With LB Alec Ogletree and TE Jesse James entering the mix, here’s where six position battles stand for Bears

Veteran linebacker Alec Ogletree was a guest of pass rusher Robert Quinn’s at Halas Hall on Aug. 1. A close friend of Quinn from their time with the Rams, Ogletree and his family were there to watch Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Quinn’s sister, run in the Olympics.

“I came to watch his sister run and spoke to all the coaches and stuff, and obviously I did a couple workouts here before,” the veteran linebacker said Tuesday.  “(I) didn’t really think anything of it, just was going to be here for a couple days and then go back to Georgia.”

Then Ogletree’s agent called and asked where he was.

“I said, ‘I’m in Chicago.’ He’s like, ‘Uh, don’t leave. They want to sign you,’” Ogletree said. “So that’s kind of how that went. Just right timing, I would say.”

Officially signed on Aug. 4, Ogletree now leads all Bears players with six interceptions during training camp. His success has changed the competition at inside linebacker behind starters Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan. Here’s a look at Ogletree’s arrival and other position battles with the Bears hosting the Dolphins on Wednesday and Thursday for joint practices.

Justin Fields’ natural arm talent is captivating camp.

So what's next?

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Backup inside linebacker

An early indication that the team was looking for more experienced options behind Smith and Trevathan came when Christian Jones, who previously played for the Bears from 2014 to 2017, was signed on March 23. Jones not only has 73 career starts but also was a reliable player on special teams for the Bears and the Lions.

For reserve linebackers Joel Iyiegbuniwe and Josh Woods, the Bears’ playoff game against the Saints also was a message. The team chose to start linebacker Manti Te’o, who was first signed to the practice squad in October, instead of one of them in New Orleans with Smith injured.

In camp, Jones and Ogletree are clearly putting pressure on Iyiegbuniwe and Woods to perform better. Jones was activated off the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday. Iyiegbuniwe (hamstring) and Woods (quadriceps) also suffered injuries at Family Fest on Aug. 3, and Woods remained out Tuesday.

“(Ogletree’s) doing great,” coach Matt Nagy said. “What a credit to him, to come in here and we are down some numbers at inside linebacker, and all he is doing is making plays. You can’t ask for more than that. He’s somebody that over the years here since I’ve been in Chicago, you go back and look at the tape, he’s had a couple picks and he’s done some good stuff. So credit to him.”

Three of Ogletree’s 12 career interceptions have come against the Bears, two on Chase Daniel passes (including a pick six) and one off Mitch Trubisky. But it’s his interceptions in camp that have the Bears’ attention right now.

“I have never had that many interceptions in practice,” said Ogletree, who worked out for the Bears before last season and again this past May. “Hopefully, I can do that on Sundays.”

To do so, he might need to find a role on special teams in his ninth NFL season. A defensive starter previously for the Rams and Giants, Ogletree has been on the field for only 187 special-teams plays in his career.

“You obviously want to be out on the field making plays on defense,” Ogletree said. “But also, you have to humble yourself a little bit and understand that you may have to play special teams, and if that be the case, that’s what I’ll do.”

Starting cornerback

Second-year cornerback Kindle Vildor is listed as a starter on the Bears’ first unofficial depth chart, but based on rotations in practice, the defensive coaching staff isn’t fully ready to hand the starting spot to him. The experience of Desmond Trufant, in his ninth season, still matters in the Bears’ decision-making.

“You can see why he’s played at a high level for so long,” secondary coach Deshea Townsend said. “He just adds another piece to the puzzle that makes it hard on us as coaches. But he’s a vet. He comes in, asks great questions. He understands ball. You can have good football conversations with him just because of his experience and him playing so much. It’s just good to have him.”

Vildor could change all discussions about the cornerback competition this week against the Dolphins. Trufant’s durability has already become a concern; he has a minor groin injury. Last season, a serious hamstring injury sidelined him for the Lions.

“(Vildor’s) playing faster,” Nagy said. “And then in preseason, (it’s) just go out and play. Make plays. These guys, him and Jaylon (Johnson) on the outside right now, are playing fast. It’s nice to have two young guys out there doing their thing. Probably more than anything from last year to this year, I see (Vildor’s) confidence grow.”

If Vildor does start, his style will be different from Kyle Fuller’s, too.

“He’s a press corner,” Townsend said. “He has long arms. He can get his hands on guys. And that’s the thing you want to see him do and get better at.”

No. 3 tight end

If Jake Butt hadn’t retired just before training camp, it’s possible that Jesse James still would be a free agent or playing elsewhere right now. Instead, the Bears might have found a reliable reserve for their game-day roster behind Cole Kmet and Jimmy Graham.

