occupation. Bargas was produced by Minnesota on August 16th as the Vikings shaved down to 90 players.

Dozier was meant to be the Bears “fix” at offensive guard, but he was injured in June. Now, he’ll recuperate with the Bears with sights presumably set on 2023. Vikings enthusiasts didn’t lament his exodus from Minnesota and felt reduction when Dozier landed in Chicago. He struggled with the Vikings.

DeMarquis Gates put in the spring and summer time of 2020 in Minnesota but was released all through the preseason. He’s currently detailed as the Bears fourth-string middle linebacker. Riley Reiff was in all probability the most stunning ex-Vikings addition to Poles’ roster. He signed on the Bears dotted line for one particular calendar year and a contract that can balloon to $12.5 million with incentives. He’s on deck to get started at appropriate tackle, a instead clear forecast for that pricetag.

Quarterback Trevor Siemian backed up Kirk Cousins during the QB1’s opening salvo with the Vikings and has because performed for the New York Jets, Tennessee Titans, and New Orleans Saints. In 2022, he’s battling the infamous Nathan Peterman for Chicago’s QB2 position powering Justin Fields.

Finally, Sharpe is listed all around the Bears WR7 slot on the depth chart. Poles signed oodles of WR3-WR4 sorts in 2022, evidently hoping a handful blossom into WR2 kinds. Other illustrations in Equanimeous St. Brown, N’Keal Harry, and Dante Pettis.

It is unclear why the pipeline has flown from Minneapolis to Chicago, but it is really actual.

The Vikings and Bears showdown in Minnesota in 7 weeks at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the College of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his every day YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs each and every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back again to 1996. Outlined responsible pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doorways (the band).

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