“He’s tall. He’s long. He’s a good, savvy vet,” tight ends coach Clancy Barone said. “Think about it. We have a fairly young room outside of Jimmy, so bringing in a guy like that, a real savvy vet, knows how to play the game. He was a great pickup for us.”

James is showing it every day in practice. His connection with quarterback Justin Fields started early and hasn’t stopped. James is adept at making catches in traffic. At 6-foot-7 and 251 pounds, he’s a different threat from Jesper Horsted and J.P. Holtz. James also has 150 catches for 1,460 yards and 11 touchdowns in his career.

“I’m just going with it,” James said. “It’s not anything crazy; it’s football. At the end of the day, it’s just learning the terminology. The routes aren’t any different than I have run before. It’s just knowing the terminology and getting it together.”

Nickelback

The Bears are looking for ways to push Duke Shelley at nickelback. He has played well, but it’s important to have competition. Right now, that appears to be defensive backs Marqui Christian and Xavier Crawford. Primarily a safety in the past, Christian, in his sixth season, is the most experienced of the three players.

Townsend mentioned the plays inside at nickelback that Christian had with the Rams, with whom he spent four seasons.

“It was just his versatility, his position flex that makes him valuable,” he said. “He’s had that ability where he’s played enough man (coverage). Just his understanding of the game, especially inside at nickel, is important. You have to see it live, you have to communicate, and he has that capability.

The competition outside at cornerback shouldn’t overshadow the importance of having a viable nickelback in today’s NFL, either. The Bears have prepared Shelley for this role since selecting him in the sixth round in 2019. Townsend said the team wants to see Shelley “make his mark.” That hasn’t happened yet.

“He’s not a rookie; this is his third year,” he said. “Just continue to be the vocal guy that he is, and I think he’s embraced that — the communication part of the defense, the understanding that he is basically the quarterback of the defense as the nickel. And I think he’s done a good job of that so far.”

The wide receiver depth

The success of Fields as the Bears’ No. 2 quarterback has led to more highlights for second-string receivers in camp, particularly Javon Wims, Riley Ridley, Chris Lacy, Rodney Adams and Jon’Vea Johnson. Rookie Dazz Newsome (broken collarbone) should experience the same once he’s cleared for full participation.

Nick Foles’ aggressive tack with the third-teamers is seemingly aiding evaluations, too. There is less confusion among the Bears’ most inexperienced players, and with that comes more plays being made.

As a result, Nagy suggested that he sees 10 receivers making plays in practice in a competition for one or two (at most) roster spots.

“I think everybody is making plays right now, but I just think all that stuff will play out once we get into preseason games,” receivers coach Mike Furrey said.

Participation and success on special teams will be essential for the fifth or sixth receivers. Newsome’s return ability will be factored in when he’s healthy, while Lacy has seemingly gained an edge on Wims and Ridley for other roles.

“As you get going with some of those guys (in the preseason), it’s going to be a great chance and great opportunity for them to separate themselves and maybe give them an edge two ways: to be good on special teams and to know multiple positions in this offense,” Nagy said.

Offensive line depth

Offensive line coach Juan Castillo was happy to highlight what second-year lineman Lachavious Simmons was doing while playing right tackle with the starters.

“It’s really nice because he’s going against Khalil Mack, and you really haven’t heard too much,” Castillo said last week. “What that tells you is he’s doing a pretty solid job against one of the top outside linebackers in the league.”

Simmons hasn’t been perfect; Mack still has done “Mack-like” things. Simmons, though, was improving from Castillo’s perspective, especially when given the chance to play against better players after injuries and COVID-19 protocols changed the depth up front.

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But two days later, Simmons was on the injury list with a concussion, a day after fifth-round pick Larry Borom was added to it with the same condition.

The competition for roster spots up front has continually changed because of the change in personnel. Simmons was listed as the starting right tackle on the Bears’ first unofficial depth chart, but that’s only because Germain Ifedi (hip pointer) is on the physically unable to perform list. Second-round pick Teven Jenkins (back tightness) also hasn’t practiced in camp. Swing-tackle candidate Elijah Wilkinson was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday.

Through it all, Alex Bars and Arlington Hambright have played multiple positions with quarterback Andy Dalton and against the Bears’ best defenders.

“We play offensive line, and we understand the position and the role we play for our team,” Bars said. “We have the mindset that no matter what happens, we’re still going to attack every day as a group together. Obviously, we’re dropping guys, but it’s kind of a ‘whatever’ mentality. Next play. You got to keep going. We’re the offensive line.”

(Photo of Alec Ogletree, left, and Kindle Vildor: Robin Alam / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)